WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The annual downtown Washington Court House Christmas Parade returns this Sunday, followed by a festive sleigh on display on the courthouse lawn that evening, according to event organizers.
The parade will start at 3 p.m., following the same route as last year. The parade will line up at Washington High School/Middle School and begin on Elm Street near McDonald’s, turn left onto Columbus Avenue and continue to Court Street, and will end on Circle Avenue.
The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce recently selected Fulton Terry as the grand marshal of the 2023 Christmas Parade. Terry was born in Washington Court House, and at the age of 12, he moved to Detroit, Mich. with his family. There, he met his wife Bertha, and they got married on July 31, 1954. They eventually returned to Washington Court House two years later and have been living here ever since.
Terry had an accomplished career in several fields with a focus on safety. He received his education from the General Motors Institute and Sinclair Community College, as well as various certificates from FEMA, the Ohio Fire Academy, OSHA, and the State of Ohio Department of Public Safety. After 28 years of service, he retired as the senior safety officer engineer at the General Motors plant in Dayton. He also worked at the Washington Court House Police Department, the Fayette County Engineer’s Office, and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
From October 1993 to April 2017, Terry was the director of the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency. He provided training, equipment, and crisis preparation for Fayette County residents and first responders.
The selected grand marshal was nominated by numerous family and friends for his outstanding work in volunteering for the community, and dedication to the field of safety. Throughout his adult life, Terry has built positive relationships with the people of Fayette County and has worked hard to improve his community for the benefit of those around him.
Additionally, local Jinny Denny is volunteering a life-size, vintage, authentic sleigh handmade by her father, Bill Dortmund, to be displayed on the courthouse lawn during the celebration.
Denny said she is happy to have the sleigh volunteered to be on display for the community, as it was originally created just for that reason.
“My dad first built the sleigh in 1986 for my brother, Jeff,” said Denny. “It was put on display every year for the holidays at the Big Bear store.”
The Washington Court House resident of around 45 years explained the sleigh was then used at Grace Community Church as a decorative display during the holidays.
Now, the city is honored to have the beautifully handcrafted, life-size sleigh featured as a beautiful attraction following the annual parade on Sunday.
“I’m just so happy to see the sleigh being enjoyed by the community,” said Denny. She added reflectively, “this is what my dad would’ve wanted, and he would be so proud.”
