Mary Ellen Ceccoli-Sams

Mary Ellen (Milliser) Ceccoli-Sams November 14, 1923 August 30, 2017 Mary Ellen "Honey" Ceccoli-Sams passed away peacefully in her home with her son and his wife by her side. She was a lifelong resident of Port Clinton. She was the eldest child of Dwight and Kathryn (French) Milliser. She was a graduate of Port Clinton High School Class of 1941. She was a charter member of Mother's Roundtable that was established in 1948. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She worked as a secretary for many years as the Registrar of the Ottawa County Draft Board during the Vietnam War, The Tadsen Agency, The American Red Cross and finally during her later years was a secretary for Ida Rupp Library. A job she truly loved. She was nicknamed "Honey" by her oldest brother when he was just a toddler because he couldn't say Mary Ellen. It stuck with her throughout her life. She married Louis "Geno" Ceccoli on Jan. 29, 1944. They were married for 34 years and she cared for him during his long struggle with Alzheimer's. He passed on October 24, 1978. She then married Gilbert Sams, Sr. on March 6, 1988 and they enjoyed 14 years together. She cared for him during his battle with cancer. He passed in Dec. 1, 2002. She was a caregiver and loving wife to both of them. She was a remarkable cookie baker and over the years many neighbors, friends, family and schoolteachers enjoyed her beautiful "hand painted" cookies. She was a collector of many things including anything that had to do with gingerbread and also had a collection of thousands of cookie cutters. For baby showers she would make cookies in the shape of baby feet and rattles. For graduations she had the cap with the tassel and decorated it according to school colors. She had every patriotic cookie cutter ever made and for 4th of July she painted flag cookies with stars and stripes. She was a very talented woman with her cookies. She made Italian recipes for her family. In her younger years she enjoyed dressing up for Halloween and sitting on her front porch with "spooky music" playing and passing out treats to the little ones. She was so proud of her grandchildren and their accomplishments and was a wonderful grandmother. She loved all her nieces and nephews and many of them were catered to after school by trips to Arby's and ice cream treats in her freezer. Surviving include her son: Butch (Chris) Ceccoli, granddaughters: Amy (Mike Pope) Ceccoli, Lisa (D. J. Nash) Ceccoli and Gina (Mike Grace) Ceccoli; grandsons Jeff Ceccoli, Bill Ceccoli and Jason (Darcy) Ceccoli, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, daughter-in-law Dori Ceccoli, sister Marge Busby, sister-in-law Penny Milliser, step-sons Gil (Joyce) Sams, Gary (Diane) Sams, step-daughters Martha Butler and Kathy (John) Marks, seven step-grandchildren, eleven step-great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, son Tom Ceccoli and brothers Bill and Bob Milliser. Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 am Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at Neidecker, LeVeck & Crosser Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 1124 Fulton St. Port Clinton, OH where visitation will be held Tuesday from 9:00 am until the time of the service. Interment will be in Riverview Cemetery, Port Clinton, OH. Pastor Bruce Batchelor-Glader will be officiating. The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers from Stein Hospice and our girls Lisa, Amanda, Susie and Patty who were so kind, loving and part of our family during her illness. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to Stein Hospice, 1200 Sycamore Line, Sandusky, OH 44870, Trinity United Methodist Church, 135 Adams St. Port Clinton, OH 43452 or the donor's choice. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.neideckerleveckcrosser.com .