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A number of class members have expressed an interest in attending the induction ceremony for Terry Ryan into the City of Defiance’s Hall of Fame. The ceremony is open to the public and admission is free. It would great if we could have a good turnout of classmates for this event. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 10 at the Stroede Center for the Arts, 319 Wayne Ave. Tuff is the only inductee for 2024. The Andrew L. Tuttle Memorial Museum, 514 W. Third St., also will be open following the program for visitors to view the Ryan exhibit. This is the weekend of the Lilac Festival in Defiance.

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Author Terry "Tuff" Ryan will be inducted the Defiance City Hall of Fame during its 22nd annual induction ceremony on May 10 at the Stroede Center for the Arts, 319 Wayne Ave.

The event will be held in conjunction with the city's annual Lilac Festival on May 11 and slated for 7 p.m. Friday.

Ryan is the author of "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less, a best-selling memoir published in 2001. The story is about Ryan’s upbringing in the small town and the results of the writing efforts of her mother, Evelyn.


Throughout nearly two decades, her mother’s writing skills earned the family everything from a grocery store shopping spree to a new Triumph TR3 sports car and a trip to New York City. The book was based on the collection of Evelyn’s notebooks and memorabilia, and portrays her efforts, beginning in the 1950s, to win cash and prizes from countless companies. She won prizes for her jingles, poetry and essays, thus helping with the family finances during a time when the Ryans were cash-strapped. Evelyn and Leo “Kelly” Ryan had 10 children.

In 2005, The Prize Winner movie was released by Dream Works, starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson.


Ryan, who passed away in 2007, had lived in San Francisco with her long-time partner, Patricia Holt. Ryan graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1969 with a degree in English and journalism. Over the years, she served as a technical writer, copywriter and editor, in addition to authoring two poetry books. She was a book reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle and editor with the Journal of American Medical Association, Chronicle Books, the University of San Francisco, Ten Speed Press, Arcus and Booklegger Press. Ryan was also the writing half of the cartooning team, T.O. Sylvester.


Admission is free to the induction ceremony at the Stroede Center. The Andrew L. Tuttle Memorial Museum, 514 W. Third St., also will be open following the program for visitors to view the Ryan exhibit, explained Judy Dally, the Tuttle's director of education.  


Richard Rozevink, director of the Tuttle Museum, noted that the hall of fame was initially coordinated by city historian Randy Buchman in 2003. With the induction of Ryan, 83 residents will have been recognized. He added that plaques recognizing each inductee were initially on display in the city council chambers, but were eventually relocated to the Tuttle Museum.

According to Dally, to qualify for a Defiance City Hall of Fame, nominees must have been deceased for more than 10 years.


“The person must meet two of the following: have been born in the city of Defiance, lived in the city of Defiance for at least eight years, died a resident of the city of Defiance, or be buried in the city of Defiance,” explained Dally. “In addition, the nominee must be associated with a significant historical, cultural or humanitarian activity in Defiance or must have brought recognition to Defiance.”
The story of Ryan will be presented during the ceremony by Defiance High School student Brock Hazelton, under the guidance of Hans Zipfel, social studies teacher. The DHS social studies department has been a part of the Defiance City Hall of Fame induction ceremony since its inception.

“Initially, students got to work with our civic treasure and mentor of mine and many, Mr. Buchman,” noted Zipfel. “That in itself was worth the investment. The students got to see what a living, breathing, passionate historian looked, sounded and acted like; not to mention a charismatic, genuine good guy. They got to share in the lineage of many social studies teachers, history enthusiasts and hobbyists in and around Defiance and the northwest Ohio area.”

Hazelton, a DHS junior, has a goal of becoming a social studies teacher, added Zipfel.

“He is a very apt pupil and volunteered to embrace this charge last year at the conclusion of that particular ceremony,” he said.

The hall of fame induction is in cooperation with the City of Defiance.

The Tuttle museum is open to the public on Thursdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and the first Sunday of the month from 1-4 p.m. It is closed on holidays.

For more information, contact the museum at 419-782-0746 or thetuttle@cityofdefiance.com.