The Lifetime Service Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate of Bluffton University. It recognizes an individual who has dedicated his or her life to heartfelt service to people, community or church. Inspired by personal faith in God and the ultimate purposes of His kingdom, this individual has made a difference in the lives of others.
This year's recipient will be:
Dr. Herbert L. Coon '35
Retired educator
Major: chemistry
Dedicated to education
Dr. Herbert L. Coon has dedicated his life to educating and serving others since graduating from Bluffton University. He has had a successful career as an educator, professor, administrator and mentor at various high schools and colleges, most predominately The Ohio State University, where he obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees. He has authored many articles for publications of the Educational Resource Information Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, as well as the Population Education for The Classroom and Energy Education book series. He also spent time in New Dehli, India, with the USAID Project, working to establish teacher-training colleges throughout the country.
In retirement, Herbert continues volunteering and facilitating discussion groups at Brookdale Trillium Place in Columbus, Ohio. He assists an intergenerational discussion group with local high school students called “Blending Generations” and leads discussions of current events and politics for the group called “In the News.” He promotes Heifer Project International, an organization working to end world hunger and poverty in third-world countries. Herbert has also spent time volunteering as a classroom assistant in elementary and middle schools within the Columbus Public Schools system.
Herbert is still actively involved at Overbrook Presbyterian where he has served as an elder and a deacon. William Leety, pastor of Overbrook, says, “Herbert’s love of God and neighbor enriches community life in his present home and touches lives of other residents with grace.”
Herbert and his wife, Marjorie (Luginbuhl ’36) Coon, have two children and three grandchildren.
— Jill A. Duling and Andréa Ressler ’09
