Audrey Espenschied

Audrey Espenschied, age 89, of New Philadelphia, died Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Union Hospital at Dover following a brief illness.A daughter of the late Earl and Averil (Jones) McIlvaine, Audrey was born on January 22, 1919 at Canton, Ohio.She attended West Elementary School at New Philadelphia and was a 1936 graduate of New Philadelphia High School.While attending a church function she met and kindled a relationship with Paul Espenschied. That relationship turned to love and on August 31, 1940, the couple was married.For over 30 years they owned and operated Espenschied Hatchery and Poultry Farm. However, Audrey was much more than the wife of a farmer. She was a loving, caring, and hard working mother of two. She loved her family with great passion but lived everyday for the Lord. She was a prayer warrior for each member of her family and even though she may have had personal struggles of her own, she never let on as she continued to uplift and strengthen those around her in the form of a letter or card.She loved to spoil her family with her homemade baked goods and was most famously know by her church family for her delicious angel food cake.Audrey was diligent when it came to housekeeping, there was a place for everything and not a season passed that her home was not decorated for the approaching holiday.Out of the home her lifestyle followed much the same suit as she would spend hours each spring planting flowers in her gardens that surrounded her New Philadelphia home. Additionally, that same work ethic pursued her in her work at church as she and Paul would spend many hours together working on various projects throughout the years.In her later years, Audrey and Paul would spend winters in Florida but that never lasted long as she could not wait to return home to her family.In addition to her husband of 67 years, Paul, Audrey is survived by her two children; a son, Bob (Janet) Espenschied; a daughter, Sue (John) Glazer both of New Philadelphia; a sister, Mrs. Iva (David) Riggle also of New Philadelphia. Her compassionate heart will be missed but not forgotten by her grandchildren; Jill (Dan) Haugh, Jeff (Stephanie) Espenschied, Bill Glazer, David (Cindy) Glazer and Holly (Jason) Schafer; great-grandchildren, Allyssa and Hunter Haugh, Tom Espenschied, and Ashley and Brian Glazer.Two sisters-in-law, RoseAnn McIlvaine and Betty Shumaker as well as numerous nieces and nephews complete the family.In addition to her parents, Audrey is preceded in death by a brother, Bob McIlvaine.The family will receive friends on Sunday, June 15, 2008, from 6:30 â?? 8:30 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia and Monday from 10 a.m. until 11a.m. in the church where Pastor Terry Downin will lead a celebration of Audrey’s life on Monday, June 16, 2008, at 11:00 AM in the Jerusalem Church with burial to follow in the Jerusalem Church Cemetery.Immediately following the services the family would like to invite guests to join them for a luncheon in the church social hall.Those unable to attend services are encouraged to send the family personal condolences by signing the online guest registry located on the funeral home’s website.Memorial contributions in Audrey’s name may be made to Jerusalem Church, 1417 Stonecreek Road SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.We will miss you Audrey, but we know that God has called you home to be one of his angels.