Submitted by the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
Congratulations to Dr. Doris Bergen of Hamilton and Eileen Cooper Reed of Cincinnati for their recent induction into the 2019 Class of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
Each year the Ohio Department of Aging chooses several outstanding Ohioans age 60 and older to be inducted into the hall of fame. The induction ceremony is a part of the Department of Aging’s celebration of Older Americans Month, and took place at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.
Dr. Doris Bergen, Hamilton, Ohio
Dr. Doris Bergen was inspired to make change by the playful people from her childhood and her father, George Bergen, who gave her the courage to trust in her abilities. She was the first person from her family to attend college and studied educational psychology with a developmental emphasis, carrying a mindset throughout her studies that the way we play influences the way we live.
Bergen created two preschool programs and taught preschool for 14 years before becoming a professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she taught courses in human development, assessment and educational psychology. During her career she conducted research on play theory, including the effects of technology-enhanced toys on play, adult memories of childhood play and gifted children’s humor. This research led her to publish 12 books, more than 60 professional and academic articles and receive dozens of national honors.
Eileen Cooper Reed, Cincinnati, Ohio
Eileen Cooper Reed’s career and accomplishments reflect her passions for children, injustice and inequality. She has strived to help the children of Cincinnati in numerous ways. She spent seven years as a juvenile court referee in Hamilton County after working as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals. She also served as a Hamilton County assistant prosecutor. She was the director of the Cincinnati office of the Children’s Defense Fund where she documented needs of Cincinnati children in child health, child welfare, early childhood care and K-12 education. Cooper Reed also served two four-year terms on the City of Cincinnati board of education.
She and her husband have six children and 14 grandchildren. She feels that lifelong learning as well as loving and caring for others is the secret to success and longevity. She loves to read and travel internationally to experience and discover more about the world, and plans to continue serving and connecting with people who strive to make change wherever she may find them.
Inductees exemplify people who have made significant contributions to their community. Since 1977, nearly 500 individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.