Ruth Stricker

Ruth L. Sparks Stricker, 101, died Thursday, January 10, 2008 at MedCentral Mansfield Hospital. She was born January 7, 1907 in Kingsville, to Elmer and Elizabeth Timlin Sparks, one of 13 children. On December 26, 1930, she married Jesse Lloyd Stricker, who is deceased. She was a member of the Central United Methodist Church. At the age of 17, she began teaching in the Cherry Valley, Ohio, Spafford One-Room Schoolhouse. The school house built in 1838 recently has been renovated and moved to a pioneer village in Jefferson, where it was dedicated in Mrs. Stricker's honor last year. Later she taught first grade at Woodville Elementary for 31 years. She taught there from the day the school opened until it closed in the 1970's. While teaching she earned her bachelor's degree from Ashland University at the age of 63. She was a member of the Ohio and Richland County Retired Teachers Associations. Mrs. Stricker hosted a radio program in Mansfield during the 1940's. She wrote several songs, of which "Keep a Silver Lining Shining" and "There's a Little Bit of Ireland Over Here," were published. Her patriotic song was written in 1942 to encourage Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It was first sung by Margaret Lemley, and on the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor was sung at The Renaissance Theater by her great-granddaughters, Charity, Chelsea, and Celeste Laser. Her Irish song was most recently performed at the McGreevy Clan Reunion in 2004 at County Cavan, Ireland. After retirement she painted, wrote poems and traveled, maintaining homes in Mansfield, Walton Lake in Crestline and Mt. Dora, Florida. Throughout her life she truly has "kept a silver lining shining" in all she did, portraying an incredible love for children and a joy in the midst of difficulty. In 2006 she was voted the Senior Queen of Richland County.

Mrs. Stricker had three children, Hayes Stricker of Plantation, Florida, Sandra Whitaker of Mansfield and Douglas Stricker, who is deceased. She is survived by 13 grandchildren, Yolanda Bolar, Mary Balliett, Jerry Stephenson, Curtis Rush, Hazel Longmuir, Susan Cline, Pamela Wurth, Terri Dodge, Kimberly Wilson, Juli Parsons, Doug Stricker, Jr., Brian Whitaker, and Bryce Whitaker; and 22 great-grandchildren, Trey and Tyler Bolar, Danny and Nicky Rush, Kevin, Katherine, Aaron and Harrison Longmuir, Collin and Courtney Cline, Gideon and Ethan Moyer, Paul Michael Coffelt, Heather Ready, Holly and Hailey Stricker, Tabbatha Heasley, and Jessica Whitaker, Charity, Chelsea and Celeste Laser, and Caleb Parsons. She is also survived by nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Friends may call at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors Sunday, January 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home conducted by Pastor Jerry King. Burial will follow in Bellville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Ashland University marked Ruth Stricker Memorial Fund as scholarships for three of her great-grandchildren becoming teachers or to Jefferson Depot to further the restoration of the Spafford one room schoolhouse.