Our Mission

To preserve the South Newbury Union Chapel and to awaken public knowledge about the nationally important historical events which occurred within its walls.

Our Vision

To educate and preserve public awareness of the South Newbury Union Chapel as being a nationally significant site for freedom of speech on such issues as women's suffrage rights, workers' rights, and other social welfare initiatives. The ideas witnessed by the Chapel later grew into topics of national importance throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Trustees

Our small but passionate board of trustees works to preserve and interpret the rich history of the modest Union Chapel in Geauga County and share its big impact with the Ohio community and beyond.

Interested in getting involved? Contact us at newburyunionchapel@gmail.com  or ask one of our Trustees.

Current South Newbury Union Chapel Trustees and their biographies:

Carole Drabek

Bill Ward

Bill Ward was born at Cory Hospital in Chardon, Ohio in 1950 and raised on an 80 acre farm in Newbury Township. In the fall of 1968, Bill enrolled at Kent State University with his sights set on becoming an American history teacher. That all changed when he was given an opportunity to spin records on Sunday afternoons at a small 1000 watt radio station in Painesville, Ohio. He had found his calling.

After a brief stint in the military, he returned to broadcasting and kicked around the small market grind learning the business. Early in 1975, Bill made the leap to the top of the Cleveland airwaves when he became the image voice and fill-in weatherman for WEWS TV5. On the week-ends, he could be heard 'playin' the hits' on the legendary Big 1220 WGAR, recognized at the time by Billboard Magazine as the #1 adult contemporary radio station in America.  In 1978, Bill was named WAR's Director of Production. His creative studio wizardry eventually caught the attention of the powers that be in faraway Los Angeles. It wasn't long until he was plying his craft at another legendary radio station, the Big 1110 KRLA. His presence in the market eventually led to his signing with LA's renown Herb Tannen and Associates Talent Agency, launching a successful freelance career that he still enjoys today.

Over the past 50-plus years, Bill has been lending his amazingly versatile voice to countless scripts including Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Sherwin-Williams Paint, American Greetings, Goodyear, NASA, Morton Salt, Subway Restaurants, Ohio Lottery, Smiths's Dairy, Pizza Hut, Cleveland RTA, Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Browns and literally hundreds of others. He was heard regularly as the announcer on the PBS Network's critically acclaimed program, "Talking with David Frost." He was the familiar voice of WJW Fox 8 television in Cleveland for 30 years. But his talents aren't limited to his work behind the mic. When Cleveland Magazine selected him as one of Cleveland's 50 Most Interesting People, writer Jill Sell wrote, "You'll recognize his voice first, but you'll also know his face" His work in front of the camera includes speaking roles in motion pictures such as "Unstoppable" starring Denzel Washington, "Hostile Witness" with Sam Waterston, and Blake Edward's "Sunset" featuring Bruce Willis and James Garner. Bill can also list "Moonlighting", "Highway to Heaven" and "Matlock" as network television credits, as well as scores of commercials, industrial training films, documentaries and print work His many alter-egos earned him four local Emmy Awards as a long-time contributor to the Big Chuck and L'il John Show, one of the longest running sketch comedy shows of its kind in America.

Bill's many outside interests include photography, pottery, gardening, maple syrup production, and writing.  As his career winds down, he's found more time to return to his American history roots as a trustee of the South Newbury Union Chapel, considered by many the most historically significant building in Geauga County.

Bari Oyler Stith, Ph.D.

Bari is a native Buckeye who enjoys living on an 1847 farm in Geauga County and investigating the built environment, natural landscapes, and personal stories of historic Ohio, but most especially Geauga.  In addition to her service with the Union Chapel trustees, she volunteers with Leadership Geauga and  Geauga Park District. 

From 2008 to 2025 Bari was Director of Ursuline College’s Historic Preservation program (M.A. and B.A.) where she nurtured a tremendous group of emerging Historic Preservation professionals who are making stunning contributions to the protection of our heritage as they use it to revitalize community pride and economies.  From 1993-2017 she was fortunate to be adjunct faculty in History at John Carroll University.  Previously, Bari was privileged to serve as Geauga County Archivist and Records Manager for 18 years, as well as the President of the Geauga County Bicentennial Board of Managers for 9 years.

She earned her Ph. D. in American Studies, as well as her M.A. in American Studies and Museum Studies, from Case Western Reserve University, with a Fenn Fellowship in Archival Administration at Western Reserve Historical Society.  Her master’s thesis was “Blest Be the Tie that Binds: ‘True’ Education, Mary Evans, and the Young Ladies of the Lake Erie Female Seminary” and her doctoral dissertation was “Visions of Community:  Rural Culture in 19th century Geauga and Lake Counties.”   Since then, Dr. Stith has worked actively in all avenues of public/applied history with specialties in 19th century American women, family, community, and education.