Beacon July 2020

Page 2A THE BEACON July 2020
By
Tamara
Taylor
The Road of Life
When I was five or six,
I remember that my dad
worked for one of those big
companies in Cincinnati. One
that rivaled P&G and whose
products were undoubtedly
household names. But the
company was still personal at
that time. I remember meeting
the owner, the big guy.
The one whose favorite color
was a really cool blue, so all
of the corporate vehicles were
painted that color. Funny the
things one remembers from
their childhood.
I also remember one of
my dad’s coworkers. Bill
Hutchinson. Always smiling
and with laughter that could
bring a smile to a person’s
face even if he was halfway
down the hall. Through the
years, I saw Bill at triathlons
and group bike rides that he
participated in with my dad.
Then life got in the way, I
grew up, and I lost touch with
Bill.
Years later, I moved out
to beautiful Aurora. My
path crossed with Merrill
Hutchinson, and of course,
I just had to ask if he had an
uncle named Bill. The quizzical
look he gave me said it
all- how do you know Uncle
Bill?!!
Years later, I reconnected
with Bill. Our rekindled
friendship meant more to me
than I could have ever imagined.
Bill passed away recently
at the age of 89, but he swore
that he made it to 90 if one included
his time in the womb.
That was Bill’s wonderful
sense of humor. I attended
the service celebrating his
life. A very cool thing happened-
several people stood
up and told stories of how Bill
touched their lives with his
wit, compassion, and friendship.
What a legacy to leave
behind.
A few months were needed
before I could share my
memories of Bill with you. I
understand that some of you
may remember Bill from a
time when he worked in Dillsboro
and throughout Dearborn
County. I hope you got to
Linda and Merrill Hutchinson
know him as I did.
They say the apple doesn’t
fall far from the tree. This is
certainly true for the Hutchinson
family. Like his Uncle
Bill, Merrill certainly gives
back unconditionally to his
family and his community.
Merrill and his wife Linda
have been married for at least
thirty-four years (we all must
have been about six at the
time- no ages given away
here!). I watched them raise
two incredible boys, both of
whom are carrying on the
family tradition of giving
back. A very nice tribute to
how great parents Merrill and
Linda are.
Having an empty nest
should mean slowing down,
enjoying life a little more,
but not for Merrill and Linda.
Not only did they adopt three
children who are siblings, but
they also started an organization
that gives back in innumerable
ways. Rock Solid
Families was founded in 2018
and has impacted numerous
lives since its inception. The
life-coaching organization
offers guidance and tools for
family, marriage, and personal
wellness.
Merrill and Linda have been
an integral part of our community
for years as counselors,
teachers, coaches, and
community leaders. They
have led retreats, classes, and
workshops focusing on marriage
and parenting for over
twenty-five years. The couple
then stepped away from their
full-time positions to focus on
strengthening families.
When I first met Merrill, he
had just completed a cycling
trip across the country. Yes,
coast to coast. His passion for
fitness has continued throughout
his life and is deeply ingrained
in his business principal
of the importance of faith,
family, and fitness. Merrill
began his career as a teacher,
inspiring students to do their
very best. He also coached
swim teams, wrestling, and
probably numerous other
activities as some parents do.
He then altered his path and
became a counselor at Bright
Elementary, where he guided
children through the maze of
learning what life is about.
Linda holds degrees in both
secondary education and pastoral
counseling. She gained
immeasurable experience as a
teacher for eight years before
taking on the role of becoming
the children’s program
director at an area church. Her
dedication and work resulted
in the standard core for the
children’s ministry.
When asked to describe
Merrill and Linda, the unanimous
response from their
peers was, “If you need something,
they are the ones to turn
to. Their hearts are so open”
They are honest and will not
sugar coat an answer. You
know what you get with them.
I personally admire that.
Both Merrill and Linda
volunteer at Pregnancy Care
Centers. Linda dedicates her
time to the Harrison office,
while Merrill focuses on the
Lawrenceburg location. This
dynamic team is supportive of
each other at their respective
locations as well.
Merrill became involved in
the Man-to-Man program at
PCC after attending a banquet
for the organization. Within a
few months, what started as
merely volunteering quickly
grew into being a mentor for
others who wish to help with
the program.
Kayla Griffin, the executive
director for the Pregnancy
Care Center, shared that
Merrill has proven to be a
natural leader for the Manto-Man
program. “Merrill is
a generous man. You can tell
he wants to make a difference
in the families in our
community. He is passionate
about trying to instill values
that will impact families and
future generations.”
When speaking with Kayla
Griffin, I was caught short
by her referring to Merrill as
Hutch. That was his uncle
Bill’s nickname. How fitting
and what an honor.
Thank you, Merrill and
Linda Hutchinson, for all that
you do for our community.
Your efforts will certainly be
felt for generations to come.
On a more whimsical note,
M. Chester (aka Wilber)
supporting the community
while wearing his mask.
the donkey is back! The
Manchester icon is back on
the front lines, mask in place,
bringing a bit of lightheartedness
to those who pass by
the Ashton farm. Thank you
to the Ashtons for keeping
the tradition “alive and
well.”
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Doris Butt, Susan Carson,
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PG Gentrup, John Hawley,
Mary-Alice Helms, Merrill and
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Laura Keller, Debbie McCane,
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