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Lavelle inducted to Ohio Seniors Citizens HOF
AUSTINTOWN
Kay Lavelle of Austintown is one of 12 senior citizens chosen for induction Tuesday into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
Lavelle, 71, and the other nominees will be inducted at a 1 p.m. ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse by the Ohio Department of Aging, the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging and members of the 130th Ohio General Assembly.
“I appreciate the recognition, and want to thank the Area Agency on Aging 11 and the Ohio Department of Aging for the work they do and for recognizing those of us who refuse to quit and retire,” Lavelle said.
“The Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame recognizes the important roles that our elders can play when they continue to grow, thrive and contribute throughout their lives,” said Bonnie K. Burman, director of the department.
The HOF honors individuals 60 and older who are native-born Ohioans or who have been Ohio residents for at least 10 years.
Lavelle is described in her HOF nomination as “a guardian angel for friends and neighbors in her Austintown community, and a tireless advocate for elders, families and children who has pioneered valuable services and resources that have helped Austintown and surrounding communities create a better quality of life for all.”
Lavelle has served the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, as a full-time and reserve deputy, for more than 30 years, retiring in 2006, and founded its Senior Services Unit. She works with local agencies to connect elders with community supports and is program coordinator for the Austintown Senior Center, of which she is a co-founder.
Instrumental in persuading township residents to pass a senior levy, Lavelle also works with Adult Protective Services, Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, Help Hotline Crisis Center and Area Agency on Aging 11.
She is a founding member of the Mahoning Adult Protection Network, and established the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office Senior Fair.
Before becoming a deputy, Lavelle worked at the Youngstown Developmental Center and Woodside Receiving Hospital. She has received numerous community recognitions, and in 2013, she received the Legacy Award from Shepherd of the Valley for outstanding senior advocacy.
Lavelle, a graduate of Wheeling, W.Va., High School, has two children, Michele Nutt of Mineral Ridge and Stephen DeAngelis Jr. of Florida, and two grandchildren.