By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer
George Richard Webb, who for nearly 30 years helped guide alcoholics and addicts to recovery, died Oct. 1 at Lakes of Sylvania. He was 82.
He had advanced congestive heart failure and recently recovered from coronavirus, said his daughter, Jenny.
Known by many as Dick, Mr. Webb retired in 1999 from what had become Comprehensive Addiction Services System Corp. for Recovery Services - COMPASS for short.
The organization had been Toledo Halfway House Residence Inc., of which Mr. Webb was second director and which came to include Christoff House for men and Morley House for women who were recovering alcoholics.
After he retired, Mr. Webb was honored for his service by the Lucas County Board of Commissioners, and was an inductee to the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Advocate Hall of Fame.
"From the beginning, there wasn't much status involved in serving on a board that deals with drunks," Mr. Webb said in 1999 - but standing or glamour were never the object.
Mr. Webb in 1974 told The Blade his career path began with a jail sentence he served at age 20 for drunk driving. He noticed the other inmates' anxiety - about their spouses, their children, their dogs - worsened by the boredom of confinement. He organized card games, and after being freed called wives and girlfriends with messages from inmates.
After two years of pharmacy studies at Ohio Northern University, Mr. Webb enlisted in the Army, with which he served in Europe as a medic. Back in civilian life, he switched his major to social work and went to work for the Ohio Parole Authority in Lima. He discovered that many he supervised were alcoholics caught for acts committed while under the influence.
Mr. Webb saw in 1971 that the Halfway House in Toledo needed an executive director, applied for the job, and was hired.
"I had gotten really fond of alcoholics. And it just seemed like such a damned shame to see these people deteriorate," he said in 1974. "I knew that if they didn't shape up, they'd either spend their lives in prison or on skid row."
On Saturdays, he often took his daughter with him to work, in part to give residents a sense of normality in having a child around.
"Some of my earliest memories are of going to Christoff House with him," his daughter said. "That's where I learned to play pool, with the recovering alcoholics at Christoff House.
"He had a very down to earth, real approach to things. He didn't complicate things," she said. "They were still human beings, still somebody's son, brother, parent, and that's how they should be treated - with utmost respect."
He understood addiction and recovery, and he also understood how to speak with halfway-house neighbors who were homeless or had mental-health problems but weren't facility residents, said Syd Wiford, who worked for Mr. Webb for 22 years.
"Webb had a touch with people. He knew what to do, and he could instantly gain their trust," said Ms. Wiford, now a North Carolina-based consultant, who added, "I haven't come across a place like COMPASS. I wish I would. It was a safety net and a place where people got well."
Zepf Center, a mental health agency, and COMPASS announced a merger in 2015.
Born Jan. 3, 1939, in Chillicothe, Ohio, to Mary and David Webb, Mr. Webb was a graduate of that city's Catholic Central High School. He and his wife, Patsy Skaggs Webb, were among the leaders when St. Ursula Academy's crew team began in the early 1990s. Mrs. Webb died July 21, 2013.
Surviving are his daughter, Jennifer Webb Naylor; brothers, Charles and Tim Webb; sisters, Rebecca Mitovich and Mary Alice Kenny, and three grandsons.
A Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at Gesu Catholic Church, where he was a longtime member.
Arrangements are by Newcomer Funeral Home Northwest Chapel.
Published by The Blade on Oct. 9, 2021.
Blade Staff Writer
George Richard Webb, who for nearly 30 years helped guide alcoholics and addicts to recovery, died Oct. 1 at Lakes of Sylvania. He was 82.
He had advanced congestive heart failure and recently recovered from coronavirus, said his daughter, Jenny.
Known by many as Dick, Mr. Webb retired in 1999 from what had become Comprehensive Addiction Services System Corp. for Recovery Services - COMPASS for short.
The organization had been Toledo Halfway House Residence Inc., of which Mr. Webb was second director and which came to include Christoff House for men and Morley House for women who were recovering alcoholics.
After he retired, Mr. Webb was honored for his service by the Lucas County Board of Commissioners, and was an inductee to the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Advocate Hall of Fame.
"From the beginning, there wasn't much status involved in serving on a board that deals with drunks," Mr. Webb said in 1999 - but standing or glamour were never the object.
Mr. Webb in 1974 told The Blade his career path began with a jail sentence he served at age 20 for drunk driving. He noticed the other inmates' anxiety - about their spouses, their children, their dogs - worsened by the boredom of confinement. He organized card games, and after being freed called wives and girlfriends with messages from inmates.
