
KAREN FRAKER Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
An induction ceremony was held in the Wauseon High School Auditorium this past Friday, November 3rd. The Wauseon Exempted Village School District Hall of Fame is comprised of three components: Hall of Fame (Top 5% of the class), Distinguished Alumni, and Legends of Education. The following individuals were listed as this year’s inductions.
Top 5% for the Class of 2022 – Luke Tester, Jane Richer, Makayla Kebschull, Marie Hutchinson, Jordan King, Grace Kuntz, Ember Pahl, Colin Kinnersley, Clay Stump, Carson Burt, Logan Waldron, Kyle Moore, Andrew Eberle, Daniel Hite, Zach Robinson, and Conner Nagel.
Top 5% for the Class of 2023 – Macy Gerig, Joshua Freestone, Clay Soltis, Samuel Smith Jr., Parker Black, Zaden Torres, and Grace Rhoades.
Lenabelle Rychener-Perry – Lenabelle worked at Wauseon High School for a total of 35 years. She ultimately retired from the school after her 35 years there, from 1955 to 1990.
Hazel Schroeder – Hazel was a Wauseon English Language Arts teacher during the years of 1964 to 1975. Serving at other local schools during her career, she taught all levels of English as well as music for a total of 26 years.
Darryl Warncke – Darryl graduated from Wauseon High School back in 1961. At Wauseon High School, Darryl was a member of the National Honor Society and served as Junior Class President. Darryl was selected as the male student citizen of the year his senior year by the local Women’s Civics Organization.
He was a member of the football, basketball, and baseball teams throughout high school in addition to being an active member of the Wauseon High School FFA. He is most proud of the awards he received through the FFA program, including earning a State Farmer Degree and American Farmer Degree.
In 1972, Darryl joined the faculty of Michigan State University. He was hired as a Research-Extension Specialist working with soil fertility and soil management and eventually progressed to full professor.
At Michigan State, Darryl became one of only a few muck and peat soil specialists in the United States. He has served as the coordinator of the Michigan State University Muck Research Farm for 34 years and as director of the MSU Soil and Plant Nutrient Diagnostics Lab for 31 years.
Darryl developed diagnostic tests for the determination of the nutrient status of growth media in growing plants in greenhouses. This test is used in many soil testing laboratories.
He also developed the petiole sap nitrate test for determining the nitrogen status of several vegetable crops and the guidelines to enable more efficient management of nitrogen inputs.
Darryl was awarded Outstanding Extension Specialist in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University. After 37 years on the faculty, Darryl is now Professor Emeritus of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition at Michigan State University.

Karen Fraker – Karen (Wyse) Fraker graduated from Wauseon High School in 1962. She has many unforgettable memories of her time at WHS. Most of those memories revolve around the friendships that began during her formative years and remain strong to the present day. Karen also fondly recalls performing in the WHS Marching Band, playing her “squeaky clarinet” under the direction of Mr. Frank Kunkle.
Furthermore, she stated that Mrs. Metzger’s English class was instrumental in her ability to write. Additionally, Karen was a member of the National Honor Society, the high school chorus, the junior/senior prom committee, and served as editor-in-chief of the yearbook.
The education she received at Wauseon High School helped to lay the foundation for a highly successful career in business and community service.
Karen’s achievements in her career are numerous. She has been a member of the YMCA/JCC of Greater Toledo Board of Trustees since 1999. She was board chairman of this organization from 2004-2006 and was named “Trustee for Life” in 2009.
Additionally, she was a member and past president of the University of Toledo Alumni Association and was a member of UT’s Marketing and International Business Department’s Marketing Advisory Board. Karen also served on the Mercy Health Partners Board of Trustees from 2003-2012.
Karen was the 1997 YMCA Volunteer of the Year; the recipient of the 2002-2003 University of Toledo Alumni of the Year Award; recognized by the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio in 2012 as one of the 100 Women of Influence Celebrating a Century of Service; and received a City of Toledo Council Resolution recognizing her business acumen and service to the community.
A task that provided Karen with a great deal of satisfaction in her career was managing the process of the naming rights for Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo. She was able to guide this process to fruition, resulting in affordable family entertainment and downtown redevelopment.
Paul zumFelde – Paul zumFelde was born and raised in Wauseon, graduating from Wauseon High School in 1962. He has many wonderful memories of his high school years. Paul fondly recalls attending student dances after football games, being a member of the varsity basketball team, and participating in three proms.
