JoAnn Dovenbarger, 74, of Crestline, passed away Friday, June 21, 2013 at her home. Born July 9, 1938 in Mansfield, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Edna (Elarton) Gehrisch. A lifelong Mansfield-Crestline area resident, she graduated from Crestline High School in 1956.
She married Carl Dovenbarger, whom she met while she was a ward clerk at Mansfield General Hospital and he was working for Wappner Funeral Directors and they recently celebrated 51 years of marriage.
JoAnn put her career on hold and devoted her life to raising her children and grandchildren, seeing them through to starting school before she went back to work to find a way to fill her days with smiles and laughs she missed without having her grandchildren every day. She went to work at Geyers Supermarket for 10 years, passing on smiles to the customers every day before retiring in 2009.
JoAnn was anxiously awaiting the birth of her first great-granddaughter. She was an avid supporter and cheerleader of the Leesville Indians Little League team and the Cleveland Indians. An animal lover and voracious reader, she could often be found reading mystery novels.
She is survived by her husband, Carl Dovenbarger; three daughters, Kathy DeGray of Columbus, Teri (Bob) Bauer of Galion and Jodi Booher of Columbus; two sons, Carl Dovenbarger III of San Diego, CA and Mike (Lisa) Dovenbarger of Galion; grandchildren, Jordan (Alex) Bauer of Shelby, Joshua Bauer of CO, Bethany and Josiah Bauer of Galion; Justin Booher of Columbus, Jacob Booher of Mount Vernon, Ashley (Rob) Huff of Blacklick and Michael Dovenbarger, Jr. of Galion; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jackie Gehrisch of Mansfield, Joel Dovenbarger of NC, Gene Dovenbarger of UT, Joyce Taylor of Shelby; and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Jerry Gehrisch.
The family will received friends from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Road. Additional visitation will be held Thursday beginning at 12:00 p.m. in the funeral home followed by the service at 1:00 p.m. with Minister Steve McElhatten officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline. Memorial contributions may be made to the family or the American Red Cross.
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