05 March 2017

Notes - Obit - Aunt Patsy



       Afternoon. You and Carol both rested and/or read during the morning; you had a leisurely warm bath with bubbles while she worked on throwing things out in the basement. You found Aunt Patsy's obituary in today's Columbus Dispatch and are ready to post. - Amorella

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Patricia Ann Orndorff Ernsberger

Obituary

Patricia Ann Orndorff Ernsberger was born to the late Clell Tuller and Wilhelmina Bookman Orndorff on April 25, 1921 in Westerville, OH and died on February 25, 2017. She was preceded in death by Warren Ernsberger her husband of 71 years and 10 months, brother Richard (Mary) Bookman Orndorff. Survived by daughter, Wendy (James) Williams; grandchildren, Christopher (Jenny) Williams and Ashley (John) Chaney; great grandsons, Wyatt and Wesley Williams; beloved nephews and nieces, Richard (Carol) Orndorff, Cathy (Tod) Stoessner, and Gretchen (Jerry) Donahue, Jani (John) Moore, (Dee) Ernsberger, wife of the late Ernest Ernsberger; great and great-great nieces and nephews. Patsy, as she was known, graduated from Westerville High School in 1939 and attended Otterbein College class of 1943 and was a member of Theta Nu Sorority. In her adult years she enjoyed taking many additional classes at nearby Otterbein University. With her husband they also enjoyed housing many Otterbein students for a number of years. Over her lifetime she and her husband partnered in ownership and running of the businesses, Ernsberger Flower and Seed store, Ernsberger Builder, Inc., and Williams Grill. She was a lifelong member of the Church of the Messiah U.M. where among other activities she served as church historian for 25 years and wrote the church history and was a founding member of the Teammates Class. As a historian and writer she was sometimes called Mrs. Westerville. She was the author of a narrative history of Westerville, A Bicentennial Journal. She was always very interested and participated in community activities. She was a member of the Westerville Historical Society, the Six Rivers Chapter of the Ohio Archeology, the Old Westerville Civic Society, and Amity Club. She was an early member of Twig 55, the Otterbein's Women's Club, charter member of the Westerville Symphony Guild and more. She took great pleasure in the arts and beauty of nature and learning. During her final months she was able to be at home with the help of many people. Thank you to all and Heartland Hospice of Columbus. Funeral arrangements by HILL FUNERAL HOME, 220 S. State Street, Westerville. Calling hours are on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 6-8 p.m. at Hill Funeral Home. Memorial Service will be at the Church of the Messiah U.M., 51 N. State Street, Westerville, on Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 2 p.m. If you wish, remembrances may be made to the Ernsberger-Orndorff Scholarship Fund at Otterbein University, 1 S. Grove St., Westerville 43081 or Citizens for Humane Action Animal Shelter, 3765 Corporate Drive, Columbus, OH, 43231.

- See more at:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dispatch/obituary.aspx?n

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       1402 hours. The above doesn't really do her justice as far as the Westerville Historical Society information is concerned, but then this obituary is written by Aunt Patsy and shows a bit of her austere/humble side. She wrote stories and poetry along the way and was quite gifted in that she designed and built the houses for Ernsburger Builder. She and Ernie constructed two sides streets in old Westerville and then designed and built the houses on them. They are architecturally interesting and solar heat oriented homes both inside and out. Her stories about old Westerville more than a century ago were fascinating and quite wittily delivered. Not much got by her lifetime of observations of local people and their settings. I knew a lot of those people in my early lifetime -- a part of the quiet peaceful village now asleep at Otterbein and surrounding cemeteries. May she rest in peace beside Uncle Ernie and her now long resting friends. - rho

       Post. - Amorella


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