Northeast Ohio was well represented at this month’s annual Senior Citizens Hall of Fame induction, with three of the 10 honorees coming from our region.
The Ohio Department of Aging recognizes older Ohioans who present a positive image of aging and have significant accomplishments in their professions, vocations and communities. The Hall of Fame induction was held in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
The local honorees are:
May Juan Chen, 78, Akron
Growing up in Hong Kong in the 1940s, May Juan Chen saw the challenges faced by Chinese refugees daily. On top of a need to establish a new life in an unfamiliar place, refugees often faced starvation, overcrowding, and poverty.
May was instilled with a strong sense of empathy at a young age by her parents and grandparents, whom she says are her role models.
When May’s family moved to the U.S. in the 1950s, she brought that spirit of empathy with her. While making a career as a licensed clinical counselor and marriage and family therapist, May saw a growing immigrant and refugee population from Southeast Asia.
She recognized that much of this community was having difficulty assimilating into American culture, and the support they were getting from local agencies or the government was not culturally or linguistically adapted to the community.
So, she did what her family had taught her: she made a difference.
May organized after-school programs to assist immigrant and refugee children with homework. She brought in specialists to discuss high-risk behaviors in a culturally sensitive way. She staged a health fair for the community with free sugar, cholesterol, and blood-pressure screenings.
In 1995, May and her health-fair collaborators founded Asian Services in Action (ASIA). The new organization worked on getting grant funding, identifying needs, and partnering with the Ohio Commission on Minority Health. Over the years, May built ASIA into a powerhouse.
Today, ASIA is the only 501(c)(3) Asian American and Pacific Islander organization focused on health and social services in Ohio. ASIA now has 80 full-time staff members and serves more than 58,000 community members.
Mary Ann Freedman, 74, Akron
The Hebrew phrase “tikkun olam” translates to “repairing the world.” Rooted in Jewish teachings and traditions, it’s a concept that encourages individuals to contribute to the greater good.
Throughout her remarkable career and in her work as a professional guardian, Mary Ann Freedman has consistently “repaired her world” by demonstrating compassion, leadership, and a deep-seated commitment to advocacy, making significant strides in community service.
In Summit County, Mary Ann has been a professional guardian, and she transformed the Summit County Volunteer Guardian Program into the non-profit organization Adult Guardianship Services (AGS) where she served as the founding Executive Director. As part of those organizations, Mary Ann has provided support for indigent wards – Ohioans who are under guardianship and do not have the ability to make decisions for themselves – ensuring they receive the care and protection they need.
In her roles, Mary Ann has recruited, trained, and managed volunteers and professional guardians, all of whom serve as third-party legal guardians for indigent wards who are under the jurisdiction of the Summit County Probate Court.
An important part of her advocacy includes working closely with caregivers and service providers to ensure that those under legal guardianship are well cared for and, just as importantly, are seen as individuals.
AGS is now the largest provider of free guardianship services in Summit County.
Dr. Howard J. Tucker, 103, Cleveland Heights
Even at 100 years old, the only thing that could keep Dr. Howard J. Tucker from coming to work was his hospital shutting down.
Certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest practicing doctor in 2021, Dr. Tucker inspires thousands of people across the world to continue pursuing their passions and is a staunch advocate for not letting age define you. If St. Vincent Charity Medical Center had not closed its doors in 2022, he would still be working with patients daily.
Now 103 years old, Dr. Tucker is a neurologist, a World War II and Korean War veteran, a lawyer, and a social media sensation who continues to not only serve his community, but also helps erase the stigma against older individuals who still work.
Over the course of his career, he has worked as the Chief of Neurology for the Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War, as well as at Mount Sinai Hospital, University Hospitals, Hillcrest Hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic. Still passionate about the medical field in 2020, he frequently snuck out of his house at the height of the COVID pandemic to treat his patients.
Not content with just a medical degree, Dr. Tucker passed the Bar Examination at 67 years old so he could serve as a medical expert witness on various medical-legal cases.
His life inspired his grandson, Austin, to film and produce “What’s Next?” starting in 2022. When Austin began sharing behind-the-scenes content of Dr. Tucker on social media, he quickly became a viral sensation.
