John Dyer

John Jack Dyer, of Sylvania, Ohio passed away on October 12, 2007. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 25, 1926, at the height of the Great Depression to William and Agnes Dyer. He was raised in Pittsburgh, PA. After graduating high school, he went to Bucknell University for the V-5 U.S. Naval Reserve pilot training. He ended the war as a signalman aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. He then was stationed in Hawaii for 6 months in the Navys public information office. Jack graduated from BGSU in 1950 with a BA in Journalism. He was a news reporter for the daily Findlay Republican-Courier. He was then editor of the Montpelier, OH semi-weekly and then edited publications for Toledo Edison until 1958 when he then joined Consumers Power Co in Jackson, MI. He joined Toledo Edisons publications department where he spent the next 35 years in communication and media relations programs. He had 2 stints with Toledo Edison, the latter as vice president of public relations. He was also director of public relations for the Edison Electric Institute in New York City. He was a guest lecturer and an adjunct instructor in Journalism, Public Relations and Mass Communications at both the University of Toledo and BGSU. He developed and operated Dyer Associates with his late wife, Portia. In the past 14 years, he has directed communications for the Laser Institute of America and was managing editor and founder of the Journal of Laser Applications. Jack represented the Salvation Army in the Lucas County Emergency Operations Center and was chair of the Armys four county Emergency/Disaster Services committee. As an 18-year Advisory Board member, Jack has many experiences and much disaster training with the Salvation Army. In 1993, he was part of a team assisting Operation Noahs Ark Midwest flood relief project. He holds the international OTHERS award. He was Advisory Board Chairman from 1986-1988. In December 2001, he was called to New York City for over a six month period. He served 72 volunteer days as a Public Information Officer at the Salvation Army WTC Disaster Relief Command Center ending May 30, 2002, when the last load was marched out of the Pit where Jack was the last person to walk out. Since the early 80s, Jack was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church where he served on the Missions Committee. His most recent involvements were helping out the victims of Hurricane Katrina and served on the Lucas County Veterans Burial Squad. He was a member of the VFW Post 3717 and a member of the American Legion Post 468. Jack and his first wife, Joanne Bishop had 4 children before she died in 1969. He then married Portia Duncan in 1973 who had two children. Portia died in 2000. Jack is survived by his 6 children, Duncan Becky and Dennis Laura Hampton, Jan Dyer, Ron Ginger Dyer, Jenny Kevin Deaton and Shawn Shauna Dyer; 10 grandchildren and 4 great-children. He is also survived by his sister, Dorothy Huster and his special friend, Linda Coon. The funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10 a.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church, 3077 Valleyview Dr., Toledo, OH. The burial will be held on Tuesday in Jackson, MI at Woodland Cemetery. His family requests that donations in his memory be to the local chapter of the Salvation Army, Epworth United Methodist Church or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.