Helen Gugel

Helen H Gugel was born August 9, 1918, in Senecaville, Ohio, the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Garnet Harahus. She was one of five children, one, Elizabeth, who died as a child and 3 others. She was preceded in death by her brothers, John and David Harahus and in 2007 by her sister, Mary Mudry. She was married in 1942 to Homer C. Gugel who died in September of 1991. She had two children, Michael, “Mick,” Gugel who died in 1982. Her daughter Diana Gugel and son-in-law Wray Bryant survive her along with her two grandsons, Douglas and Michael Gugel-Bryant. She also has a few nephews on her mother’s side and several nieces and nephews and their families on her husband’s side. Her best friend, Pat Geisler, resides in Marietta Ohio.

Helen was the valedictorian of her small Senecaville high school graduating class. From there she put herself through school graduating from Ohio University in 1940. She taught school in Salem, Ohio for several years. She married Homer and they made their home in Marietta Ohio for many years. While in Marietta Helen was very active in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. She was active in the women’s organization and served on many church committees and the altar guild. She was an artistic person and designed and created a painted tablecloth of religious symbols, and made many ornaments for their Chrismon tree. She sculpted shrubs for the church and her home and created floral pictures in the church flower bed. She was involved with the AAUW and helped decorate homes for their Christmas tours. She was an active and engaged parent and was involved in her children’s extracurricular activities, volunteering in many capacities.

She lived independently into her mid 80’s in Marietta and then moved to live with her daughter and family in Lancaster in 2002. While she was able she participated in worship and other activities at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior and attended events at Olivedale Senior Center. A very serious automobile accident limited her outside activities. She was however never too tired to attend her grandsons’ school, sports and musical activities, including high school and college graduations. While unable to attend she was aware of and proud to see Michael graduate from Capital University this May and two weeks later she celebrated Douglas’ graduation from NEOMED’s pharmacy program.

She recently celebrated her 99th birthday at the Mary B’s unit of the Bickford Assisted Living facility where she had lived for the last 15 months. She died there, Friday, September 15th attended to by the aides at Mary B’s and Hospice.

Her family want to publicly thank her primary care physician, Dr. Mark Aebi and his staff, Dr. Ralph Romaker, Dr. Robertson and Dr. Vasiri for care she received and for seeing her as a person first, rather than a patient; the folks at the Samaritan Center for giving her a place to grow old gracefully; Shirley, her home health aide for all the trips to see Suzy and get her hair done; the aides, nurses and staff of the Bickford for their patience and compassion; the Fairhope Hospice staff and aides for allowing her final weeks to be about the quality of her life. In addition, Ken Johnson and Ed Richards helped manage her assets in a way that enabled her to have options and excellent quality of care throughout her life, particularly near the end. The members of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior welcomed her and made her a part of their family and her friends from St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Marietta have continued to stay in touch and these new and old relationships as sisters and brothers in Christ were so very important to her.

Calling hours will be held at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, on Monday from 4PM until 6PM and will be immediately followed by a service celebrating her life at 6PM. She will be buried with a graveside service in the Putnam Cemetery, Devola, next to her son Michael, on Tuesday at 11:30AM. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, 1920 W Fair Ave. Lancaster, Ohio. Arrangements have been made through the FRANK E. SMITH FUNERAL HOME. Online condolences can be made at www.funeralhome.com

Service

6:00 PM ,Monday, September 18, 2017
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
1920 W Fair Ave Lancaster, OH 43130

Service

6:00 PM ,Monday, September 18, 2017
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
1920 W Fair Ave Lancaster, OH 43130

Calling Hours

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM ,Monday, September 18, 2017
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
1920 W Fair Ave Lancaster, OH 43130

Graveside Service

11:30 AM ,Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Putnam Cemetery
823 Masonic Park Rd Marietta, OH, Washington 45750