You are totally on target, to be looking at the most recent information, and working your way backward.

Another source of recent information, in Ohio, is the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library. They have a huge obituary collection, which is indexed.

In addition, since you mention family reunions, you might look for newspaper articles about the reunions. In my dad's family, in Iowa, I found lots of good leads, by reading the reunion articles.