The Advocate-Messenger
Sun, May 09, 1982 ·Page 1
A.H. Exon dies at age of 78
Albert Hayden "A.H." Exon, former longtime Danville city commissioner and chairman of the Danville-Boyle County Planning and Zoning Commission, died Saturday morning at Ephraim McDowell Memorial Hospital after a long illness. He w as 78.
Exon, a figure in local government for the past 20-odd years, was also a retired civil engineer with Southern Railway System, former Boyle County road engineer and a musician.
Although he abdicated his leadership of the planning and zoning commission three months ago because of ill health, current commission chairman Ernest Speckman says Exon maintained an interest in the affairs of the commission until his death.
"I talked to him Wednesday after our zoning meeting," Speckman said, about zoning matters.
His death means a great loss to more than one associate. Willard Hunt, co-founder with Exon of "The Old Goats Club," a fellowship of mainly retired and prominent local citizens who meet regularly at Grider Pharmacy, says Exon was "a person that dearly loved people and to discuss current events of the day."
In his various city and county government roles. Hunt said, Exon "was one that always had the community interest at heart."
Hunt, a retired U.S. Army major, A.H. Exon said Exon was the first and only president of the Old Goats.
"Our community has lost one of its great leaders. He was always working to . improve our community and wanted it to be the best place in the world to live," said George Grider.
"We will miss him." Added Enos Swain, editor emeritus of The Advocate-Messenger, another longtime friend: Exon was "a splendid citizen who was very much interested in the community (and) also a very talented man. He had a great many friends throughout the community".
Swain noted that Exon's engineering expertise lent much to his planning and zoning commission work. Charles Oustott, a 15 year member of the commission, said Exon did "as much as any citizen I know of' to benefit Danville growth and land use. Mayor Roy Arnold, terming Exon "a terrific friend of mine." said he was "an outstanding, dedicated public servant."
"He's given so much of his time and talent to the community, he'll be missed," Arnold said "When be was with the city, he gave us hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of engineering service free "
Exon was born Oct 24, 1903, in Cincinnati. His parents were the late Ernest and Emma Bolinger Exon, he graduated in 1927 from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering. He worked for the New York Central Railroad Co. as a student and also for two years after graduation.
Exon joined Southern Railway System in 1929 and worked there for 31 years. He served as junior engineer, assistant engineer, bridge and building supervisor, track supervisor, trainmaster and assistant superintendent, meanwhile living in Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky.
He moved to Danville in 1951 as trainmaster and lived here five years.
After his retirement, Exon returned to Danville. He was Boyle County road engineer for nine years, and although he retired from that position in 1969, Exon still assisted the county with engineering work.
In 1969, Exon was elected to the first of five consecutive two-year terms as Danville City Commissioner. His longtime duties ended after he failed !shfy in the May 1979 primary for city commissioner.
Exon was also a member of the planning commission for about 20 years. He was elected chairman Feb 6. 1974, and served until January of this year Exon was chairman when the zoning ordinance was revised in 1975. Speckman said a land use plan for the city and county was also developed during the period.
In addition to his civic responsibilities. Exon played the piano and organ at church and social functions He had ben organist at Trinity Episcopal Church and played regularly at meetings of the Danville Kiwanis Club Exon was a member and former vestryman at Trinity Episcopal Church and a member of the Kiwanis Club. He lived at 419 Pleasantwood Drive.
Survivors include his wife. Ruth Chidlaw Exon; a daughter, Jane Exon Britton of Lexington, and two sisters.,Helen Roch of Tampa. Fla. and Dorothy Hamilton of Baltimore, Md.
The funeral will be held at 10 a m Monday at Trinity Episcopal Church with the Rev. Canon David M. Webb officiating. Burial will be in Bellevue Cemetery.
Visitation is from 3 -5 and 7-9 p m today at Preston-Pruitt Funeral Home..
The Advocate-Messenger
Sun, May 09, 1982 ·Page 1
A.H. Exon dies at age of 78
Albert Hayden "A.H." Exon, former longtime Danville city commissioner and chairman of the Danville-Boyle County Planning and Zoning Commission, died Saturday morning at Ephraim McDowell Memorial Hospital after a long illness. He w as 78.
Exon, a figure in local government for the past 20-odd years, was also a retired civil engineer with Southern Railway System, former Boyle County road engineer and a musician.
Although he abdicated his leadership of the planning and zoning commission three months ago because of ill health, current commission chairman Ernest Speckman says Exon maintained an interest in the affairs of the commission until his death.
"I talked to him Wednesday after our zoning meeting," Speckman said, about zoning matters.
His death means a great loss to more than one associate. Willard Hunt, co-founder with Exon of "The Old Goats Club," a fellowship of mainly retired and prominent local citizens who meet regularly at Grider Pharmacy, says Exon was "a person that dearly loved people and to discuss current events of the day."
In his various city and county government roles. Hunt said, Exon "was one that always had the community interest at heart."
Hunt, a retired U.S. Army major, A.H. Exon said Exon was the first and only president of the Old Goats.
"Our community has lost one of its great leaders. He was always working to . improve our community and wanted it to be the best place in the world to live," said George Grider.
"We will miss him." Added Enos Swain, editor emeritus of The Advocate-Messenger, another longtime friend: Exon was "a splendid citizen who was very much interested in the community (and) also a very talented man. He had a great many friends throughout the community".
Swain noted that Exon's engineering expertise lent much to his planning and zoning commission work. Charles Oustott, a 15 year member of the commission, said Exon did "as much as any citizen I know of' to benefit Danville growth and land use. Mayor Roy Arnold, terming Exon "a terrific friend of mine." said he was "an outstanding, dedicated public servant."
"He's given so much of his time and talent to the community, he'll be missed," Arnold said "When be was with the city, he gave us hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of engineering service free "
Exon was born Oct 24, 1903, in Cincinnati. His parents were the late Ernest and Emma Bolinger Exon, he graduated in 1927 from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering. He worked for the New York Central Railroad Co. as a student and also for two years after graduation.
Exon joined Southern Railway System in 1929 and worked there for 31 years. He served as junior engineer, assistant engineer, bridge and building supervisor, track supervisor, trainmaster and assistant superintendent, meanwhile living in Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky.
He moved to Danville in 1951 as trainmaster and lived here five years.
After his retirement, Exon returned to Danville. He was Boyle County road engineer for nine years, and although he retired from that position in 1969, Exon still assisted the county with engineering work.
In 1969, Exon was elected to the first of five consecutive two-year terms as Danville City Commissioner. His longtime duties ended after he failed !shfy in the May 1979 primary for city commissioner.
Exon was also a member of the planning commission for about 20 years. He was elected chairman Feb 6. 1974, and served until January of this year Exon was chairman when the zoning ordinance was revised in 1975. Speckman said a land use plan for the city and county was also developed during the period.
In addition to his civic responsibilities. Exon played the piano and organ at church and social functions He had ben organist at Trinity Episcopal Church and played regularly at meetings of the Danville Kiwanis Club Exon was a member and former vestryman at Trinity Episcopal Church and a member of the Kiwanis Club. He lived at 419 Pleasantwood Drive.
Survivors include his wife. Ruth Chidlaw Exon; a daughter, Jane Exon Britton of Lexington, and two sisters.,Helen Roch of Tampa. Fla. and Dorothy Hamilton of Baltimore, Md.
The funeral will be held at 10 a m Monday at Trinity Episcopal Church with the Rev. Canon David M. Webb officiating. Burial will be in Bellevue Cemetery.
Visitation is from 3 -5 and 7-9 p m today at Preston-Pruitt Funeral Home..
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