After two years of pharmacy studies at Ohio Northern University, Mr. Webb enlisted in the Army, with which he served in Europe as a medic. Back in civilian life, he switched his major to social work and went to work for the Ohio Parole Authority in Lima. He discovered that many he supervised were alcoholics caught for acts committed while under the influence.
Mr. Webb saw in 1971 that the Halfway House in Toledo needed an executive director, applied for the job, and was hired.
"I had gotten really fond of alcoholics. And it just seemed like such a damned shame to see these people deteriorate," he said in 1974. "I knew that if they didn't shape up, they'd either spend their lives in prison or on skid row."
On Saturdays, he often took his daughter with him to work, in part to give residents a sense of normality in having a child around.
"Some of my earliest memories are of going to Christoff House with him," his daughter said. "That's where I learned to play pool, with the recovering alcoholics at Christoff House.
"He had a very down to earth, real approach to things. He didn't complicate things," she said. "They were still human beings, still somebody's son, brother, parent, and that's how they should be treated - with utmost respect."
He understood addiction and recovery, and he also understood how to speak with halfway-house neighbors who were homeless or had mental-health problems but weren't facility residents, said Syd Wiford, who worked for Mr. Webb for 22 years.
"Webb had a touch with people. He knew what to do, and he could instantly gain their trust," said Ms. Wiford, now a North Carolina-based consultant, who added, "I haven't come across a place like COMPASS. I wish I would. It was a safety net and a place where people got well."
Zepf Center, a mental health agency, and COMPASS announced a merger in 2015.
Born Jan. 3, 1939, in Chillicothe, Ohio, to Mary and David Webb, Mr. Webb was a graduate of that city's Catholic Central High School. He and his wife, Patsy Skaggs Webb, were among the leaders when St. Ursula Academy's crew team began in the early 1990s. Mrs. Webb died July 21, 2013.
Surviving are his daughter, Jennifer Webb Naylor; brothers, Charles and Tim Webb; sisters, Rebecca Mitovich and Mary Alice Kenny, and three grandsons.
A Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at Gesu Catholic Church, where he was a longtime member.
Arrangements are by Newcomer Funeral Home Northwest Chapel.
Published by The Blade on Oct. 9, 2021.
By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer
George Richard Webb, who for nearly 30 years helped guide alcoholics and addicts to recovery, died Oct. 1 at Lakes of Sylvania. He was 82.
He had advanced congestive heart failure and recently recovered from coronavirus, said his daughter, Jenny.
Known by many as Dick, Mr. Webb retired in 1999 from what had become Comprehensive Addiction Services System Corp. for Recovery Services - COMPASS for short.
The organization had been Toledo Halfway House Residence Inc., of which Mr. Webb was second director and which came to include Christoff House for men and Morley House for women who were recovering alcoholics.
After he retired, Mr. Webb was honored for his service by the Lucas County Board of Commissioners, and was an inductee to the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Advocate Hall of Fame.
"From the beginning, there wasn't much status involved in serving on a board that deals with drunks," Mr. Webb said in 1999 - but standing or glamour were never the object.
Mr. Webb in 1974 told The Blade his career path began with a jail sentence he served at age 20 for drunk driving. He noticed the other inmates' anxiety - about their spouses, their children, their dogs - worsened by the boredom of confinement. He organized card games, and after being freed called wives and girlfriends with messages from inmates.
After two years of pharmacy studies at Ohio Northern University, Mr. Webb enlisted in the Army, with which he served in Europe as a medic. Back in civilian life, he switched his major to social work and went to work for the Ohio Parole Authority in Lima. He discovered that many he supervised were alcoholics caught for acts committed while under the influence.
Mr. Webb saw in 1971 that the Halfway House in Toledo needed an executive director, applied for the job, and was hired.
"I had gotten really fond of alcoholics. And it just seemed like such a damned shame to see these people deteriorate," he said in 1974. "I knew that if they didn't shape up, they'd either spend their lives in prison or on skid row."
On Saturdays, he often took his daughter with him to work, in part to give residents a sense of normality in having a child around.
"Some of my earliest memories are of going to Christoff House with him," his daughter said. "That's where I learned to play pool, with the recovering alcoholics at Christoff House.
"He had a very down to earth, real approach to things. He didn't complicate things," she said. "They were still human beings, still somebody's son, brother, parent, and that's how they should be treated - with utmost respect."
