Local veteran, former mayor passes away

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FAIRBORN — A well-known local veteran and former Fairborn mayor has recently died.

Dr. Lynn E. Wolaver, 94 of Fairborn, passed away Monday May 7, 2018 at the Hospice of Dayton. He was born March 10, 1924 in Springfield, Ill., the son of the late Lindle and Esther Wolaver.

Lynn served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and flew in C-47 aircraft in the European Theater of Operations with the IX Troop Carrier Command Pathfinder Group. His service in the military was followed with employment in civil service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he served as the dean for research emeritus at the Air Force Institute of Technology and retired in 1988.

He is a charter member of the Federal Senior Executive Service and was first appointed to super grade status in 1967 at 43 at the USAF Aerospace Research Laboratories, where he was one of the directors. His civilian protocol status was DV-5 equivalent to a major general.

Wolaver’s academic life included the University of Illinois, The Ohio State University extension at Wright Field, and he obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1964 in computers, information and control engineering. He was a former mayor of the City of Fairborn, was very active in civic affairs in the entire region, and was a longtime member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairborn.

Wolaver belongs to multiple standard sets of honoraria and received several honors and awards.

He is the author of over 60 technical papers in the fields of navigation, astrodynamics and nonlinear systems analysis and physiological systems modeling. He has a textbook in Astrodynamics and is a reviewer of technical articles for a number of journals, an editor of the Brazilian Engenharia International Journal and served as reviewer and consultant to the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

He is also active in civic affairs being a member of the Fairborn Chamber of Commerce, Fairborn Rotary Club and the American Legion. Wolaver served six years on the city planning board, two years on the zoning board of appeals, eight years on city council with two of those years as deputy mayor and four years as mayor. He was one of 10 Dayton corporate leaders on the Dayton Development Council’s Science and Technology Task Force that inventoried the area’s technological assets and made recommendations for strategies to expand jobs in technology and served on several committees, boards and associations.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Donna Wolaver. Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Arah-Dean; two sons, Judge Stephen (Gayla Sue) Wolaver, Rick Wolaver; two grandchildren, Scott (Kerri) Wolaver, Lindy Wolaver; and two great-grandsons, Carter and Connor.

Fairborn citizen and long-time local realator Rose Zellmer was a good friend of the Wolaver’s and said that he was a wonderful man.

“He was a very accomplished man,” Zellmer said. “The neatest thing about him was that he was so modest. No one called him ‘doctor’ although he had that degree. He was warm and you could depend on him for anything and everything.”

And his wife?

“A fine, fine lady,” Zellmer said.

The family will receive friends 3-6 p.m. Sunday, May 13 at the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, 422 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Road. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, May 14 at the Victory Church, 2443 Valle Greene Dr. with Rev. Keith F. Witte officiating. A graveside service with military honors will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 16 at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church and School, 1240 S. Maple Ave., Fairborn, OH 45324. Condolences may be made to the family at www.BeltonStroup.com.

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By Whitney Vickers

[email protected]

Contact Whitney Vickers at 937-502-4532.

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