Adkins couple Ansonia 4th parade marshals

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ANSONIA — Stephanie and Ted Adkins are all about giving to their community, now the community is asking more of them. And, they’re proud to oblige.

They will be the grand marshals for the Fourth of July parade in Ansonia on July 6.

“It’s a little embarrassing, because there are a lot of people deserving of this,” Stephanie said. “But, we’re very humbled by it.”

“It was a surprise,” her husband added.

The couple has worked with the Fourth of July activities in the village in the past, and are now more involved in the Ansonia Community Pride group, who plant flowers, have the windows painted and hang the military signs on the post along Main Street.

“We did help with the Fourth of July at one time,” she said. “We got the Quarter Auction started.”

Not only are they happy to serve their community, so is their son Mason, who turned 15 on June 4.

The couple will celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary on July 5.

“We met cruising on Broadway in Greenville the last year they allowed it,” Stephanie said. “It was my senior year. We met Nov. 12, 1994; he proposed to me on Christmas Eve 1996; and we got married July 5, 1997.”

The former Stephanie Hess, she graduated in 1995 from Franklin Monroe High School whereas her husband, who turned 48 on June 18, graduated from Ansonia in 1989.

They are co-owners with her parents, Terry and Barb Hess, in Ansonia Auto Parts.

“I worked there for Mark Kramer for 12 years when it was located at the Middleton building (just across the street from their house in Ansonia),” he said. “I worked there for about five years and then in 1999, Terry and I moved into the Coppess store in May 2004. I’ve worked there a total of 20 years.”

The job, Ted said, can be stressful.

“We have a lot of good customers,” said Ted, who had worked at Midmark, Whirlpool and Huffy’s in the past. “It’s hard to find good help. We have a full parts store, work on products and wait on customers.

His wife has worked at Versailles Savings and Loan since 2012, and is now learning to be a loan processor.

“After high school, I worked in retail and at another bank for 14 years,” Stephanie said.

She said her hobby is taking care of their son, and Ted said his hobbies include guns and remote control items. They are NRA fans for life, they said..

The Adkinses enjoy helping with projects that make the community better.

“We want to make it prideful,” he said. “It doesn’t take that much time.”

Their son, the couple said, is close to earning his Eagle Scout Award.

Both father and son are involved in the Boy Scouts, and Ted was a Cub Scout.

Mason won’t be riding with them in the parade. Instead, the teen is putting up his own float.

“He is a big patriot and historian ,” Stephanie said.

“Just like I am,” Ted remarked. “I love America.”

Mason, who is a sophomore, is undecided about his future but whatever he selects, his parents will undoubtedly be supportive.

The family is involved in the Ansonia United Methodist Church, where he is a trustee and he and his wife are involved on several committees.

“We’re thankful for what God’s blessed us with,” Stephanie said. “We just want to give back to the community. That’s what you’re supposed to do in life.”

Stephanie and Ted Adkins are more than proud to serve their community by serving as grand marshals of the Ansonia Fourth of July Parade, which will take place July 6.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_adkins-4thparade.jpgStephanie and Ted Adkins are more than proud to serve their community by serving as grand marshals of the Ansonia Fourth of July Parade, which will take place July 6. Linda Moody | DarkeCountyMedia.com

By Linda Moody

DarkeCountyMedia.com

Contact Darke County Media Staff Writer Linda Moody at [email protected] or 937-569-4315, ext. 1749. Read more news, features and sports at DarkeCountyMedia.com.

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