Katherine Stuckey Grimm

Katherine 'Katie' Louise Stuckey Grimm, well known Oak Harbor community leader and former Ottawa County Woman of the Year, died Monday, March 26, 2007 at Otterbein Portage Valley Retirement Center, Pemberville, Ohio. She was 89. Katherine Grimm was born September 21, 1917 in Eden Township, Wyandot County, Ohio to Swiss immigrants Hans and Katherine (Teuscher) Stuckey. She was the eldest of three children and was preceded in death by her parents, sister Pauline Walton, and husband of 52 years, Frederick T. Grimm in September of 1997. Since May, 1996, she has lived at Otterbein Portage Valley Retirement Center. Katherine is survived by her brother, Robert (Lois) Stuckey of Upper Sandusky, Ohio and two sons, David (Debra) Grimm of Essex Junction, Vermont, and Robert (Cindy) Grimm of Zionsville, Indiana; three grandchildren, Paul, Mary, and Katherine Grimm, one niece, Sue (Mark) Stuckey Wasielewski and two nephews, Jeff (Emily) Walton and Robert (Diane) Stuckey. She graduated from Eden Township High School in 1935 and attended The Ohio State University in 1945. On October 9, 1946, she married Frederick T. Grimm, agricultural teacher at Nevada and Eden schools at Salem Evangelical Church on U.S. Route 30, east of Upper Sandusky, Ohio. In 1947 Katie and Fred moved to Upper Sandusky when Fred became the first 4-H Agent in Wyandot County. In 1948, the couple moved to Oak Harbor, Ohio when Fred became County Agricultural Extension Agent for Ottawa County. She thoroughly enjoyed her life as the wife of a Cooperative Extension Service employee during the next 50 years in Ottawa County. Katie's homemaking skills were legendary. She is a former winner of the Toledo Edison Apple Pie contest in Ottawa County, and winner of the state pie baking contest at the Ohio State Fair. Katie was noted for making many Swiss delicacies including her famous 'Bretzlies'. Her test kitchen provided many food items for Fred's weekly TV programs on Toledo Channels 11 & !3. Katie was honored as Ottawa County Woman of the Year in 1972. She was co-founder of the Ottawa County unit of Church Women United, and was an active member of the Oak Harbor United Methodist Church. She served four years on the Toledo District of the United Methodist Women's Board and as a member of the Friendly Center in Toledo. Katie was a member of the Ottawa County Historical Society, and was active in the restoration of the 'Keeper's House' in Marblehead, OH. She was also a charter member of Oak Harbor's Country Culture Club. Katie loved to drive and was proud of being a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) since 1936. After her father's death when she was 17 years old, she helped her mother on the farm to pay off the mortgage until her brother was through high school. There wasn't much she couldn't do, from driving horse drawn farm machinery to hammering nails. She loved music and learned to play piano and the family pump organ. Like her father Hans, Katie knew no 'stranger'. She was proud of her Swiss heritage and was happy to have visited her parent's homeland on two occasions. Katie loved writing letters and thrived on mail. She thoroughly enjoyed her association with The Ohio State University, and was an avid Buckeye football and basketball fan. She was most grateful for the Ohio State University Scholarship Endowment Fund established in her honor in the College of Human Ecology. It was Katie's desire to have her body donated to the University of Toledo Medical College. A celebration of her life will be held at the Oak Harbor United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 10:30 A.M. with Rev. Larry D. Snyder officiating. A luncheon will follow in the Fellowship Hall of the Church. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Oak Harbor United Methodist Church or the Katherine Stuckey Grimm Scholarship in the College of Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Contributions may be sent in care of the Crosser Funeral Home, P.O. Box 383, Oak Harbor, OH 43449-0383, with checks made payable to either the Oak Harbor United Methodist Church or to The Ohio State University. Funeral Home: Crosser Funeral Home - Oak Harbor Chapel 301 N. Locust Street Oak Harbor, OH