By Barb Lockard
Phil Compton, Ada, has gone from university professor, to minister, to waiting tables. For him, that’s a good thing.
The Greater Lima United Way recently selected Compton as one of 12 recipients of the 2019 Jefferson Award for Public Service. Talking with Phil, one immediately discovers that public service is in his DNA.
“Helping others is what we’re supposed to do,” said Compton. “I’m a ‘cradle Christian,’ and was raised with the idea that we came to serve.”
Originally a member of the Church of the Brethren, Compton attended Manchester University in Indiana. He met his wife, LaDonna, in graduate school.
“She was a Methodist, so I became a Methodist,” he added.
Compton went on to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in research psychology from Emory University, Atlanta. He taught at Ohio Northern University for 35 years before “retiring.”
Coinciding with his philosophy of doing good works, he decided to attend Emory University’s School of Theology and become a minister. Currently, he’s pastor of Rhinehart United Methodist Church near Mt. Victory. His church affiliation and relationships with other clergy members eventually lead him to invest in a unique restaurant.
“A group of us had read the book, ‘Holy Currencies,’ by Eric Law,” Compton recalled. The group had also heard about the Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, New Jersey, founded by rock legend Jon Bon Jovi. It’s a restaurant with no prices on the menu. Patrons pay what they can or earn meals by volunteering.
One of the founders of the West Ohio Food Bank, Compton joined a group of individuals that purchased the former Brunson’s Restaurant in Kenton, Ohio.
They remodeled the entire building; got some grant funding, and Table One was born. Now in its third year, Table One provides “home cooked” meals to those who can pay and those who cannot. Compton and his wife travel to Kenton once or twice a week to help serve.
“Waiting tables has become my third career,” he laughed. “I’m 76 and still cooking!”
A 501(c)(3), Table One also works with the Hardin County Drug Court, where community service is a big component of the program. Offenders can log required hours at the restaurant and Compton has seen some success stories.
“At Table One, we don’t care where you’ve been, we care about where you’re going,” he added.
In addition to his work at Table One, Compton is the chaplain for the Ada/Liberty Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management team and the Hardin County Suicide Coalition. He serves on the board of directors of the Ohio Federation of Fire Chaplains. He goes to all fire scenes, takes photos and works with the fire department’s safety officer as well as doing the work of a chaplain.
On March 26, the Greater Lima United Way will host a dinner and select one Jefferson Award recipient to represent the region in Washington, D.C. in June for the national Jefferson Awards celebration.
Compton is excited about the prospect, but added that, “there are a lot of good people on the list.” Jane Seiler, a member of Compton’s congregation, nominated him for the award.
It may be second to public service, but Compton’s hobby of showing Cadillacs is a lifelong passion. He remembers being in love with cars at age 4. He’s even chaplain of the Cadillac and LaSalle Club, where his main duty is leading the prayer before meals.
The Compton’s own three Cadillacs, one formerly driven by Nelson Rockefeller. Phil admits that his volunteer schedule is far more complicated than his teaching schedule ever was. When asked if there’s one thing he’d still like to accomplish, he laughed.
“I’d like to retire.”
