Mary Katherine Durbin Aken

Mary Katherine “Kate” Durbin Aken, 60, of New Philadelphia, passed away Thursday, January 2, 2013 following an automobile accident.

Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on August 19, 1953, she was the daughter of Katherine Lucille (Ponderendolph) Durbin of North Canton and the late Paul Edward Durbin who passed away July 17, 2003.

Kate was a graduate of Hoover High School and continued her formal education at Kent State University where she received her degree in education.

Her professional career began at Desberg Advertising in Beachwood. The past 17 years she taught art and was the director of the GED program at Abraxas Youth and Family Services in Shelby, Ohio.

Since 2006, Kate held hands with her soul mate and life partner, John Aken. On Mary 3, 2008 they were married before God and their family and friends in St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. Their 5 years of marriage included many dinners out, long car rides, cooking in the kitchen, restoring their home, and enjoying fine arts and music.

Kate’s smile and laugh were contagious. She knew no strangers and embraced all of those around her with grace and love.

Her faith was nurtured most recently at Sacred Heart Church where she gave of her time and talents as a Eucharistic minister and lector. As a previous member of St. Bernard, Kate also was on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RICA) team.

She will be deeply missed by her husband, John of New Philadelphia; her mother, Katherine Durbin of North Canton; her siblings, Mary Lynn Zakzek of Washington, Pennsylvania, Paula Fraga of Palm Springs, California, and Paul Edward Durbin Jr. of Malvern; her brother-in-law, Ken (Mary Ann) Aken of Knoxville, Tennessee; her sisters-in-law, Jane (Robert) Merdes of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, and Ellen Ohrstrom of Austin, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In addition to her father, Kate was preceded in death by her sister-in-law, niece and nephew, Joanne, Amanda and Jonathan Durbin; and her sisters-in-law, Deborah (Daniel) Eggleston, and Mary Leatha Aken.

Visitation will be held in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. A Christian Wake Service will begin at 6:45 p.m. Father Jeff Coning will celebrate Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church. Immediately following mass, friends and family are invited to St. Ambrose Hall, where Kate’s church family will host a luncheon.

Cremation will be cared for through Geib’s Tuscarawas Valley Crematory and inurnment will be conducted in Calvary Cemetery at New Philadelphia at a later date.

Memorial contributions in Kate’s memory may be directed to Sacred Heart Church, 139 Third St. NE, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.