Doris Leonard claims she’s ordinary. A native of Bethel, Ohio, she was an only child raised by Depression-era parents who courted by mail.

When Jim Landers ventured into the boiler room of his parish, St. Antoninus Church, he was taken aback.

For Jack and Marilyn Osborn, a blind date plus four sons was a winning combination. The couple married and blended their families (two boys each). The age span of 12 years didn’t stop the boys from becoming brothers.

It’s not hard to see why Judy Schmitz was selected to be the “sunshine girl” by her Kiwanis group. She’s upbeat, enthusiastic and willing to try new things. In the recent past, she’s fed cheetahs in Africa, learned French, volunteered in Haiti and taught a class at Xavier University.

Owen Smith knows what it’s like to grow up without a father. “I think there is a lot of stuff that could have been different if I had a male role model,” he said. “I don’t want my kids to be in the same situation.”