Mears, a long-time downtown businessman, was the community’s chief cheerleader and was very active in the life of the community supporting youth sports, serving as a member of city council, as mayor, planning commission member and other city boards and commissions. He also promoted economic and community development, supported the Franklin City Schools and veterans causes, and organized the annual Memorial Day Parade for the past 45 years.
The parade will go on this year as always, as others will be picking up where Mears left off. Mayor Brent Centers said the parade will be renamed the “Jim Mears Memorial Day Parade” for the next 10 years.
Centers said that after he won his first term on Franklin City Council, Mears asked him to stop by his office.
“He encouraged me to listen and talk to everyone before making a decision,” Centers said.
In a social media post, City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said: “Sad news for our city. Jim was one of the most dedicated and loyal (men) I’ve had the honor of knowing.”
Mears was a proud Army veteran and helped to organize patriotic events for the community and coordinated call to service ceremonies for local Ohio National Guard units that were called up for deployment for various assignments in the U.S. or abroad.
Sonny Lewis, the retired Franklin city manager and public works director, knew Mears since he was a teen and went hunting with him for decades. He and Mears would hunt turkeys and other game at his farm in Adams County.
“Jim was a character of his own,” Lewis said. “He lived a life of service. He helped to build Franklin and he really loved the veterans. Veterans knew where to go when they needed help. He served God, his family, friends and the community.”
Another former council member, Carl Bray, said he was called in Florida Monday morning and told of Mears’ death. Bray said he saw Mears in the hospital last Thursday before going to Florida.
“It’s sad,” Bray said. “It’s a sad situation because he did so much for Franklin and helped to bring in business. We’ve lost a legend. He was a class act.”
Bray said Mears encouraged him to become involved in local politics by running for a seat as a Franklin Twp. trustee and later for city council and as commander of the local American Legion post.
Another resident, Liz Buchanan, who worked with Mears on various events, said, “Franklin has lost ‘Mr. Franklin’ for sure. No one has ever worked that hard for Franklin than Jim. He’ll be missed as well as his gift for gab. He had a good life, that’s for sure.
Mears played football and baseball for Franklin High School and was widely known as a champion trap shooter. At age 13, Mears won the Grand American Handicap in the junior division. He was the North American runner-up in 1954 in the junior division. He also won the state junior title in 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954. In addition, he was All-American in the junior division in 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956.
He is survived by his wife Susie, their two children Shane and Holly, and grandchildren.
A private funeral service will be held by the family and a public celebration of life will be held for a later date.
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