Lewis E. Baughman

Lewis E(dwin) Baughman died March 5, 2007. A retired banker and longtime community leader, Baughman was born in Warren, November 15, 1923, the son of Milton Day and Katherine Boone Baughman. He attended Warren Public Schools and graduated from Warren G. Harding High School in 1941. Baughman was a freshman at Ohio State when he met Ann Buker of Canton, whom he married in 1946 after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.

After graduating from OSU, Baughman returned to Warren. In 1948 he went to work for the Second National Bank. Banking held little appeal for most men of his generation, Baughman recalled in a 1979 interview. But he found his career more than satisfying. "I cannot think of many jobs which provide as many opportunities to contribute to the welfare of individuals and your community."

Named Second National president in 1962, he was one of the youngest bank chief executives in Ohio; he was elected chairman of the board ten years later. Under Baughman's leadership, the bank enjoyed impressive growth. Total assets grew from $35 million in1962 to $400 million in 1988. Even Second National's Main Avenue headquarters underwent an impressive renovation and expansion. He was president of the Ohio Bankers Association in 1979-1980. Baughman stepped down as president in 1985, though he remained chairman of the board until 1988.

In his last years at the bank, Baughman was determined to keep Second National locally owned. In a 1985 editorial, the Tribune Chronicle praised Baughman and the bank for "refusing to be gobbled up by a large and distant banking conglomerate." Second National remained locally owned until 2004, when it was purchased by Sky Financial Group of Bowling Green.

Baughman was deeply committed to public service. He served two terms on the Warren Board of Education and led the fund-raising campaign for the expansion of the Warren YMCA in 1963. He was president of the Warren Area Chamber of Commerce, the Warren Community Chest, the Trumbull County Unit of the American Caner Society, and the Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corp. Baughman was especially active on behalf of Trumbull Memorial Hospital. He served on the hospital's board of trustees for 29 years and was board chairman from 1980-91.

Baughman received many honors. The Warren Jaycees named him Young Man of the Year in 1954 and Man of the Year a decade later. He earned the Alumni Citizenship Award from Ohio State in 1975 and was elected to the Warren High Schools Alumni Hall of Fame in 1997.

Baughman was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Warren.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ann, his sons Milton, of Columbus, and James, of Madison, WI, his brothers Day and George, and two grandchildren.

He will be remembered for his quiet but deep dedication his community.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the First Presbyterian Church located at 256 Mahoning Avenue NW, Warren, Ohio 44483. Calling hours will be 1 hour prior to service at the church. Private interment will take place at Oakwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Trumbull Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1350 E. Market St., Warren, Ohio 44483. Arrangements are entrusted to McFarland & Son Funeral Services Co., 271 N. Park Ave. Warren, Ohio 44481. Please visit www.mcfarlandfuneral.com to view this obituary and send condolences.