5-11-2026 10:23pm

A Tribute to a Great Friend

Beth Callahan Editor

Nature Close to Home and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Dave Woehr shares monthly naturalist stories.

I recently lost a good friend. His name was Bill Lindauer. Some of you probably knew him because he was a life-long resident of Warren County. He was a teacher, who retired from The Lebanon School District, loved and respected by hundreds of his students. He was an avid golfer and likely played at most of the courses in and around Warren County. He was an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) and a Friend of the Warren County Park District. He built and installed nest boxes in the local parks for Eastern Bluebirds, Barn Owls, and Flying Squirrels. He supported the Caesar Creek Nature Center sharing his knowledge and experiences with visitors to that facility. He was a husband, father, and respected member of his extended family.

I met Bill more than 15 years ago in the office of the Warren County Park District back when the office was in the county-owned building on Silver Street in Lebanon. We had both been campaigning for the establishment of a structured nature program to compliment the sports and recreational programs already existing in the park district.

After many meetings with the Park Director, the Board of Park Commissioners, and the Friends of the Warren County Park District, a nature program began to evolve with Bill and me spear-heading the effort as OCVNs. As the nature program grew the time came when the park district hired staff naturalists to lead the volunteer naturalists already in place. Park attendance increased greatly as the nature programs grew in popularity with the community.

Bill and I explored the local habitats quite often over the years – sometimes more frequently than just once a week. Bill was a pleasure to hike with. We were close in age, and he liked to hike at the same speed I like: slow! The slower you go the more you see along the trails. Bill moved so slowly through the woods, there was danger moss might grow on his north side. He had a sharp eye and often pointed out something I had missed along the trail. Perhaps, it was a wildflower, a bird nest or a mushroom. And in between our hikes, Bill would phone me to relate some exciting discovery he had made while investigating the nooks and crannies of the natural world.

But as time passed, Bill’s phone calls became less frequent. His health was declining. The time came when he could no longer drive. I knew he missed being able to hop in his truck and head for a familiar trail to see if there was anything new since his last visit.

From time to time, I would pick him up at home and take him to Hisey Park, Caesar Creek State Park, or the Spring Valley Wildlife Management Area. We would spend a couple of hours admiring the flora and fauna of the locale. There was non-stop chatter between us as we discussed our trail-side sightings.

Upon returning Bill to his home, he was always the polite gentleman we all knew him to be. He would thank me and express his appreciation for the time we spent together. And his wife would give me a container of cookies that she just baked in the kitchen oven.

Sadly, as time went by, Bill could not leave home and hike with me anymore. We both regretted that our trail times together would now just be memories. Bill passed away on the first of May this year. My time on the trails will now be lonelier than before.