The Delavan community gathered on December 20, 2025, to celebrate the remarkable career and enduring influence of longtime educator and coach John T. Wiser, who was formally inducted into the Delavan Wall of Fame during a special ceremony at Poppenga Gym. The recognition took place at halftime of the varsity basketball game, drawing friends, family, former athletes, colleagues, and community members eager to honor Wiser’s decades of service.

Wiser devoted more than 40 years to the Delavan school district, serving as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and school bus driver. He began his career in 1973 and retired from teaching in 2006, yet continued driving a school bus until the fall of 2025. Known for his energy, integrity, and unwavering commitment to students, Wiser left a profound impact both in the classroom and in athletics.

Reflecting on those early years, his wife Norma Wiser described the experience as nothing short of magical. “It was Camelot, such a great experience for two people in their twenties,” she said. “The school and the parents were all so supportive.”

When Wiser was first hired to launch the wrestling program in 1973, the idea was met with a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism. During the school board meeting that approved his hiring, one board member remarked that the program would be “nice for kids who can’t play basketball.” Wiser laughed as he recalled that moment—and smiled even wider remembering what it felt like to walk back into that same boardroom just four years later carrying a state trophy.

Under his leadership, the Panthers quickly became a force in Central Illinois, highlighted by an extraordinary streak of 47 consecutive dual wins from 1975 to 1978. Over his coaching career, Wiser amassed a record of 181-52-3, guiding 16 state qualifiers, eight state place winners, and one state champion—Guy Allen during the 1976–77 season.

Allen, who attended the celebration, shared one of the stories that has lived on in Panther wrestling lore. After Allen won a tournament early in his career, his father, Ralph Allen, made good on a friendly bet by buying Coach Wiser a purple cowboy hat—a bold, unforgettable accessory that quickly became part of Wiser’s legend. The hat made a triumphant return at the post-induction celebration at the Farmhouse, where it was proudly displayed for guests to enjoy.

Wiser’s commitment to the sport extended beyond his athletes and into his own family. His son, Travis Wiser, shared an emotional memory from his senior year at Delavan, a season that began without a wrestling coach. At a moment when John Wiser was advancing steadily as a respected official, he chose to pause that progress and return to the mat—this time to coach his own son. Travis recalled a tournament where he won a match neither he nor his father expected. After the final whistle, Coach Wiser looked at him with unmistakable pride and said, “This moment made it all worth it.”

The celebration also brought together a wide circle of former wrestlers and wrestling cheerleaders from Wiser’s heyday—many of whom are now grandparents. They filled both the induction ceremony and the gathering at the Farmhouse, swapping stories, sharing laughs, and reflecting on the years when Delavan wrestling was a powerhouse built on Wiser’s energy and belief in his athletes.

Wiser’s achievements earned him the title of Central Illinois Class A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1977, but his influence extended far beyond Delavan. As a certified official for both the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA), he spent 22 years officiating wrestling meets across the state, including numerous state finals. His professionalism and deep knowledge of the sport earned him a nomination for IWCOA Official of the Year in 2003. In 2004, he was inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) Hall of Fame, recognizing his outstanding contributions to Illinois wrestling.

Following the induction ceremony, community members joined Wiser and his family for a post-event celebration at the Farmhouse Banquet and Event Center on East 5th Street. Guests shared stories, photos, and memories, reflecting on the many lives Wiser has shaped throughout his career.

The Delavan community proudly celebrates John T. Wiser for his decades of service, his leadership in education and athletics, and the enduring legacy he leaves with generations of students and athletes.

Long before modern innovators promised to rewrite the rules of industry, Delavan had its own visionary who dared to chase the impossible. Dexter Davis Hardy—born in 1834 in Providence, Rhode Island, and later a resident of Delavan—stands as one of the most intriguing figures in the city’s inventive past.

Hardy organized the Delavan Orbit Engine Manufacturing Company, a bold venture that set its sights on one of engineering’s most elusive ambitions: perpetual motion. As recorded in the Delavan Centennial, prepared by the Federal Writers’ Project, the company succeeded in building a single prototype. “Perpetual motion, long a dream of inventors, was sought by the Delavan Orbit Engine Manufacturing Company, organized by Dexter Davis Hardy. One engine was completed. On tests at the factory it is thought to have functioned, but when installed at the Hawley Coal Mine, south of Pekin, it failed to pull a load.”

