The Fort Loramie Wall of Honor committee along with the Fort Loramie Education Foundation will welcome George Hamlin and Julia Moeller as its 2024 inductees in October.

The Wall of Honor induction ceremony is open to the public and will be held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 13 in Fort Loramie High School’s gymnasium.

Hamlin

George Hamlin was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1946. He graduated from Brunnerdale High School in 1964, then St. Joseph College in 1969 with a BA English and Bowling Green State University in 1973 with a M. Ed, Guidance.

He married Florine Kramer in 1972, and they had two children, Teri and Mark. He came to Fort Loramie in 1976 and stayed until 1984. George taught English, served as guidance counselor, and coached boys basketball during his time at Fort Loramie. His team won the Class A Boys State Basketball Tournament in 1977, the first in Shelby County history. In 1984, he moved into school administration, serving as athletic director/assistant principal at Lexington High School.

In 1987, Hamlin returned to serving as guidance counselor and boys basketball coach at Jonathan Alder High School. While he retired from education in 2000, he continued coaching at several institutions, both at the high school and college levels, until retiring in 2021. He currently resides in Plain City.

He and Florine have been married 52 years, and have three grandchildren (Sasha, Megan and Ryan) and onw great grandson (Damian). George was actively involved in the committee for facility development, culminating in the building of a new high school at Fort Loramie.

The new building provided a new gymnasium that enabled all home games to be played in Fort Loramie and space for the fans to display their support of the team and their community pride.

One of his favorite coaching memories was the chance to coach his son, which he did in both high school and college. His time in Fort Loramie has continued to enrich his life, as he has maintained many friendships including several former players. He has enjoyed watching them grow their lives and families, and feels blessed to have been a part of their journeys.

Moeller

In 1963, five-year-old Julie Moeller ran away from her first day of school to her family home, then on Schlater Road. She was found by her grandpa and returned to Mrs. Quinlin’s first grade classroom. Her family convinced her Fort Loramie School was a great place to be and after that, no one could get her to leave.

Moeller graduated from Fort Loramie High School in 1975 and her career started as the elementary school secretary later that fall. Julie only missed that first day of school in 1975 because she hadn’t quite turned 18 yet. That day was the only first day of school she missed until her retirement in 2018. Julie spent 55 school years as a student or staff member and the rest of her life as one of the biggest supporters of Fort Loramie teachers, students and athletics.

As the school secretary, Moeller was often the hub for all things at Fort Loramie Elementary school and the athletic department. Moeller often acted as a friend, confidante, mother-figure (and eventually grand-mother figure) to the staff and students of Fort Loramie Elementary School.

She went above and beyond to recognize the needs of the kids and families, acting often as nurse to the injured or ill, the hero of gathering homework or tracking down the missing books. She could often tell when the belly-aches were related to nerves or germs.

Moeller was also committed to going the extra mile to recognize the staff and students in Fort Loramie Schools. Every month she decorated and highlighted the trophy cases at the schools. She coordinated carry-ins for the teachers and coaches and made it a habit of sending personalized texts or phone calls to the coaches before every big game. Moeller started the tradition of recognizing every student on their birthday by calling the student to the office to receive a “birthday pencil.” She knew all the students by name, she knew all their parents by name, and knew many of their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

With all the “extras” Moeller committed to during the days, to ensure the best experience for staff and students, she also participated in community activities including a member of the Wall of Honor Committee. She served, at various times over the years on the GYM committee, the Athletic Boosters, Fort Loramie Youth Organization, and the Lake Improvement Association.

Moeller dedicated countless hours to the Fort Loramie Historical Society prior to and especially in her retirement. She assisted with the third grade field trip, educating the children on the history of Fort Loramie, particularly in the school room. She also arranged for the fifth grade students to tour the museum at Christmas time to see the décor for the yearly Christmas dinner. Moeller’s knowledge of the youth of Fort Loramie was an invaluable asset as she carefully selected and recruited students to assist with the annual Christmas dinner at the Museum.

When Moeller was nine-years-old she was struck by a car while crossing the street in front of her family’s Park Street home. In that accident, she was rushed to the hospital where she had to have her spleen removed due to rupture. She received several units of blood and spent some time recovering in the hospital.

Due to this incident, Moeller was a devoted blood donor and gave as often as she was allowed. Additionally, she had a great understanding of the care children require when hospitalized for some time. In 1984, Moeller started Fort Loramie School Student’s participation in St. Jude’s Research Hospital’s Math-a-thon. In her years running that program for the schools Moeller raised $68,354 for the hospital and was invited to tour the hospital in recognition of her work. This endeavor served a dual purpose in giving an opportunity to recognize those students at Fort Loramie Elementary for their excellent math skills and hard work.

Julie and Larry Moeller were married on October 9, 1976 and are the parents of Ann (Russ) Grisez, Brad (Chrissy) Moeller, Scott Moeller and Jack Moeller. Julie was the best grandma to her five grandchildren Isabella, Ian & Roselyn Grisez and Lauren & Alex Moeller.

About the Wall of Honor

The Wall of Honor is a program being constructed to recognize and honor those persons living or deceased, who, through their performance, achievements and contributions, reflect credit on the Fort Loramie Schools so that present day students may find identity with the past and establish goals for the future.

The Wall of Honor will reinforce and enhance a positive image inside and outside of the Fort Loramie School district as it also strives to foster an increased sense of pride among students, faculty, administration, alumni and residents.