Class of 2020

Sam Blythe was a full-time farmer in the Spencerville community for most of his life. His application was submitted by his son Brent and retired Spencerville vocational agriculture educator Robert Core. Sam’s “claim to fame” according to his nominators was that he was a true American farmer in every sense of the definition and the epitome of a successful farmer. He pursued a lifetime career that he loved. His successful farm operation continues after his death with the next generation. And he created an operation of such size that likely well-exceeded his own father’s imagination. Born at the end of the Great Depression, Sam’s career in farming saw such dramatic changes within the industry of

production agriculture. Sam was far more than just a participant in this amazing progression, he was an all-in, hands-on, game changer. Over the seven decades of his lifetime he adapted to some incredible advancements with machinery, hybrids, fertility, herbicides, soil conservation, technology, grain storage and other important practices. Sam Blythe was truly a leader and an innovator who was watched and studied by others far beyond Allen County.

Lloyd Smith was a well-known and respected member of the Delphos Community for most of his life. He was a Vocational Agriculture Educator at Delphos from 1950-1973 and then Vice President of Peoples National Bank in charge of ag production and agri-business loans for another decade. No less than 19 people contributed to his nomination, with most of them being former students that hold him as someone of great distinction in their lives. Lloyd molded boys into men and placed an emphasis on teaching the business end of successful farming. He is believed to have been the first in Ohio to teach Vo-Ag students business ethics.  His nomination was championed by retired vocational

agriculture educators Michael Miller (Delphos) and Robert Core (Spencerville) who lift him up as a dedicated professional master teacher who set a high standard that other teachers admired, studied and emulated. Lloyd started the high school Vo-Ag and FFA program in Delphos and was a key factor in successfully uniting Delphos public and parochial schools and community farmers behind the agriculture education programming that is still going strong today.