Rosemary E. Merckens

Rosemary E. (Heminger) Merckens, 75, died Monday, October 30, 2006 at Edgewood Manor Care Facility, Port Clinton, following a brief illness. Born in Oak Harbor on September 30, 1931 she was the third of seven children born to the late Oscar and Irene (Bovia) Heminger. On October 21, 1950 she married R. Neil Merckens and he survives. Rosemary graduated from Lakeside High School in 1949 and it was there she began a journalism career that spanned 50 years. As a student she contributed school news for the local weekly paper, The Peninsular News. In 1961 she became a regular contributor to that same paper writing a column of local interest items. In 1968 she and her husband, Neil, became owners of Peninsular Printing, publisher of the Peninsular News. She served as Editor until they sold the paper to the Bellevue Gazette in 1986, but continued as the 'Locals' columnist until her death. She loved a cause and together, Rosemary and Neil championed many. During their years of involvement in the PTA they were instrumental in working to have a public address system installed in all of the classrooms of the local school. When the federal government planned to demolish the keeper's residence at the Marblehead Lighthouse during the 1960s they worked relentlessly to see that it was saved. Years later, when the state took ownership of the lighthouse property they became founding members of the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society. Each of them served a term as president of the Society which was formed to establish a museum in the house they helped to save. Rosemary worked with local resident Casey Taylor to have a 'Lakeside Daisy' preserve established in the Marblehead quarry. She was also a founding trustee of the Danbury Peninsula Kidney Trust Fund and continued to serve on its Board, disbursing funds to assist with those costs connected to kidney treatments that are not paid by other means. In addition to membership in civic organizations, Rosemary was also active in politics. She served two terms on the Ottawa County Board of Education; was an election worker for over 40 years and was a member of the Republican Central Committee. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Marblehead where she was active with the Women of the ELCA and associate member of Faith Lutheran Church in Lehigh Acres, Florida where she was a volunteer and served as Master of Ceremonies at the groundbreaking for their Tower of Faith bell tower. Rosemary was recognized for her accomplishments in 1975 when she was honored in the 9th edition of 'Who's Who of American Women' and again in the 1990s when she was named Grand Marshal of the Marblehead Old Fashion Days parade. In addition to her husband of 56 years, she is survived by her children, Rhonda Botti, Rita (Jim) Mahler, Russ (Linda) Merckens all of Marblehead and Ruthe (Mark) Toncar, Cortland, Ohio; grandchildren Jonathan (Heather) Merckens, Dana (Greg Strimpfel) Mahler, Jim (Jessica) Mahler, Carrie Botti, Kate Botti, Mike (Cassandra) Botti, Anne Merckens, Frank Toncar and Mark Toncar; great-grandchildren Edward Strimpfel, Haley Strimpfel, Alayna Mahler and Zachary James Mahler; sisters Shirley Hartley of Norwalk, Dolores Gaydosh of Marblehead, Phyllis Spencer of Williamsburg, Va.; and brother John Heminger of Genoa. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Dorothy Francis, brother Bob Heminger, and granddaughter Helen Marie Merckens. There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, November 12, 2006 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 541 S. Church Rd., Danbury Township, with the Rev. Henry Seibert officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Danbury Peninsula Kidney Trust Fund, c/o The Marblehead Bank, 709 W. Main Street, Marblehead, OH 43440. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Peninsula Chapel of the Neidecker, LeVeck & Crosser Funeral Home, Lakeside-Marblehead, OH. Funeral Home: Neidecker-LeVeck & Crosser Funeral Home - Peninsula Chapel 7755 East Harbor Road Lakeside-Marblehead, OH