Honoring Local Legends

BY WILLIAM BECHEM

The Staunton Wall of Honor, which recognizes and celebrates those individuals and groups of individuals, past and present, whose accomplishments have brought pride, distinction, benefit, and honor to the community. The highly coveted and revered wall is located within the Ralph and Josephine Oltmann Community Center at 101 W. Pearl St. in Staunton.

Honorees should have been born, educated, or resided in Staunton. They have excelled in their field of endeavor with singular, significant contributions to the community and/or beyond.

Past honorees have included: Arch Hoxsey; Wright Bros. pioneering pilot; Jessie Sparr, a trailblazing educator; Herman Frey, discoverer of the Mayan ruins at Bonampak; Henry Voge, who began the coal mining industry here; Hampton Wall, State Senator and town benefactor; Jill Blotevogel, television writer and producer; the 1923 SHS Championship Football team; the 1993 SHS Championship Basketball team; and, the Tour de Donut founders.

This year, WWII U.S. Navy serviceman and Staunton native Bruno Gaido has been recognized. Bruno is a conspicuous representative of Staunton's Greatest Generation: he saved the USS Enterprise from a kamikaze attack and later, during the Battle of Midway, was captured, tortured, lost at sea.

In the 2019 film Midway, Bruno is played by Nick Jonas.President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: “Bruno Gaido stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings.”

Scott Gaudi's second grade teacher, Eleanor Gregory, stands beside his plaque at the Oltmann Center.

2024’s second honoree is Scott Gaudi. Scott has discovered or co-discovered over 100 planets outside the solar system. He is the Thomas Jefferson Professor for Discovery and Space Exploration at Ohio State University and chairs several NASA committees.

Scott attended grade school and one year of high school here in Staunton. He credits his Second-Grade Teacher Eleanor Gregory for fostering his interest in astronomy.

The members of the Staunton Wall of Honor committee are as follows: Kathy Legendre; Cindy Leonard; Hulda Black; Steve Moore; Sam Alendar; Bill Bechem; Alderman, David Manning; and Mayor, Craig Neuhaus.