He understood addiction and recovery, and he also understood how to speak with halfway-house neighbors who were homeless or had mental-health problems but weren't facility residents, said Syd Wiford, who worked for Mr. Webb for 22 years.
"Webb had a touch with people. He knew what to do, and he could instantly gain their trust," said Ms. Wiford, now a North Carolina-based consultant, who added, "I haven't come across a place like COMPASS. I wish I would. It was a safety net and a place where people got well."
Zepf Center, a mental health agency, and COMPASS announced a merger in 2015.
Born Jan. 3, 1939, in Chillicothe, Ohio, to Mary and David Webb, Mr. Webb was a graduate of that city's Catholic Central High School. He and his wife, Patsy Skaggs Webb, were among the leaders when St. Ursula Academy's crew team began in the early 1990s. Mrs. Webb died July 21, 2013.
Surviving are his daughter, Jennifer Webb Naylor; brothers, Charles and Tim Webb; sisters, Rebecca Mitovich and Mary Alice Kenny, and three grandsons.
A Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at Gesu Catholic Church, where he was a longtime member.
Arrangements are by Newcomer Funeral Home Northwest Chapel.
Published by The Blade on Oct. 9, 2021.
Blade Staff Writer
George Richard Webb, who for nearly 30 years helped guide alcoholics and addicts to recovery, died Oct. 1 at Lakes of Sylvania. He was 82.
He had advanced congestive heart failure and recently recovered from coronavirus, said his daughter, Jenny.
Known by many as Dick, Mr. Webb retired in 1999 from what had become Comprehensive Addiction Services System Corp. for Recovery Services - COMPASS for short.
The organization had been Toledo Halfway House Residence Inc., of which Mr. Webb was second director and which came to include Christoff House for men and Morley House for women who were recovering alcoholics.
After he retired, Mr. Webb was honored for his service by the Lucas County Board of Commissioners, and was an inductee to the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Advocate Hall of Fame.
"From the beginning, there wasn't much status involved in serving on a board that deals with drunks," Mr. Webb said in 1999 - but standing or glamour were never the object.
Mr. Webb in 1974 told The Blade his career path began with a jail sentence he served at age 20 for drunk driving. He noticed the other inmates' anxiety - about their spouses, their children, their dogs - worsened by the boredom of confinement. He organized card games, and after being freed called wives and girlfriends with messages from inmates.
After two years of pharmacy studies at Ohio Northern University, Mr. Webb enlisted in the Army, with which he served in Europe as a medic. Back in civilian life, he switched his major to social work and went to work for the Ohio Parole Authority in Lima. He discovered that many he supervised were alcoholics caught for acts committed while under the influence.
Mr. Webb saw in 1971 that the Halfway House in Toledo needed an executive director, applied for the job, and was hired.
"I had gotten really fond of alcoholics. And it just seemed like such a damned shame to see these people deteriorate," he said in 1974. "I knew that if they didn't shape up, they'd either spend their lives in prison or on skid row."
On Saturdays, he often took his daughter with him to work, in part to give residents a sense of normality in having a child around.
"Some of my earliest memories are of going to Christoff House with him," his daughter said. "That's where I learned to play pool, with the recovering alcoholics at Christoff House.
"He had a very down to earth, real approach to things. He didn't complicate things," she said. "They were still human beings, still somebody's son, brother, parent, and that's how they should be treated - with utmost respect."
He understood addiction and recovery, and he also understood how to speak with halfway-house neighbors who were homeless or had mental-health problems but weren't facility residents, said Syd Wiford, who worked for Mr. Webb for 22 years.
"Webb had a touch with people. He knew what to do, and he could instantly gain their trust," said Ms. Wiford, now a North Carolina-based consultant, who added, "I haven't come across a place like COMPASS. I wish I would. It was a safety net and a place where people got well."
Zepf Center, a mental health agency, and COMPASS announced a merger in 2015.
Born Jan. 3, 1939, in Chillicothe, Ohio, to Mary and David Webb, Mr. Webb was a graduate of that city's Catholic Central High School. He and his wife, Patsy Skaggs Webb, were among the leaders when St. Ursula Academy's crew team began in the early 1990s. Mrs. Webb died July 21, 2013.
Surviving are his daughter, Jennifer Webb Naylor; brothers, Charles and Tim Webb; sisters, Rebecca Mitovich and Mary Alice Kenny, and three grandsons.
A Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at Gesu Catholic Church, where he was a longtime member.
Arrangements are by Newcomer Funeral Home Northwest Chapel.
Published by The Blade on Oct. 9, 2021.
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