Daryl Clark started teaching at Fairfield Union shortly after he graduated from Ohio State in December 1962. Daryl replaced the substitute teacher Mr. Drake. Together with Phil Pope they formed a strong young teaching team. Daryl resigned from Fairfield Union in the spring of 1969. He now lives in Muskingum County with his wife, Joyce.
James Ketcham replaced Phil Pope in the summer of 1963. Jim had been teaching for three years at Claridon High School and one year in the River Valley School District. Jim taught at Fairfield Union from 1963 until 1988 (25 years) when he retired from teaching high school students. He continued to conduct an adult farmer record keeping program (FBPA) until 2005 when he retired totally. Jim and his wife Madonna still live in Rushville.
Loren Young replaced his former teacher Daryl Clark in the summer of 1969 after completing four years at Ohio State. Loren had attended three years at Fairfield Union and was an active member in the FFA. He also was a student of R.M. Foltz his freshman year at Bremen. Loren Young taught at Fairfield Union for 44 years; he retired in August of 2013. He and his wife Linda live on a farm outside of Bremen.
Ray Stemen was hired as a third teacher of Agriculture in the summer of 1970. Ray had taught high school Agriculture for 11 years at four previous schools before coming to F.U. Agriculture Education in Ohio was going through some major growth in the 70’s and F.U. was a part of it. Our program went from about 60 students in the late 60’s to about 120 in the late 70’s. Jim, Loren and Ray worked together until 1986 when Ray retired. (Ray taught 16 years at F.U.) Ray and his wife Judy still live in the Bremen area.
Joe Koehler replaced Ray Stemen in the summer of 1987. Joe had been a Moorman’s feed salesman and did some sub. teaching in the Ag. Department when needed before that. Joe and Loren worked together for 15 years until Joe was stricken with cancer and died in the summer of 2001. Joe was a great teacher of mechanics and he was able to teach all three of his children before his passing. Joe’s wife Rose still lives on the farm they purchased together which is just east of our high school.
Keller Moore replaced Joe Koehler in the summer of 2001. Keller graduated from New Lexington High School and Ohio State. He did his student teaching at F.U. under the supervision of Joe Koehler. After teaching Special Education one year at New Lexington he joined up with Loren Young to form a teaching team at Fairfield Union. Loren and Keller taught together for 13 years. Keller taught Agriculture at Fairfield Union until he resigned in 2018. Keller lives on a farm south of New Lexington with his wife Sierra and two daughters.
Jena Kemmerer is a 2007 Fairfield Union graduate who was a FFA member and State Degree recipient. She graduated from Ohio State in 2011 with a B.S. degree and Ashland University in 2017 with a M.S. Degree. Jena replaced Loren Young in August 2013. Jena taught for two years at Liberty Union High School before moving to Fairfield Union. Jena resigned in the summer of 2023 after teaching at F.U. for ten years and took a job at with the Ohio Department of Education. Jena, her husband Jake, and daughters Jorie and Josie reside on a farm south of Fairfield Union High School.
Judd Baker graduated from New Lexington High School in 1997. He graduated from Ohio State in 2001 with a B.S. Degree and in 2003 from Marygrove College with a M.S. Degree. Judd started teaching at Miller High School in 2001 before moving to Fairfield Union to teach Industrial Arts in 2005. In 2015 Judd’s outstanding Industrial Arts Program was converted into an Agriculture Science and Conservation Program. Judd currently resides near New Lexington with his wife Rebecca and daughter Grace and son Lane.
Christine Balint graduated from Firelands High School near Cleveland in 2014. She earned a B.S. degree from OSU in 2018 and a M.S. Degree from OU in 2021. Christine taught at Fairfield Union for five years. She was very successful with producing proficiency award winners. Christine resigned from Fairfield Union in the summer of 2023 to take an Ag. Teaching job at Big Walnut High School north of Columbus.
Hannah Penrose graduated from Van Buren High School in 2019. She was an FFA member there and earned the American Degree. She attended and graduated from Wilmington College in December of 2022. Her majors in college were Agriculture Education and Animal Science. Hannah replaced Christine Balint in the summer of 2023.
Dakota Brame graduated from New Lexington High School. He then graduated from Ohio State with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture Education in 2022. After college he worked in the business world for one year before starting his Ag. Teaching career at Fairfield Union in August, 2023. He replaced Jena Kemmerer who resigned in July, 2023.
Written by Loren Young – April 2012; Updated August 2023