The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Emmett C. Beavers Inducted 2018 - Class of 1961
Given the nickname of "Corky" by his aunt, Emmett grew up in the Eleanor and Lewis or Five Points neighborhood of West Toledo. With Glenwood and Whittier schools as his foundation, Woodward High School welcomed Emmett as an entering Freshman in 1957. His circle of friends widened as Bill Engelke, Ed Babiak, Ray Beaufait, Mike Clark, Art House, Jim Kosmyna, Tod Lasley, Ernie Leroy, Jim McCleary, and Dick Martin all became fast and true buddies.
Woodward was also responsible for fostering his life-long tradition of volunteering. It was through the good advice and character of teacher Charles Matthews, later to become Woodward’s Athletic Director, that Emmett started volunteering as a major part of his Christian beliefs. Other Woodward teachers that had a profound influence on his life were: Jim Wilusz, ". . . his life says it all: a man's man," Paul Thomae, ". . . . down to earth and demanded respect," and Marie Williamson, ". . . great teacher." Emmett played Freshman football, belonged to and was President of the HI-Y Club, Old Newsboys, French Club, and the Engineering Society.
In 1953, while in the fourth-grade, Emmett purchased his newspaper route and upon entering Woodward he quickly volunteered for the Old Newsboys. Mentored by Charles Matthews and the High-Y Youth Organization, Emmett volunteered in the Old Newsboys for a record setting 58 years.
Emmett is a veteran of nine years of service in the Marine Corps, a graduate of The University of Toledo with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science and Accounting. He also attended the Great Eastern Technical Center where he received a Computer Degree. Emmett was a member of the computer specialists that started one of the first health HMO's in the Greater Toledo Area. With his computer skills, Emmett guided the merger of two of the giant utility companies of the tri-state area, Toledo Edison and Cleveland Electric. Emmett retired from the HMO Family Health Plan prior to his beginning employment with the Toledo Public Schools as the Computer Security Specialist. He currently serves on the Board of the Anne Grady Center and volunteers for the Metro Parks.
Emmett's better half, Sylvia, said "I've never seen him face something he couldn't fix. " In addition to being a skilled handyman, Emmett, to this day, serves as a day trader in the stock exchange, something he started when he had a paper route.
A father of two sons, Todd and Tim, and a daughter, Seana, Emmett dotes on his four grandchildren. Hardworking and caring are among the many adjectives used to describe Emmett, but his endearing desire to positively affect the lives of children is paramount.