This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Contribution Surnames: Stoeckle, Downing, Goetz, Detzel Classification: lookup Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.downing/2247/mb.ashx Message Board Post: COLUMBUS: Thelma Dagger, 96, of Columbus, Ohio, died peacefully of natural causes on September 30, 2014, in her home at Friendship Village of Columbus. She was born on June 3, 1918, at St. Ann's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Carl and Carrie (Stoeckle) Downing, and spent her youth in East Cleveland, Ohio. A 1936 graduate of Shaw High School and 1937 graduate of Dyke Business School, Thelma attended the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH, where she met her future husband, William C. Dagger, and earned a B.S. degree in Social Work in 1941. She received her M.A. in Adult Education at Ohio State in 1972. (She also attended law school for a year, but always said Bill told her to quit because she was getting better grades than he did.) On December 21, 1941, Thelma and Bill were married at the Tenth Avenue Baptist Church in Columbus, and, with the exception of Bill's service in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II, they were almost inseparable during their nearly 47 years of marriage. They moved to Lancaster, Ohio in 1946, where they raised their four children and Bill started a law practice that grew into what is today Dagger Johnston Miller Ogilvie & Hampson, a leading Lancaster law firm. In January of 1986, while vacationing in Hawaii, Bill was rendered a quadriplegic in a swimming accident. Thelma courageously cared for Bill until his death on October 24, 1988. Thelma was always active - whether in the working world, in community affairs or for personal growth . She worked her way through college as a part-time secretary, and then in the Dean of Women's office while Bill finished law school at Ohio State, and in the Registration Department at Case Western Reserve University while Bill was overseas during the war. When her children were grown, Thelma became the first Law Office Administrator for the Dagger Johnston law firm, helping to implement the use of computers and processes that would set the stage for the firm's future growth. Thelma organized FISH, an organization doing neighborly acts of kindness, with the help of five Lancaster churches and 250 volunteers. At the request of Sister Lucille Stewart, she was also one of the organizers of the Fairfield County, Ohio Meals-On-Wheels program, helping to serve hot meals to older adults in the county. She organized and trained volunteers for a program for children in the Lancaster City Schools to take nature hikes at Alley Park, and became a story teller for the Youth Gardens and Pioneer Spirit. She was one of the initial founders of the Lancaster Festival and Farm Festival Day. She also taught courses in Parent Effectiveness Training for many years. In recognition of her service to the community, Thelma was awarded the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award as well as the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Rotary Club. Thelma's interests included ballroom dancing, creative writing, hiking, enjoying her children and grandchildren, volunteering at Friendship Village and enjoying her many good friends inside and outside of Friendship Village. Thelma was a proud mother and grandmother and is survived by her daughter, Gail Coates and her husband Ramsey of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and their daughters, Jennifer (Josh Das) and Emily; son, William C. Dagger, Jr.and his wife Barbara of Woodstock, Vermont, and their daughters, Alison and Jaclyn; son John C. Dagger and his companion Marcella Santos of Wheaton, Illinois, and John's sons, Jacob (Kelly), Peter and Will; and son, Thomas G. Dagger and his wife Lee Adella of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, and their sons, Carl, Glen and John. She is also survived by her devoted companion, Carlos Clayton, who stayed tenderly by her side in sickness and health for over 15 years; her kindred-spirit sister-in-law, Mary Norman (Dagger) Miller of Oberlin, Ohio; and many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by daughter-in-law, Ellen Weissbrodt Dagger, in 2008; and a child, Amy, who died in infancy. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., November 1, at Friendship Village of Columbus, Ohio, 5800 Forest Hills Blvd, Columbus, Ohio. Contributions in Thelma's memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030, or Macular Degeneration Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871. Online guestbook at www.cookandsonpallay.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Downing, Carrie S. Date: Oct 20 1962 Source: Plain Dealer; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #105. Notes: Downing. Carrie S. Downing, beloved wife of Carl H., mother of Thelma D. Dagger of Lancaster, Ohio, grandmother of four, sister of Gertrude Goetz, died Oct. 17, residence, 13510 Gainsboro Ave., East Cleveland, Ohio. The family will receive friends at The Edwards Funeral Home, 13145 Euclid Ave., where services will be held Saturday, Oct. 20, at 1:30 p.m. Name: Downing, Minnie Date: May 3 1943 Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #021. Notes: Downing: Minnie, age 79, residence 419 E. 124; wife of the late Ira S., beloved mother of Carl, Eva Detzel, grandmother of Robert Detzel and Thelma Dagger. Friends may call at the S. H. Johnston Funeral Home, 15314 MacAuley ave. at corner E. 152 and Lake Shore blvd., where services will be held Tuesday, at 2 p.m. Name: Detzel, Iva J. Date: Jul 2 1949 Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #020. Notes: Detzel, Iva J., 419 E. 124th: beloved wife of Robert Lynn; mother of Robert Lynn, Jr.; grandmother of Richard Lynn and David Robert; sister of Carl D. Downing. Friends may call at the S. H. Johnston Funeral Home. 15314 Macauley Ave., corner of E. 152d and Lake Shore Blvd., where services will be held Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Cuyahoga County Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board. <br>