By Kevin Greer
Lakeside Communications Manager
Just a couple months after they got married, Ernie & Nila McCullough visited Lakeside for the first time.
“Our Presbyterian minister introduced us to Lakeside,” Nila said. “We fell in love with the place.”
That was nearly 65 years ago. The McCulloughs are now year-round residents on Lynn Avenue and their growing family enjoys spending time together on the lake.
The McCulloughs have a daughter, three grandsons and seven great-grandchildren who range from ages 4-21.
Nila and Ernie met during the summer in the late 1950s. Ernie’s neighbor would occasionally pick up Nila from her job as a legal secretary while she attended college. Sometimes Ernie would also hitch a ride to his summer job working for the school census. It was prior to his sophomore year at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. Nila remembers the first impression, and it wasn’t that great.
“He got out of the car, and I said, ‘What’s he doing?’” Nila said. “He goes, ‘Vote for me.’ I thought, ‘What kind of a nut is this?’”
Nila grew up about 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh in Washington, Pennsylvania, and Ernie’s hometown is about 10 miles west on Interstate 70 in Claysville, Pennsylvania. The couple married in Claysville and moved to Willard, Ohio. Ernie was a teacher with Willard Schools, and Nila was a legal secretary, customer service representative and worked for Willard Schools.
“I’m from Pennsylvania, but I taught Ohio history,” Ernie said with a chuckle.
After being introduced to Lakeside, the McCulloughs were hooked. They knew a Methodist minister who had a trailer, and they stayed there for a week or on weekends. They would also stay at bed & breakfasts, hotels and Lakeside cottages. After 34 years of renting places, they wanted a home of their own in Lakeside.
“We started looking at the homes, and they really weren’t in the best shape,” Nila said. “A builder came up to us, and said, ‘I can build you a cottage.’ It was finished within three months.”
In 1998, Ernie retired as a schoolteacher. Shortly after that, the McCulloughs made another big decision.
“I said, ‘Let’s put our house in Willard up for sale and move to Lakeside,’” Ernie said. “Our place in Lakeside has never been rented to anybody. Only our family has stayed there.”
It was an idea Nila thought made a lot of sense. Their Willard home sold within a day, thanks to realtor who was one of Ernie’s students.
“I never knew where a lot of our stuff was,” Nila said. “Some was in Lakeside, and some was in Willard. Having two houses and going back and forth was kind of crazy.”
The McCulloughs were both retired when they moved but quickly became familiar faces in the Lakeside community. Ernie worked in the Hoover Ticket Office for 25 years with Frank Floding. Ernie also took photos and printed Lakeside ID cards. Nila did secretary and receptionist work in the Administration Office.
The McCulloughs said there have been many changes in Lakeside since they first visited in 1960, but one thing that remains constant is the family time they enjoy. They like Hoover shows and walking along Ohio’s Most Beautiful Mile. Their great-grandchildren have attended God Squad, Middle Grade Madness and many other activities.
“Lakeside means everything to us,” Ernie said. “We’re glad we live here. We like the scene and what Lakeside stands for. We love the summer with all the activity, but we also like it when it’s slow, like the fall.”
Nila added, “If you’re a party animal, Lakeside might not be the place for you. I think that’s what makes this place better. Our grandsons are all married, and our seven great-grandkids love Lakeside. They were brought up here. Home and family in Lakeside mean the most to us.”
