Gretchen Leota Plum Featheringham

FEATHERINGHAM Gretchen Leota Plum Featheringham. The blessed life of Gretchen Leota Plum Featheringham, 96, came to a close on September 10, 2012 at the home of her daughter, Nancy. Gretchen, daughter of W.H. and Clara Plum, lived a full life beginning on December 6, 1915 in her beloved home on Main Street in Ashville, Ohio. She attended Ashville Elementary and graduated from Ashville Harrison High School in 1933. As an alumnus of AHHS, she has led the alumni group, including this past June, in singing the AHHS alma mater and God Bless America at their annual class reunion. Gretchen grew up in Ashville only leaving for her college education at Ohio University in Athens where she joined Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and graduated in 1937 with a degree in music education. Her first teaching job was in Bergholz, Ohio where she met her love of 58 years, Rolland Featheringham. They married and returned to Ashville to set up housekeeping. Gretchen had many businesses and volunteer activities in and around her hometown of Ashville. She owned Featheringham's Furniture and Gift Shop on Main Street, closing it in 1985. She and Rolland also owned an auction house in South Bloomfield, Ohio where she did the bookkeeping and various other odd tasks. She was a life member of the First English Lutheran Church in Ashville, and founded and was the first president of the Ashville Women's Civic Association, and was a member of the Ashville Area Heritage Society. She belonged to the fundraising group known as the Hillbilly Clan #8 where she rode in many Ashville 4th of July parades in their hilariously decorated jalopies. Gretchen was a proud volunteer at Berger Hospital in Circleville and she and Rolland dined and danced together as members of the Swiss Club in Columbus, Ohio. She loved attending OSU parties with friends and fish fries at the Harrison Twp Fire Dept. She is preceded in death by her loving husband Rolland, her parents, sisters Eliza Plum and Helen Plum Cromley, brother William Plum, and Molly and Weedie her beloved pets. She is survived by son, Robert (Pat) Featheringham of South Bloomfield, OH; daughter, Nancy Featheringham of Grove City; grandchildren, Todd Robert Featheringham, Bremen, OH and Beth Ann Featheringham Terry of California; great-grandson, Alex; nephew, Bill Plum, Circleville; her beloved pets and many dear caregivers and special friends. The family wishes to thank Mt. Carmel Hospice for the gracious kindness and care given to their mother. Friends may call Wednesday, September 12, 2012 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the OLIVER-CHEEK FUNERAL HOME, 420 West Main St., Ashville, OH. Service will be Thursday, September 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the First English Lutheran Church, 94 Long St., Ashville, OH with Pastor Marie Duquette and Pastor Thomas Phillips officiating. Burial will follow at Reber Hill Cemetery. In Gretchen's spirit of giving back to her community, her family wishes for contributions be given to the First English Luther Church, 94 Long St., Ashville, Ohio 43103, Ashville Area Heritage Society, 34 Long St., Ashville, Ohio 43103, or Mt. Carmel Hospice, c/o Mt. Carmel Foundation, 793 West State St., Columbus, OH 43222-9988.