Lima community honors late Kewpee owner Harry Shutt

LIMA — Messages of sympathy have been growing on social media as news spread of the death of Harry Shutt, a man whose name is synonymous with Kewpee Hamburgers in Lima.

Shutt was 92. Funeral arrangements are still pending.

Shutt’s Lima roots go deep in the Lima community. The Lima City Schools Facebook page has a post honoring Shutt and his connection to the school district.

“A 1950 Central High School graduate and member of our Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame, Harry has been a long supporter of the Lima City Schools, especially our student athletes and athletic facilities,” the post said. “The Lima community is a better place because of Harry. We will miss him and send our thoughts and prayers to the entire Shutt and Kewpee family.”

Shutt’s connection with Kewpee Hamburgers goes back to his start with the company in 1957. In 1970, he became a manager at the iconic restaurant that Hoyt F. “Stub” and Julia M. “June” Wilson first built in 1928.

He oversaw the expansion of the franchise with the Allentown Road location in 1972 and the Bellefontaine Avenue location in 1981. He purchased the rights to the Kewpee brand in 1985. Preserving the restaurant’s famous hamburger while adding innovations like a fish sandwich and a breakfast menu and continued to manage the franchise for several years before passing the managerial torch to his son, Scott.

“We can now, of course, go anywhere, but we do want to protect our rights and our heritage,” Shutt was quoted saying in a 2015 Lima News article. “To go out and let just anybody do it might destroy all that we have worked so hard to build up over the years.”

Amid that expansion, the original Elizabeth Street Kewpee has remained a downtown Lima mainstay, a fact noted in a Facebook post from Downtown Lima, Inc.

“Harry Shutt has been a staple and supporter of Downtown Lima for decades,” the post said. “He believed in downtown and contributed to many events and arts organizations. We honor and salute Harry for his love and dedication to Lima. Our hearts are with his family.”

Shutt’s dedication expanded far beyond Lima’s downtown. He, his wife Myrna and his family have had a long relationship with the arts community in Lima, supporting initiatives through organizations like ArtSpace/Lima, with its annual Kewpee High School Art Invitational and the Lima Symphony Orchestra.

“The Shutt Family’s unwavering support for the arts in our community and beyond exemplified their belief that everyone should have the opportunity to see and participate in the arts,” a post on the ArtSpace/Lima Facebook page said. “Harry’s dedication to fostering creativity and cultural enrichment will be fondly remembered and honored. His legacy will live on through the many initiatives and programs he supported, ensuring that the arts remain accessible to all.”

“Harry’s love for and dedication to Lima is unparalleled, and his generosity enriched this community in countless ways,” a post on the Lima Symphony Orchestra’s Facebook page said. “He was a fierce supporter of the arts, creating opportunities for the arts to flourish and everyone in the community to participate. His legacy will continue and be celebrated for generations to come.”

One of Shutt’s most recognizable contributions to the Lima arts scene is the yearly ONU Holiday Spectacular. The Shutts’ support ensured that the holiday program was always available to Lima residents without breaking the bank.

“His support of the beloved ONU Holiday Spectacular created lifetimes of family memories and inspired innumerable young performers,” a post on the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center of Lima/Allen County’s Facebook page said. “We are deeply grateful for the many wonderful experiences he brought to the Civic Center, and we send our condolences to his family.”

Shutt also supported numerous other initiatives in the Lima region, including the annual Allen County Fair Jr. Fair carcass show and the Lima Family YMCA triathlon.