Paul believed that his education at Wauseon High School helped to shape his future success in many ways. Specifically, Paul served as FFA president and learned the value of parliamentary procedures. He also strengthened his leadership skills through athletics. Paul was a four-year member of the basketball team and a varsity starter from 1961-1962.
Additionally, Paul participated in the junior class play, the Chief staff, and served as a student council officer. Paul stated that he gave music a strong effort but learned a very important lesson in accepting rejection from his mixed chorus teacher. He jokingly attributed this to “a lack of musical ability”.
Paul’s dedicated work has led to a high level of recognition over the years. Paul received the Excellence in 4-H Education Award from The Ohio State University in 1988.
He was also the 2005 recipient of the Lutheran Social Services of NW Ohio Employee of the Year Award and received the Ohio 4-H Friend of the Year Award in 2012. He was inducted into the Fulton County Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2021.
Paul has also distinguished himself as a member of The Ohio State University President’s Club, with recognition for significant financial donations to Fulton County 4-H and 4-H Camp Palmer.
Todd Hanson – Todd Hanson is a 1979 graduate of Wauseon High School. Todd has spent a lifetime becoming one of the most recognized pinstriping artists in the industry, and his sign painting and pinstriping artwork abilities have been demonstrated across the globe.
He has also been a featured speaker at conventions in Australia, Canada, and many locations across the United States.
Todd has been a PPG One Shot Paint representative at car shows numerous times. He has also appeared in magazine advertisements and product catalogs for One Shot Paint. Most recently he had a paint color named after him by Alphanamel Paint in Detroit called “Hanson’s Red.”
Todd has done lettering and pinstriping on two different cars for the New Kids on the Block show cars. He has also painted numerous guitars for many musicians in the country and rock music. Including Sheryl Crow, Jack Ingram, Chris Cagle, and Eric Ambel.
Locally, Todd’s sign work is displayed all over the City of Wauseon. The sign in front of the high school was designed and completed by Mr. Todd Hanson.
Chris Spieles – Christopher J. Spieles is a 1984 graduate of Wauseon High School. His education at Wauseon Schools, along with his other academic pursuits were the precursor to an illustrious career in the medical field.
Upon graduating as valedictorian from WHS, Dr. Spieles attended the University of Dayton as an honors program student, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and graduating Summa Cum Laude. He continued his education by attending graduate school at the University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine where he earned his Doctor of Medicine.

Chris’s postgraduate study included a general surgery internship and orthopedic residency, both at the University of Cincinnati Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Spieles completed the United States Air Force Health Professions Officer Indoctrination Course and Commission Officers Training.
He participated in Combat Medical Reading Training CADRE in 1998 and Operation Desert Watch, Kuwait in 2000. His professional certifications also include the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons, where he is a Diplomat and certified through the year 2029.
Dr. Spieles is currently a general orthopedic surgeon with Fulton County Health Center Orthopedics, specializing in total joint arthroplasty, sports medicine, hand, and trauma. He has served in this role since 2000, although the practice was formerly known as Westside Orthopedic Group.
Tony Uribes – Dr. Tony Uribes is a 1991 graduate of Wauseon High School. He was valedictorian of his class and upon graduation, attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Tony graduated Magna Cum Laude from Miami University in 1996, with a double major in Zoology and Spanish.
Following his undergraduate studies, Dr. Uribes attended The Ohio State University College of Medicine and earned his MD degree in 2000.
He completed the Grant Family Medicine Residency and became a board-certified family medicine physician in 2003.
For 19 years he has been a practicing Family Medicine physician in Wauseon, where he also continues to practice outpatient medicine, nursing home care and obstetrical care. During his tenure as a physician, Dr. Uribes has volunteered for Wauseon Schools conducting sports physicals, attending football games as the team physician, working with athletic trainers and athletic directors, and supporting the Athletic Academic Scholarship.
He was instrumental in founding the Free Clinic of Fulton County in 2008 and currently serves as the president of the clinic. Dr. Uribes recently completed his term as Chair of Medical staff at Fulton County Health Center and also serves on the OB advisors and Med/ Peds committees.
Committed to the education and training of future medical professionals, Tony also voluntarily trains third-year medical students from UTMC and OSU.
Additionally, within his workplace at Parkview Physicians Group, he has been a member of the Ohio Executive Committee for seven years and the chair of the Productivity Committee for the last five years.
He was recently promoted to the Medical Directory of Provider Efficiency for the entire Parkview Health system which currently employs over 1200 providers.
Outside of his professional career, Dr. Uribes has also served as an Elder at Crossroads Evangelical Church for 13 years and has led 13 medical mission teams to the Dominican Republic.