Champion of Westerville Honoring John Parimuha’s Legacy of Service It takes inspiration and dogged determination from devoted residents to raise any community out of a slump. It takes a visionary and resilient spirit to lead a community into prosperity. In John Parimuha, Westerville had all of these qualities. He was a true champion. To see Westerville today, it’s difficult to imagine that little more than 40 years ago, it was a bedroom community with fiscal challenges. Serving on the Annehurst Village Civic Association at the time was an enthusiastic and community-minded gentleman by the name of John Parimuha. With a wife and two sons in the neighborhood, Parimuha helped the organization bring annual events like pool parties, dinner socials, egg hunts and more. While his commitment to Annehurst never waned, his sense of optimism for what could be in Westerville poured out and led him to 20 years of City Council service (1979-1999) and involvement on several boards and commissions. An engineer by trade and a teacher, Parimuha had a heart for service and a mind for economic development. Current Council Chairman Michael Heyeck counts Parimuha his mentor on Council. “John helped us attract Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital, which was the first full-service suburban hospital in central Ohio leading to what we call today the ‘Medical Mile,’” Chairman Heyeck said. “His activism set the standards for the commercial development at the Cleveland Avenue and Main Street intersection and helped to establish the development of River Trace with upscale housing instead of the original plans for a higher density development.” Additionally, Parimuha was instrumental in the early planning stages of the area we now know as Westar. He also served at the forefront of the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) 2000 planning that led to the 1998 tax issue for the development of the Community Center, the Sports Complex, Heritage Park, and many other improvements.
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For all his accomplishments, Parimuha, who was affectionately known as the “Mayor of Annehurst,” was never one to seek acknowledgment. “He would tell you humbly today that this vision was a shared vision and not his alone,” said Chairman Heyeck. “He also reminded us that vision requires action and our City employees are the heroes who do the hard work towards that vision.” John Parimuha passed away in 2021 at the age of 83. He is survived by his loving wife, Loretta, sons John Jr. and Joseph, and the enduring legacy of a thriving community he helped champion to prosperity. He will be honored with a Westerville Champion marker along the Alum Creek to Sharon Woods connector trail at St. Ann’s Hospital in the coming months.
