Lawrence 'Jack' Schiller, 1908-2012: Oak Harbor businessman a leader in agriculture

OAK HARBOR -- Lawrence "Jack" Schiller, 103, a leader in agricultural business and his community, died Wednesday in Magruder Hospital, Port Clinton. He had pneumonia.

He remained in his longtime home on the Portage River in Oak Harbor.

Mr. Schiller was president of Hayward Inc., which he founded in 1932 to dehydrate alfalfa, mostly for the animal feed industry. He sold that part of the business operation in the 1970s. The firm then concentrated on its farmland holdings and investments. He went to his office at least twice a week until last month.

"At 101, he still got on a tractor and plowed a field," his daughter Mary said.

He established a dehydration plant in Oak Harbor and eventually had three facilities in the state. In 1941, he organized the American Hydrators Association.

He was an Army captain in World War II, serving stateside. He dehydrated food for ease in shipping to troops. After the war, he opened alfalfa plants in Nebraska and California.

He became a world traveler, visiting the former Soviet Union in the People to People program and Europe, Asia, and South America on trade missions organized by Gov. James A. Rhodes. He was a member of the Association of Ohio Commodores and was its Grand Commodore for 1977.

Born Sept. 3, 1908, Mr. Schiller grew up on a farm near Rocky Ridge, Ohio.

He was a conversationalist who wouldn't let a cursory answer suffice when a question suggested a story: "He'd take a rabbit trail to get to the answer," his son said.

Mr. Schiller married the former Hilda "Judy" Randall on Feb. 28, 1944. She died Oct. 23, 2008.

Surviving are his son, John; daughters, Mary Coffee and Barbara Lodermeier; six grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Oak Harbor United Methodist Church, where he was a longtime member. Arrangements are by the Robinson-Walker Funeral Home, Oak Harbor.

The family suggests tributes to the Oak Harbor United Methodist Church Foundation or the Jack and Judy Schiller Dyslexia Fund of the Ottawa County Community Foundation.

Contact Mark Zaborney at: mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.