Medina Today

On Feb. 12, former Ohio Rep. William Batchelder passed away at the age of 79 after a short period of declining health.

Batchelder was elected to the Ohio House as a representative of District 81 in 1968, and he held this position until 1999. Batchelder then served as a judge in the Ninth District Court of Appeals and the Medina County Common Pleas Court from 1999 to 2005. Batchelder returned to the Ohio House in 2007, where he became Speaker of the House in 2011.

In 2014, Batchelder stepped down from his post due to term limits. In total, Batchelder served as state representative for 38 years, which is the second-longest tenure of an Ohio representative, according to U.S. News and World Report. In addition to his political career, he worked at his law firm and served as an adjunct professor at both University of Akron and Cleveland State University.

Jim Renacci, a former representative for the 16th Congressional District and current Republican gubernatorial hopeful, offered his condolences on his website.

"Bill was a Republican leader, mentor and friend to many in Medina County," Renacci said. "He was an example that many in our county have followed and was a solid voice of conservatism. I am thankful that we were able to honor Bill last fall at our finance dinner to give him the living tribute he deserved. Bill was truly Medina County's Son."

The political landscape had shifted dramatically during Batchelder's long career. As a Republican, he spent 20 years in the Ohio House minority.

"Bill Batchelder was a very special person and somebody that I came to love," former Ohio Gov. John Kasich tweeted Feb. 12. "He was a tremendous partner in our efforts to restore the greatness of Ohio."

Despite his long, successful career, Batchelder was never interested in serving in the U.S. Congress. "The process in Washington is obviously screwed up,” he once told Associated Press.

“Fran and I were saddened upon hearing of the death of former Speaker of the Ohio House Bill Batchelder," Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said, according to his website. "Bill was a consummate legislator who helped me as we passed a drunk driving bill in 1982, for which I will always be grateful. I have sought his advice many times over the years. He was a Ronald Reagan Republican -- a classic conservative whose guiding principle was freedom. We send our deepest condolences to Alice, William and Elizabeth.”     

Batchelder was the son of a prosecutor and county Republican Party chairman. He is survived by two adult children, seven grandchildren and his wife Alice, who served as a judge for the Sixth Circuit Court.