Catherine A. Early

Catherine Arline (Rusmisel) Early was welcomed into the loving arms of Jesus October 17, 2025.
Catherine was born 105 years ago May 12, 1920 in Mt. Solon, Virginia to Claude Ami and Mary Edith (Miller) Rusmisel. She married L. Everett Early Nov. 27, 1938. They were married 63 years when he died October 12, 2002.
Catherine is survived by her children Janeth Ring, Cindy (Charlie) Jankovsky and Randy Early. She was a loving grandmother to Dr. Brent Warren, Bradley Warren, Cory Ring, Stephen Ring, Peter Jankovsky, Zachary Jankovsky, Jacob Early and Kaitlyn Early Colvin and was a proud great-grandmother to August, Branden and Hayden Ring, Luca Ring, Blake, Andrew and Emilie Catherine Warren, Micah and Rose Jankovsky, Juniper and Alice Jankovsky, Teddy and P.J. Colvin. She is also survived by her son-in-law Donald Quast and her former son-in-law Richard Warren.
She was preceded her in death by her daughter Miriam Quast on September 19, 2024 and her only brother Richard Rusmisel.
Catherine graduated from Beaverdam High School and attended her 80th reunion. She walked to Bath's one room Sugar Creek School, where a field trip was to hear Herbert Hoover on the neighborhood's first radio. She was a faithful member of Pleasant View Church of the Brethren since age 13. She and her friends sewed quilts for the needy from fabric scraps, including in the 1940s for war bombed German residents, for area residents who lost their homes to fires and babies born addicted and folks in residential care. She also sewed a quilt for each family member. Catherine partnered with her husband farming and raised most of their own food, then preserved them. They generously shared food and young frees with neighbors. Catherine instilled her love of reading to her children and grandchildren, taking them frequently to the bookmobile or Cairo Library. Until recently, she spent evenings reading a picnic basket full of library books a week. She studied her Bible and prayed for each family member's physical, mental, and spiritual health daily. She daily played hymns on her organ. A tractor flipped over, crushing her in 1967 and Everett suffered a severe stroke trying to lift the tractor. Ohio Power workers nearby had noticed them earlier walking to the field followed by a parade of a dog and barn cats. They used the crane they miraculously happened to have that day to elevate the tractor off her. Catherine was Everett's caregiver, drawing comfort from Isaiah 43 that God is with us through fire and through floods.
Her grandchildren loved to hear stories of her walking to one room Sugar Creek School during the Depression with cardboard over the holes in her shoes, watching Dr. Yingling remove her mother's tonsils on the kitchen fable, driving a team of 2 plow horse,s at age 6, to help her father. Her family drove a one-horse-open sleigh from Beery Road, Elida to Grandma's house in Ada. Her favorite place was outside, mowing 2 acres of lawn and growing flowers and vegetables, all the while contemplating the infinite Wonders of God's Creation. She was a cancer survivor and a wise counsel to neighbors. She lived alone on the farm until her move this summer to Wyngate Senior Living
Funeral Services will be at 12:00 PM on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at Pleasant View Church of the Brethren, 4950 N. Thayer Road, Elida. The family will receive friends at the church for one hour prior to the services from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Chaplain Mike Porter will officiate.
Interment will immediately follow the services in Lewis Grove Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church or to Interim Hospice.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to CHILES-LAMAN FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES, EASTSIDE CHAPEL. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Catherine A. Early, please visit our floral store.