John Blair Dennison

John Blair Dennison, 92, died Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, at Heartland of Hillsboro.

He was born June 20, 1921, in Mason, Ohio, the son of John W. and Eva Guttery Dennison.

He was a graduate of Hillsboro High School, class of 1939. Blair was a World War II veteran, having enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940. He was a B-25 bomber pilot and served in the 7th Air Force in several of the Pacific Islands, including Okinawa, Hawaii and the Gilbert Islands. He was honorably discharged on March 1, 1946 after attaining the rank of major. Following the war, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, class of 1950.

He returned to Hillsboro in 1952 and began his lifelong career in the banking equipment manufacturing industry at the Gross Feibel Company. In 1981, he began working for his good friend ‘Red’ Deluse at the Hamilton Safe Company in Fairfield, finally retiring in 2007 at the age of 84.

He was active on the Hillsboro Board of Education for many years and was involved with both the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees and the Great Oaks Joint Vocational School District Board. He was a member of the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church, the Hillsboro Elks Lodge and the Masonic Lodge of Hillsboro.

He is survived by three daughters, Beth (David) Mayers of Wilmington, Barbara (Jeff) Streitenberger of Hilton Head, S.C. and Carol of Frankfort, Ky.; and one grandson, Blair Streitenberger and one granddaughter, Libby Streitenberger, both of South Carolina.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Tolle Dennison on March 10, 1988; his sister Janet Elaine Dennison on July 9, 1988; his brother Harlan W. Dennison on Nov. 20, 1996; and special friend Janet Limes in 2011.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church.

Friends may call at 1 p.m. until time of service on Saturday March 15, 2014 at the church.

Blair was buried at the Hillsboro Cemetery during a private ceremony at the convenience of the family under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home. 

Memorials may be made to the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church, 133 East Walnut Street, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133.

To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.thompsonfuneralhomes.com.