Lovina Mae Parmenter

Lovina Mae Parmenter, 90, of Burbank, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 in the comfort of her home following a period of declining health.

Lovina was born in Lodi on Sept. 15, 1926 to the late William Arthur and Anna Mae (Barnard) Parmenter and was proud of her early pioneer descendants including the Dotey, Parmenter, Brinkerhoff, Stratton, Hoegner, Stratton and Ewing families. Joseph Ewing was the first ancestor to settle in Canaan Township in 1812 and the Joseph Stratton home where Lovina resided had been in her family since 1817. Lovina graduated from Wooster High School in 1943 and attended Muskingum College and received her Bachelor’s Degree from Western Reserve in 1947. In 1949 she received her Master’s Degree from Catholic Universities of America. Throughout her life she continued her education and had served as an associate professor and chairman of the Speech and Drama Department at Notre Dame College in Cleveland for 16 years. Later she taught speech and drama at Akron University as well as Special Education at North Central Local Schools. Lovina was a member of Cwens, a National Women’s Honor Society and is remembered for having taught creative drama all her adult life in Cleveland and in the Wayne County area.

She was a member of the Canaan Lutheran Church, the Wayne County Historical Society, Daughters of the American Revolution and First Families of Ohio. Lovina loved nature and animals, the fine arts, her pioneer farm home and her greatest accomplishment of raising three foster children.

Surviving are her children, Karen (Dennis) Keplar of Wooster, Sherry (Larry) James of Ashland and James Kessler of Burbank; grandsons, Corey (Jessica) Keplar, Eric (Brittany) Keplar and Josh (Joanna) Keplar; great-grandchildren, Chase, Jenna, Collin, Avery and Anistyn and nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, John Parmenter, Kleo Martin, Travis Martin and Harold Martin and a sister, Harriett Ashman.

Services will be Thursday, Sept. 29th at 11:00 a.m. at Canaan Lutheran Church with Pastor Paul Thoms officiating. Burial will be beside her father in the Canaan Center Cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. at Murray Funeral Home in Creston. Tributes may be shared at www.Murray-Funeral-Home.com Memorials may be made to Wayne County Historical Society, 546 E. Bowman St., Wooster, OH 44691 or to LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Rd., Wooster, OH 44691. The family extends their deepest appreciation to the staff of LifeCare Hospice and Balance Home Health for the wonder care give to Lovina.