LYONS, Ohio — After 85 years in business, Doyle Welding Inc. closed its doors to the place Steve Gillespie and his family have made a staple in the Lyons community for generations.
On Saturday, to celebrate the long-running business, Gillespie and his family were the Grand Marshalls of the 32nd Annual Lyons Christmas Parade.
Gillespie's grandfather began the business in 1938 but passed away in the 1950s. Gillespie's dad then bought it and changed the name to the Lyon Oil Garage. He eventually sold it to Steve who then changed the name to Doyle Welding Inc.
"I just been involved in the community my whole life, it's a great place to live. Everybody knows everybody, everybody takes care of everybody," he said.
He said now it's just time to close up the shop - a shop where they did a little bit of everything and hardly the same job twice.
But Gillespie is not just known for his craftmanship, he was also a fire fighter for 38 years too. Fire Chief Matt Smithmyer said, Gillespie was never shy of helping whether in the department or at his store just down the road.
"He just closed the door, ran over to the fire department and went on some calls. The community knew that he was going to be on call, and they knew that he would just run back when he was done with the call," said Smithmyer.
Smithmeyer said everybody in the small town on the Ohio-Michigan border knows each other.
"It's refreshing to see someone who's been involved with the community you know that long," he said.
Gillespie is now selling the property to another local business, 3 J's Trucking, for which he said he has high hopes.
He now said he wants to spend more time with family and golf some more.
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