Miriam L. Etzinger

Miriam L. Etzinger, 83, of Bucyrus, died peacefully at her home on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.



She was born October 8, 1936 at home in Chatfield to the late Clifford and Doyle (Sponseller) Gerhart. Miriam grew up on their family farm where she was active in helping her siblings with daily chores. She was a 1954 graduate of Chatfield High School, where she was a cheerleader and played clarinet in the band. In addition to the clarinet, she was a gifted piano and organ player and she taught herself to play her sister's accordion. Miriam put these talents to use over the years by playing at various churches and for many weddings. Most recently, she and Jim had been active members of the Bucyrus UMC.



Miriam was proud to have raised four wonderful children and was working at GE when she met, Jim Etzinger. They got married on June 24, 1977 and have shared 42 years of watching family grow and working as one at many things throughout their life.



She cherished time spent with family and her main goal was to see them smile. Sunday’s were reserved for the family dinner which always included a homemade meal and whether replicating Aunt Mable’s buns or a homemade cake. At family gatherings, her handmade cream puffs were a favorite and were often grabbed up early, as to get one before they were gone. She had a competitive streak and loved playing games such as ping pong, cornhole or card games. She and Jim were supportive of any event or activity their grandkids were involved in and she often brought a treat bag as a way to say, “I love you.” She enjoyed watching Wynford basketball and liked to follow the Cleveland Indians and Cavs.



Besides God and family, Miriam’s other passion was working with stained glass. With Jim’s background in woodworking and with her creative ideas, they handcrafted many museum-worthy stained glass creations. Some of their masterpieces are showcased in various area churches, they have a six-foot-wide skylight in their living room filled with stained glass, a kitchen table inlaid with stained glass, a large working stained glass carousel and many lamps and other figurines just to name a few. Miriam had a “can do” mind set and was proud of doing things to please others.



Meme, as often referred to by family and friends will be missed by many and they include, her husband Jim; her children, Steve (Mary) Louis of Mt. Gilead, Glenda Leuthold and Brenda (Richard) Myers both of Bucyrus and Rhonda (Jamie) Fox of Milford; grandchildren, Alison (Andy) Oswald, Kasey (Ben) Ziska, Shelby (Nic) Hunter, Ansley Myers; great grandchildren, Lukas, Quinn, Griffin, Adele and Avery; stepsons, Dean (Ruth) Etzinger of Galion and Matthew (Kathy) Etzinger of Crestline; sisters, Lois Albert and Dorothy (Victor) Cassaro; sister-in-law, Alice (Walter) Schimpf as well as many nieces and nephews.



Along with her parents, Miriam was preceded in death by a grandson, Taylor Etzinger; sisters, Carol Gerhart and Ireta Oberlander and brothers, Kenneth, Robert, Arthur, Sam and William.



Her family will receive friends from 1-3 and 5-7 pm Sunday, December 22 at Wise Funeral Service, where her funeral will be held at 11:00 am Monday with Pastor Becky Stephens officiating. Burial will follow in Brokensword Cemetery.



Donations are encouraged to be made payable to HomeCare Matters Hospice, Bucyrus UMC, Crawford County 4-H, or a charity of donor’s choice. These gifts will be accepted through the funeral home.