The engine’s performance may not have transformed the coal industry, but Hardy’s effort reflected something deeper—a restless creativity that has defined Delavan since its earliest days. Even after the Orbit Engine’s shortcomings, Hardy did not abandon invention. Instead, he continued refining mechanical ideas, eventually partnering with Augustine West to secure U.S. Patent No. 126,203 in November 1876 for an improvement in rotary engines. It was a significant step forward for a man who refused to let one setback define his career.

Hardy died in Chicago in 1901, but his legacy remains woven into Delavan’s story. His work—ambitious, unconventional, and ahead of its time—embodies the spirit of a community that has always valued imagination as much as practicality.

From early agricultural innovations to the civic leadership that built schools, businesses, and cultural institutions, Delavan has long been a place where big ideas take root. Hardy’s pursuit of perpetual motion, and his later success in securing a federal patent, remind us that progress often begins with a willingness to try something no one else has dared.

Today, as Delavan continues shaping its future, the tale of the Orbit Engine stands as more than a historical curiosity. It is a testament to the courage of local dreamers—and a reminder that even when an invention fails to pull a load, it can still pull a community forward.

The Delavan community is remembering one of its most devoted champions following the passing of Lloyd Glenn Holmes, Jr., age 90, on Thursday, December 25, 2025, at Arcadia Care in Havana. A lifelong steward of local history, a tireless volunteer, and a familiar face at countless community events, Holmes leaves behind a legacy woven deeply into the fabric of Delavan.

Born February 17, 1935, in New Orleans to Glenn Sr. and Marie Curtis Holmes, Glenn moved with his family to Delavan in 1940. The Holmes family settled on their farm east of town, where Glenn’s roots in the community began to take hold. He attended Meeker Country School and graduated from Delavan High School in 1953, a classmate remembered for his steady nature and strong work ethic.

Holmes was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, serving in Texas, where he tested missiles—an experience he carried with quiet pride. After completing his service, he returned home to Delavan, where he farmed and began what would become a 41‑year career at Caterpillar. Most of those years were spent in management on the second shift in the East Peoria Plant’s heat treat department. He retired in 1998.

On August 23, 1958, Glenn married Loretta Clifford in Hurst, Illinois. The two shared 63 years of marriage and a deep partnership in both work and community life until Loretta’s passing in 2021. Together, they owned and operated the Colonial Restaurant and later a Tea Room in Delavan—gathering places remembered fondly by longtime residents.

Holmes’ passion for local history and civic pride shaped much of his life’s work. As an active member of the Delavan Historical Society, he helped organize the Delavan Cemetery Walks, brought the Civil War Re‑enactment and the Vietnam Traveling Wall to town, and played a central role in returning the historic Civil War cannon to its home at Locust and 8th Streets. He assisted with the sale and placement of paving bricks inscribed with Civil War veterans’ names and often took part in firing the cannon during special events.

His leadership extended far beyond historical preservation. Holmes chaired the committee that purchased and planted 400 “Delavan Peonies” throughout the community, contributed to the installation of Lincoln Mile signposts, and worked toward the purchase of the Colony House. He was also instrumental in organizing Delavan’s 175th Birthday Celebration in 2012—an event still remembered for its community spirit and historical storytelling. In recognition of his decades of service, Glenn was honored as Grand Marshal of the 2022 Delavan Labor Day Parade.

A man of faith and fellowship, Holmes was a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church in Delavan. He also belonged to the American Legion, where he was affectionately known as the “chief coffee‑maker” each morning, as well as the Delavan Optimist Club and the Masons. He cherished time spent in his gardens and treasured every family gathering.

Holmes is survived by his sister, Helen Hopkins of Delavan, along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Loretta Holmes; his son, Ronnie Holmes; his sisters, Dona Culbertson and Marge Fuhrman; and his brother, Jim Holmes.

Cremation has been accorded. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 24, 2025, at First United Presbyterian Church in Delavan, with Pastor Stephanie McCullough officiating. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Prairie Rest Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Davis‑Oswald Funeral Home in Delavan.

Memorials may be made to Delavan Presbyterian Church or the Delavan American Legion.

Holmes’ contributions—both seen and unseen—will continue to shape Delavan for generations. His dedication to preserving the town’s history and strengthening its community spirit stands as a testament to a life lived in service to others.