Rhea Oberlin Hollar

Rhea was born to Rhea Newton and Grant Lyle Cook in Detroit, MI, July 15, 1926. She was raised in Detroit where she attended Kingswood School and graduated from Liggett School in

1943. Rhea graduated from Pine Manor College in Wellesley, MA, in 1945. She moved to New York City, lived at the Barbizon Hotel and attended Katherine Gibbs before accepting a job at Mademoiselle Magazine.

Rhea was introduced to Bud Oberlin (Ralph Edwin, Jr.) by a childhood friend of their mothers. They married in Detroit on June 14, 1947, and moved to Massillon, OH, where Bud worked with his father at Igelstroem-Oberlin. In 1962, they moved into a glass house where they raised 6 children. Bud died on April 16, 1976.

They are lovingly remembered by their children: Ellin Oberlin Schroeder and her husband Robert of Canton, OH; Eve Oberlin Bonk and her husband Kenneth of Rochester, MI; Grant Cook Oberlin and his partner Kathleen Toomey of Canton, OH; Claire Oberlin Morgan and her husband Dixon of Gates Mills, OH; Leigh Oberlin Frank of Columbus, OH; Ralph Edwin Oberlin III and his wife Ashley of Denver, CO. Rhea is further survived by her grandchildren: Claire Bonk Simpson and her husband James IV of Versailles, KY; Katherine Bonk Lewis and her husband Noah of Cobham, England; Rhea Bonk Beacom and her husband Jeff of Eagle, CO; Jonathan Oberlin Schroeder and his wife Anna of Fort Wayne, IN; Sam Oberlin Morgan of Cleveland, OH; Lyle Payne Morgan Smith and her husband Peter of Rye, NY; Wynne McIntosh Morgan of Columbus, OH; Ralph Edwin Oberlin IV of Denver, CO; Samuel Kohler Oberlin of Denver, CO. Rhea also had 5 great grandchildren: Madeline and Blakely Schroeder of Fort Wayne, IN; Miles and Sydney Lewis of Cobham, England; Elliot Beacom of Eagle, CO; Theodore and Cecelia Smith of Rye NY.

Rhea will be remembered for her lively sense of humor, her great parties and her political observations. She loved golf, cross country skiing, needlepoint, gardening, bridge, travel, good books, fine dining, cheeseburgers, collecting paintings and bike riding. She was a good cook and a great baker. Chocolate chip cookies and cakes were her specialties, and she often said, “I never met a piece of cake I didn’t like”.

Wherever Rhea lived, she volunteered at the schools, churches and hospitals. She supported medical research and political campaigns.

Rhea’s greatest joy was being with her family. Her packed dining room, filled with laughter, was heaven to her. In her final days, with all her children present, Rhea said many times, “I feel like Lou Gehrig”.

Rhea was predeceased by two half sisters, Barbara Bolton and Constance Winslow, and by her son in law, Jeffrey Frank. Her marriage to V. E. Hollar ended in divorce.

A memorial service will be held in November in Massillon, OH.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to St. George’s Anglican Church in Colorado Springs, CO (stgac.org), or St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Massillon, OH (sttimsmassillon.com).