In Memoriam: Richard E. Lightner, 67

Richard E. Lightner passed away July 7 at the age of 67 from sudden complications with heart disease and diabetes.

Born Sept. 20, 1941 in Waynesburg, Pa., he served the renting and leasing industry since 1976. He was the 2004 recipient of William H. Brown memorial award for outstanding service to the car rental industry.

He was preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Evelyn Lightner, and his son Richard L. Lightner.

At the age of 8, he established his own weekly subscription newspaper, “The Northside Free Press,” with 92 subscribers in print for 7 years. He graduated from Waynesburg College in 1965 with a degree in History and minors in Economics, Political Science and English, all life-long passions. He worked as a reporter from 1959-1971.

In 1971, he was one of several reporters for the Akron Beacon-Journal who were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their news coverage of Kent State. He then served The State of Ohio as a Deputy Director for The Department of Welfare Public relations department before founding his own public relations company in 1976. Always a newsman, Lightner still read six newspapers a day at the time of his death and reveled in the marvels of the internet and the information age.

He is survived by his sister Linda Pitcock (Al), daughter and son-in-law Mary Lightner and Robert Rothwell, son Matthew R. Lightner (Denise) and his four granddaughters Heather, Holly, Jordan and Lindsey.

Donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association. The memorial service, which is for family only, will take place at a later date.

Matthew R. Lightner will work with the OVLA board of directors to make disruption of OVLA membership services as easy as possible.

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