Angeline “Mom” Miller
Mrs Angeline “Mom” Miller is a secret weapon for St Johns.
It all started back in 1938 - her family was still feeling the pain of the Depression and was very poor. The family could not afford even a small tuition (then called “a book bill”) so Angeline and her twin sister attended public school. Angeline didn’t complain “But I always wanted to go to St Johns.” she said.
In 1969 she got her wish – sort of. A friend from St John’s said “We are looking for a special person at school, would you like to join us?” With her children still in school, Mrs. Miller was reluctant - but decided to try the job for a year. She retired from St John’s 24 years later!
And during that time, along with raising all the students in school, she also found time to raise her five boys and two girls.
She credits former student Rod Moorman , a nephew, with giving her the title “Mom” Miller. Her official title was “study hall monitor” - it was a job where Mrs. Miller got to know the students. She could learn if they had any problems and she would give them motherly advice.
Now at 87 years, she is still remembered by all of her former students. And when you touch a lot of lives you become a celebrity. And she get noticed everywhere she goes, like on a trip to Vegas where one of her former students, also there on vacation, spotted her and called out “Hi Mom Miller!”
Her time dealing with the staff and the students has given her plenty of wonderful memories.
“I could write a book with all the stories I know about St Johns !”, she says with a smile.
“But knowing all that - I have only good things to say about the school.”
“St John’s has a great tradition and students should appreciate the privilege of attending such a wonderful school”.
And now, more about her role as a secret weapon. Little did the opposing teams know that St Johns players could play harder than anyone else because they had Mom Millers - custom tailored uniforms ! Any time the basketball or football uniforms needed a modification or repair, Mom Miller was there to tune up the threads. “I did some fancy sewing I can tell you !” “I think Bob Arnzen was my best client !”
Even in 2011 she was still tailoring and laundering the sports uniforms following school games.
What other team could say they had “downy” fresh uniforms for their players ?
And during play-offs we understand Mom sometimes even included a rosary in the washer – just for a little added help !
During the 2010 commencement ceremonies, to rousing applause - Mom Miller received her honorary diploma from Delphos St. John’s – and her childhood wish finally came true!
Deb Elwer Lindeman
"Miss Clutch” was the nickname given to Deb Elwer Lindeman during her time on the State Champions St John’s Girls Basketball team. She had the ability to pull out amazing shots - in tough games.
The 1970’s were a defining time in women’s sport, and as Deb recalls it “The first girls’ state tournament was in 1976 - my freshman year. Jeanne Arnzen, Cork Grothouse, Sue Youngpeter and I went to the girls’ state tournament in Columbus. I remember looking at the other girls and saying quietly “One day the four of us are going to be playing on that floor !”
From that day forward Deb and her teammates dedicated themselves to being the best at their game. And they succeeded - from their sophomore year to their senior year they boasted a winning record of 74 and 1 – a tremendous achievement.
But Deb credits a lot of her success to great teammates “I was very fortunate to be part of a very successful team at Delphos St John's. I look at all my teammates as lifetime teammates. I am still very close to many of them especially Jeanne (Arnzen) Gulick; Cork (Grothouse) Ulm, Sue (Youngpeter) Hohnebrink, and Anne (Metzner) Chung. I know they would be there to help if I ever need anything.”
Like many who play sports Deb improved by watching her heroes, one of whom lived very close by “One of my best role models was my brother Denny Elwer (Class of1971) who played for Coach Arnzen. Growing up I wanted to be just like him. “
“Coach Arnzen built a rich tradition in boy’s basketball and he was influential to the girls program.” The girls had Fran Voll. “I could not imagine playing for a better coach than Fran Voll. He was more than a coach – he was a good friend. His coaching went beyond the court, and he prepared us for life after basketball.”
But like many successful people, her good luck came with a lot of work, and practice.
“I remember spending many hours practicing, shooting baskets from the stone court in our barn yard.”
During her years at St John’s she is credited with some amazing basketball honors:
UPI First Team All-State; UPI "Player Of The Year"; AP First Team All-State; All-State Tournament Team; Western Buckeye League First Team. During 1978-79 she won: UPI Ohio Class AA Player-Of-The Year; Class AA All-Ohio First Team; AP and UPI Class AA Tournament Most Valuable Player; and Western Buckeye League First Team.
And her talents were being watched by university coaches too. She received a full scholarship to Northern Kentucky University and continued her playing career there for four years.
Now in her role as an assistant coach for Ottoville she has turned to teaching her skills “I enjoy coaching, watching the young girls grow and watching them succeed - not only in basketball - but in life as well.”
When she is not giving back to the community or coaching future all-stars, Deb enjoys spending time with her children: Christina, Stephanie, and Annie. She and her husband Randy run a successful custom cabinet business.
“I am living a wonderful life – and must credit my parents Virgil and Rita Elwer for their love and support, as well as my community, the teachers, St. Johns, and my teammates.”
Dr. Joseph P. Myers, M.D.
Joseph P. Myers, M.D. is a 1968 graduate of Delphos St. John’s High School, a 1972 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and a 1975 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio in 1978 and his fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Cincinnati Hospitals in 1980.
From 1980 to 1981 Dr. Myers was a member of the faculty of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, and then moved to Northeast Ohio and the Northeast Ohio Medical University where he has held numerous hospital and medical educational positions. From 1981 to 1985 Dr. Myers was the first Director of Infectious Diseases at the Youngstown Hospital Association, Youngstown, Ohio and Associate Program Director for the Hospital’s Internal Medicine Residency Program.
From 1985 to 1987, Dr. Myers became the Chair of Infectious Diseases and Associate Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at St. Thomas Hospital, Akron, Ohio. From 1987 to 1996, Myers assumed numerous duties at Akron General Medical Center, Akron, Ohio where he was the Program Director of the Internal Medicine and Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs as well as the Chief of Infectious Diseases and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). From 1996 to the present time, Dr. Myers has been at Summa Akron City/St. Thomas Hospitals where he has held various positions including Program Director of the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics and Transitional Year Residency Programs. In 2007 he was appointed Chair of the Department of Medicine at Summa Akron City/St. Thomas Hospitals.
He has been named to the “Best Doctors” and “America’s Top Doctors” lists for the past several years and has provided visiting lectures and educational sessions at hospitals throughout Northeast Ohio. He is currently Chair, Department of Medicine at Summa Akron City/St. Thomas Hospitals and Professor of Internal Medicine.
Joe and his wife Gwen live in Akron, Ohio and are the parents of four children: Emily, Caitlin, Bill, and Paul
“I am now and will forever be indebted to the dedicated and talented teachers and administrative personnel at Delphos St. John’s High School. These wonderful people set no limits to what their students can accomplish through hard work, dedicated study, and a strong sense of social responsibility and community service.
These characteristics as taught by family, school, church, and the townspeople as a whole are the building blocks of success for each and every student who walks through the doors of Delphos St. John’s High School.
These building blocks are indeed woven into the fabric of life within the community.”