Doris M. Goldsberry

Doris Mae Friend Goldsberry, born December 29, 1925 to Stanley Edwin and Blanche Belle (Friesner) Friend, Doris Mae Friend grew up on a small farm near Pleasantille, Ohio.

She met Carl Goldsberry at a square dance at Fairfield Beach. A new graduate of Lancaster High School, one of Carl’s friends had told him about a dark-haired beauty from Pleasantville and he went to the dance to meet her. He liked what he saw, and asked her out that evening. She was 14. Carl quickly “laid claim and eliminated the competition,” as he always told us. They were married less than two years later on Valentine’s Day, 1942, just before Carl, an Army inductee, left for training.

She joined him in California and went with him to Wyoming before coming back home to her parents’ farm to wait for the end of the war. Their first child, Kathy was born while he was overseas.

When he returned, they bought a home in Lancaster, but a few years later bought a small farm outside of town. Carol and Bruce were born there, and Doris stayed home to raise their family. She worked hard growing and canning fruits and vegetables, perfecting her famous pie recipes, and supporting her husband’s career and her children’s many activities.

Doris was the mother and later the grandmother that Hallmark cards are written for—patient, loving, taking care of everyone, the heart and glue of her family. Tirelessly positive and usually cheerful, she took care of her parents, children, and grandchildren and forged warm and special relationships with each of us.

She always looked forward, always was excited about the future, and got up each morning determined to meet the challenges of her illness, which limited her activities in her final months. Her children and grandchildren visited often, and no matter the time of day or night, she would be awaiting our arrival. When we walked in, she would smile and say, “Oh, there you are. I’ve been waiting. I’m so glad you’re finally here!”

We live in the hope that we will hear those words again when our own time on earth comes to an end.

Preceded in death by her husband Carl Goldsberry, brothers Ernest and Armand Friend, their wives Mid and Erleen Friend, and great-grandson Conner Linn, Doris is survived by children Kathy Kreager, Carolyn Linn and husband Dennis, Bruce Goldsberry and wife Marla; grandchildren Matt Davis and wife Jennifer, Michael Linn and wife Sharla, Marc Linn, Christina Pfaehler, Eric Linn, David Goldsberry and wife Brittany, Jeffrey Goldsberry, Nicholas Linn, and Carrie Brown and husband Jason; and great-grandchildren Alexis, Austin, and Ayden Pfaehler; Caleb, Jackson, and Emerson Goldsberry; and Ethan, Noah, Claire, Cordelia, Adrianna, Harrison, and Landon Linn.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 am June 3 at the Halteman-Fett & Dyer Funeral Home, 436 N. Broad St., Lancaster, Ohio 43130. Friends may call at the funeral home 2-4 and 6-8 pm, Sunday, June 2. Following the service, interment will be at Tschopp Cemetery.

The family invites friends and family to consider donations to Central Ohio Hospice, where Doris and her family received such kind and excellent care during her final days, or American Red Cross.

On-line condolences may be made at www.haltemanfettdyer.com