Madaline Oettinger

Madaline Oettinger, age 95, of New Philadelphia, died peacefully early Saturday morning, November 24, 2007, in her residence with her family at her side. Born August 18, 1912, at Charleston, West Virginia, she was a daughter of the late Fred and Bertha Wills Tittle. While her mother was pregnant the Titanic sank April 14, 1912, and upon reading an account of the tragedy, Bertha decided to name her future daughter Madaline after the wife of John Jacob Astor, who perished in the disaster, after refusing a lifeboat and insisting that she not leave her husband’s side. Madaline was the eldest of twelve siblings in her family, and was often relied upon to look after her younger brothers and sisters. In 1929, while picking blackberries, Madaline made a choice to give her heart to the Lord. From that day more than seventy-sight years ago, Jesus was her most precious friend. As a young lady, Madaline attended a church revival, and caught the attention of the preacher, William Oettinger of Buffalo, New York, who was five years her senior. The pair dated and ultimately wed June 30, 1936. While Mr. Oettinger made a living as a minister and later as an educator, Madaline made the living worth while at home, and filled the role of wife, mother, supporter, wage earner, nurse Â? and whatever else was needed. She even served four years has postmistress of the Putney, West Virginia post office. For most of her life Madaline resided in or around the Charleston, West Virginia area until 1975, when the Oettinger’s relocated to New Philadelphia. Although retired the entire time the couple resided here, they were familiar faces in the community, and were member of Emmanuel Church at New Philadelphia. Mr. & Mrs. Oettinger observed their sixty-seventh wedding anniversary together prior to his death June 17, 2004. Mrs. Oettinger’s family includes daughters Dorcas and husband Kenneth Brown of New Philadelphia and Eunice and husband Ralph Gault of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two sons, Daniel and wife Donna Oettinger of St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Canada, and David and wife Grace Oettinger of New Philadelphia; a brother, Leroy Tittle of Darlington, Maryland, sisters Ruth Batts, of Ocean View, Delaware, Jessie Smith of Plameadow, Florida, Glenna Green of Dagsboro, Delaware, and Jean Walsh of Falls River, Massachusetts.She’ll be sadly missed by nine grandchildren, Wesley (wife Sara) Gault of Pueblo, Colorado, Glenn (wife Stephanie) Gault of Lesotho, Africa, Joy Gault of Divide, Colorado, Donald (wife Ginny) Oettinger, of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Douglas (wife Sylvia) Oettinger, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, April (husband Bill) Janzen of St. Catherine, Ontario, Canada, Sharon (husband Paul) Knight of New Philadelphia, Paul (wife Jennifer) Oettinger, of Salem, Ohio, and Philip (wife Regina) Oettinger, of Lockland, Ohio. Eleven great-grandchildren, Heidi and Andrew Gault, Kaitlyn Gault, Mallory and Taylor Oettinger, Ryan and Brehnan Knight, Shanna and Shannele Oettinger, Devon and Laila Oettinger. A special nephew, Melvin Hyler, of Dover, completes the local family. In addition to her parents and husband, Madaline was preceded in death by sisters Mary Matthews, Alice Hyler, and Velma Spradling, and three brothers, Paul Tittle, Meredith Tittle and an infant brother, Elmer. Friends are invited to call Monday, November 26, from 2-4 and from 6-8 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia where Pastor Alan Crawford and Chaplain Rick Brinsley will lead funeral services Tuesday morning at 10:30 in the funeral home’s chapel. Interment will follow alongside her husband in Evergreen Burial Park. Following the committal service, a reception for family and friends will be held in the Geib Family Center, adjacent to the funeral home. In gratitude for their exemplary care of both Mrs. Oettinger, and three years ago when Mr. Oettinger was ill, the family encourages memorial contributions to Hospice of Tuscarawas County, 201 West Third Street, Dover, OH 44622. Linn-Hert-Geib(330) 343-5505www.geibfuneral.com