Eileen Mihalick

Eileen S. Mihalick, age 96, passed away Monday, May 20, 2013, in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. Born to Earl and Blanche (Deviney) McQuillen in Ashland County on August 29, 1916, she was the oldest of twelve children.

She attended Mansfield schools, graduating in 1934. After graduation, she worked as a secretary for a group of lawyers. Later, as a parent, she was very active in the PTA and Senior High Band Boosters, serving in many offices in each organization.

She was an active member of St. John's United Church of Christ, where she was a member of the Katherine Aberle Guild and played in the church golf league. She and her husband, Mike Mihalick, were avid sports fans, especially of the OSU Buckeyes and Cleveland Indians; so she was greatly pleased by the Indians' May 2013 record. She enjoyed needlework and sewing, creating several quilts, embroidering pillow cases and sewing clothes for her children. She was a familiar figure to many Mansfielders at election time in November when she would go door to door campaigning for her husband Mike who served on the City Council for many years and also was Clerk of the Mansfield Municipal Court. He never lost an election.

She was an avid reader, often finishing two books a week. For years, she would drive her husband to work and then drive to her parents' home to help. She loved her family. At Christmas time there would be ten grandchildren in sleeping bags on her living room floor. Another activity that thrilled her grandchildren was the Easter Egg hunts she and Mike had for them in the woods behind their Dream Drive home. The prize find was the Golden Egg, which was actually found by each of the kids once over the years.

She is survived by her son, Michael (Zona) Mihalick; daughters, Patricia Yoder and Deanna Bontempo; two sisters, Kay Scodova and Billie Urie; two brothers, Edward and Harold McQuillen; a daughter-in-law, Carolyn Mihalick; and a grandson-in-law, Dan Shuchat. Also surviving are nine grandchildren, Jennifer Mihalick (Jon Gutow), Lisa (Dan) Beale, John (Joan Zielinski) Yoder, Dan Yoder, Rev. Sara (James) Hodsden, Charles (Vicki) Bontempo, Michelle (Mike) Verdisco, Brian (Kerry Summerville) Mihalick and Justin Mihalick; twelve great-grandchildren, Tyler Shuchat, Garrett Yoder, Thomas Hodsden, Geordan and Colin Gutow, Katherine, Austin and Michael Beale, Samantha and Steven Verdisco and Joseph and Giancarlo Bontempo; and three step great-grandchildren, Anthony Aldridge, Anthony Zielinski and Nolan Wilde. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mike Mihalick; son, Dr. Ronald Mihalick; granddaughter, Lora Bontempo Shuchat; and her sons-in-law, Calvin Yoder and Charles Bontempo.

A funeral service will be held Monday, June 10, 2013, in the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Road, Mansfield. Her grandchildren, Revs. Sara and James Hodsden will conduct the service. Friends and family may visit beginning at 12:00 p.m. Burial in Mansfield Cemetery will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.