XENIA — He lived in Xenia back in the 1960s.

But the legacy of the Rev. John Teeters lives on today.

Literally.

Without the vision of Teeters, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church from 1962-1971, Legacy Christian Academy may not exist as we know it today.

That’s one of the many things being celebrated about Teeters, who died at his residence in Tiffin in February at age 96. He spent 30 years in ministry, making a stop in Fayette before coming to Xenia en route to Tiffin, his hometown.

And it was here in Greene County where he made arguably his biggest impact.

“He had a vision to start a Christian day school,” said Pat Dunstan, who taught third grade at the Xenia Christian Day School, which morphed into Xenia Christian and then today’s Legacy Christian Academy.”

That vision started to become a reality in 1967 when Emmanuel Baptist completed the expansion of an education wing to the existing structure on South Detroit Street. Teeters wanted to see daily use of the building, not just on Sunday.

Carla Packard, a teacher at what was then Cedarville College, agreed to help and launched the first preschool and kindergarten class as the principal in fall 1967.

By the time Teeters resigned in 1971, the school had five grades and added a sixth the following year.

“He really gave a lot of leadership,” Dunstan said. “He made sure that we had the chalkboards they put in were magnetic and nice cork around them. He did a good job of leading by example and valuing people. The church really did grow under his leadership.”

He was also a leader outside the church, according to Dunstan.

“He was a loving father,” she said. “He was a very energetic man.”

Teeters is survived by a daughter, two grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.