Stranahan inducted into Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame
Nancy Stranahan. (Photo courtesy of Ohio Department of Aging)
The Ohio Department of Aging (AGE) inducted eight older Ohioans into the state’s Senior Citizens Hall of Fame at a ceremony Sept. 23 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
The Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame honors older Ohioans who represent a positive image of aging, serve their communities with distinction, and have significant accomplishments in their professions and vocations. More than 500 older Ohioans have been inducted since 1977, each of whom have enriched our state through lifelong service and leadership.
The eight members of this year’s class range in age from 61 to 94 and are being honored for decades of inspiring work in their communities. The 2026 class includes a career nurse and healthcare professional, a teaching artist, a trailblazer in agriculture, an advocate for older adults, a conservation leader, an economic development and community service volunteer, and a former governor and first lady who have dedicated their lives to public service.
They reside across the state, from southwest near Lebanon to the eastern edge of the state near Youngstown.
2026 Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame inductees:
- Nancy Bucci, 76, Columbus
- Padma Chebrolu, 61, Lebanon
- William T. McKarns, posthumous, Hanoverton
- Ralph H. Smith, 82, Niles
- Nancy Stranahan, 74, Hillsboro
- Former Governor Bob Taft and Former First Lady Hope Taft, 84 and 80, Spring Valley
- Merris A. Welge, 91, Ontario
“These inductees embody the spirit of extraordinary leadership and service,” said AGE Director Ursel J. McElroy. “Their dedication to their vocations, communities, and our state continues to shape Ohio into the best place to age in the nation. Each honoree is profoundly deserving of this recognition, and we look forward to celebrating them.”
Nancy Stranahan has spent more than three decades proving that one person can make a profound impact on the natural world. A nationally recognized conservation leader and cofounder of the Arc of Appalachia, she drew on her background in natural resource management and education to begin safeguarding Ohio’s wild places in 1995. Over 31 years as Executive Director, she built a powerful network of supporters who helped expand the Arc to 40 preserve regions across multiple states, protecting over 18,000 acres, maintaining 90 miles of trails, and offering educational programs that foster nature literacy for all ages.
Stranahan’s influence reaches thousands through workshops, hikes, and community events, while the lands she protected welcome more than 150,000 visitors each year. Her career has earned honors including the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame and the Ohio Biological Survey Naturalist Award. Her earlier entrepreneurial chapter — running Mill Creek Farm Bakery & Gift Shop and Benevolence Café in Columbus — taught her essential skills in personnel management, customer service, and community building, all of which later strengthened her leadership in the nonprofit world.
Guided by a philosophy that successful aging stems from meaningful work, empathy, and engagement, Stranahan has long believed that giving is not sacrifice but expansion — an opportunity to enlarge one’s sense of self to include people, places, and ecosystems. Her efforts have uplifted both human and natural communities. The Arc’s preserves serve as wildlife sanctuaries, educational spaces, cultural repositories, and sources of restoration, including the Hopewell earthworks that stand as quiet testimony to her dedication.
At home, Stranahan lives the values she advocates, practicing simple living with her husband through gardening, baking, and food preservation. Her story is one of unwavering purpose and connection to the natural world. Through her leadership, countless acres have been saved, communities educated, and lives touched — a reminder that lasting change begins with a single acre, a single person, and the courage to care.