Margaret Marie Hadinger Wilhelm

Margaret Marie (Hadinger) Wilhelm, 90, died on March 30, 2010 at her home in Randolph, Ohio. She was born in Green, Ohio on November 12, 1919 to Elizabeth (Just) and Nicholas Hadinger, immigrants from Austria-Hungary. The family eventually moved to a farm in Atwater where Margaret attended Atwater High School, where she graduated valedictorian in 1937. She was known to her family as Marg, but to some of her schoolmates as Dutchie, because the family spoke German at home.

In school, she met Jasper Wilhelm, the love of her life, and her husband of 71 years, settling in Atwater. When Jasper was drafted into the Navy in the Pacific during WWII Marg held down the fort at home with the first two of their four children. During these lean years she developed a lifelong interest in sewing clothes for herself and her children, and later made the dress in which she will be buried.

Margaret was a housewife most of her life, but also worked at the Buki Inn in Atwater, the Ravenna Arsenal and at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna. She was a member of the Pythian Sisters and served as a 4-H club advisor for a number of years.

She was extremely proud that she and Jasper built two homes for their family, doing most of the work themselves. Marg enjoyed telling that she did all the wiring in their last home.

In their later years she and Jasper had a pick-your-own strawberry business for 17 years that was enjoyed by many in the area. Margaret worked hard to make it a successful venture. After retirement, she and Jasper enjoyed two trips to Europe.

Margaret and Jasper were longstanding members of the Atwater Congregational Church where she served as Secretary of the Trustees. She was also President of the Women's Fellowship where she put her sewing skills to work helping to make comforters. She and Jasper were actively involved in bringing about the restoration of the church which was completed in 1841 in the Gothic and Greek Revival styles.

She is survived by her husband Jasper, of Randolph, and sons James Wilhelm of New York City, Roger (Betty) Wilhelm, Terry (Kathy) Wilhelm, and daughter Barbara Marchand, all of Randolph, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by her brothers Paul, John and Nicholas Hadinger, and her sisters Elizabeth Drop, Rose Bates and Christina Ross.

Friends will be received Friday, April 2, 2010, from 4-7 PM at Wood Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna. Funeral services will be held at the Atwater Congregational Church, 1237 State Route 183, Atwater, on Saturday at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Marlboro Cemetery.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com. The family wishes to express their appreciation to Ruth Davis, Kathy Wilhelm and Margaret’s many other loving and attentive caregivers. Memorials may be made to the Randolph Firefighters Association, P.O. Box 190, Randolph, OH 44265.

(Wood-Kortright-Borkoski 330-296-6436)