Ruth “Eloise” Flickinger died Saturday morning January 24, 2015 at Marion General Hospital from complications due to a massive stroke suffered 3 days earlier. She has now joined her husband and oldest son who she missed very much. Her family is grateful for the kindness and care she received while at Marion General Hospital.
Born January 20, 1920 in Marion, Ohio to Ditzler and Dorothy (Herring) Fraley, Eloise graduated from Marion Harding High School, class of 1937 and attended Toledo University. She married her high school sweetheart, Olen H. Flickinger, and they had three sons and one daughter. They were married for 73 years until his death on January 26, 2012. She lived for over 45 years on Forest Hill Drive prior to moving to Primrose Retirement Community.
Eloise loved to travel and would collect ideas from travel books to plan her own tours. She arranged trips including a voyage down the Panama Canal, train trips through the Canadian wilderness, and travel to the Swiss Alps, Germany, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Alaska and California. She also attended two World Fairs.
After raising her 4 children, she worked briefly for the Marion County Treasurer (Mary Ellen Withrow) and the Marion County Auditor’s Office. She was an elected Marion Township Central Committeemen from 1980 to 1986. She also volunteered for the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and the gift shop at Marion General Hospital. A lifetime member of the First United Church of Christ, she was a member of the Sonshine Circle. When younger, she taught Sunday school.
After retirement, Eloise and Olen were snowbirds and spent their winters in Bradenton Florida, where Mom was a deaconess at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Bradenton.
They enjoyed boating at Delaware Dam, and Salt Fork Reservoir. They journeyed down the Muskingum River to the Ohio River. They also enjoyed boating with family members at Lake Cumberland, Kentucky and Indian Lake, Ohio.
She was an avid reader and loved to play euchre and bridge; being a member of two bridge clubs for over 65 years and playing bridge just two weeks before her death. She celebrated her 95th birthday on Sunday, January 18th, with a family dinner at the home of one of her sons.
Eloise’s greatest accomplishment was providing around the clock care for Olen who had suffered a stroke but lived for many meaningful years because she provided such excellent care. She also was very proud of and loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, always wanting to know about their jobs, travels, school, sports games, and plays.
Eloise’s immediate family includes her children: William T. (Sharon K.) Flickinger of Marion, OH, Sandy (Barry) Hupp of Nicholasville, KY, Michael H. Flickinger of Cleveland, OH, and the late James A. Flickinger; five grandchildren: Craig (Kathy) Flickinger, Kevin (Melissa) Flickinger, James H. (Shelly) Flickinger, Martha (Kenneth) Foster and Mindy (J.C.) Easterling; six great grandchildren: Brooke and Bryce Flickinger, Whitney Flickinger, TJ and Anna Flickinger, Dustin (Lacey) Foster.
A Celebration of Life will be held at First United Church of Christ, 326 South Prospect Street, Marion, on Saturday January 31, 2015 at 11AM with Rev. Gale Green officiating. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 10AM; committal service will follow at the Marion Cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be made to the First United Church of Christ.
Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to have been chosen to serve Eloise’s family and your condolences may be expressed to them by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
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