These are some highlights from the News Journal on July 29, 1963:
Locally
• “Earle F. Claibourne, 55, of Lorish Avenue, prominent Wilmington realtor and civic leader, drowned at 8 p.m. Sunday in his farm pond, off Orchard Road, a mile north of the city. Deputy Clinton County Coroner Dr. John K. Williams, who conducted the investigation, gave a verdict of accidental death by drowning.
Dr. Williams said Mr. Claibourne and Norman Cassell, an employee, had gone to the pond earlier in the afternoon and waded in shallow water. Cassell told the coroner that the victim “was standing in waist-deep water when he left the pond to go to the Claibourne station wagon nearby shortly before 8 p.m.” and returned a few minutes later “but could not locate his employer.” Dr. Williams said Mr. Claibourne apparently slipped from the ledge, upon which he was standing, into the deeper water. He was unable to swim.” He was survived by his wife and son.
• A golden wedding celebration was held at the Murphy Theatre for Clinton County couples married 50 or more years, including Mr. and Mrs. Fred Carver, Stanley Price, Harry Greene, Clive Lundy, O.T. Stanforth, E.J. Purcell, Everett Hadley, Alva Henry, V.B. Wilson, Ernest Wilson, John Schrack, Fred Speer, C.H. Greene, V.E. Hutchens, George Hunt, Heber Custis, Earl West, Edwin Van Der Voort, Ray Murphy, E.J. Rose, Albert Yarger, and Jessie Fields.
• Chris Parks of Wilmington, “Miss Southwestern Ohio”, was pictured as she “returned in triumph in an impromptu parade whipped up Sunday afternoon by local members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce.” The Wilmington College sophomore was second runner-up in the Miss Ohio Pageant held in Mansfield, where she won the Miss Congeniality honor for top personality of the three-day Ohio Jaycee Pageant.
• The Wilmington Elks hosted a dinner dance organized by Mr. Roy Brown, Miss Lu Morris, Mr. Paul Webb, Mr. Ben Briggs, Mr. Harold Fields, Mr. Douglas Marsh, Mr. Phil Haidet and Mr. and Mrs. C.T. Vandervort Jr.
• In summer baseball, Wilmington and Yellow Springs 9-10 year-olds split a doubleheader. In the Wilmington win, “Two locals each had a brace of hits, Allen and McDermott, while two runs each were scored by Fife, Allen and McDermott” and Shadley was winning pitcher.
• Wilmington High School’s first exchange student, Louis Bencze of Lincolnshire, England, was honored at a party at Williams Memorial Park.
• Deaths included Hallie Baldwin Hannah, 80, of Blanchester; Fred R. (Pudie) Garrette, 64, of Wilmington; and Mary Mongold, 53, of Lynchburg.
