Editor's note: Longtime Greensburg fire Chief Ed “Hutch” Hutchinson died April 15 at 96. This is a commemoration from a former colleague.
“The greatest American I have ever known” comes from the description of John Edward Hutchinson by Dr. John Carmichael, the former president of Westmoreland County Community College.
Forty-one years ago, about eight community leaders ventured out to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., which had one of the most state-of-the-art fitness centers in the country. We were collecting information and ideas to construct the Aerobic Center at Lynch Field in Greensburg.
The Oral Roberts fitness center was designed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, America's “fitness doctor.” We were to meet with Dr. Paul Brynteson, who headed this extraordinary center and who was considered one of the country's leading experts on exercise physiology. As we walked the indoor track, I overheard Dr. Carmichael giving a brief description of our group to Dr. Brynteson.
“That gentleman over there is Mr. Ted Rosen, a local entrepreneur. There is John Durko, a Westmoreland County commissioner. To his right is Fred Kneedler, Greensburg's recreation director.
His “thumbnail biographies” went on until he reached the last member of our group.
“That is John Hutchinson, the greatest American I have ever known.”
At first I was taken aback by this incredible description of a man we all knew, loved and greatly respected. I began to contemplate what I had just heard. Dr. Carmichael was a man who, in his own right, commanded significant respect. I couldn't get his words out of my mind, and then I realized, who better to “give credit where credit is due.”
He was right: Hutch was, indeed, the greatest American that I have ever known.
Ed Hutchinson served his country as a gunnery sergeant during World War II. He had his own business and led an exemplary volunteer fire department for 60 years.
Hutch tirelessly served on the board of directors of the Greensburg YMCA, Westmoreland Hospital and was the driving force behind the Aerobic Center at Lynch Field.
His accomplishments and charitable contributions are lengthy, but none were ever done for personal gain. He solely wanted to better his community.
His greatest accomplishment was bringing out the best in every life he touched in his own inimitable way. Whether a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a construction worker or business owner, it mattered not: his challenge was to make you better and then those around you would benefit from your efforts.
I was touched by the “greatest American” Dr. John Carmichael ever knew, and I was made better because Ed Hutchinson passed my way.
Fred Kneedler, a former Greensburg resident now living in Columbus, N.C., was recreation director for the City of Greensburg in the 1970s and early 1980s.
