It is with great sadness that the family of Anna Merle (Kent) Whilding, 95, of Jamestown, Ohio, share the loss of their loving mother on Feb. 23, 2019. She is now reunited with her devoted husband of 74 years, Emlyn Whilding, along with her parents, Clyde and Minnie Kent, her sister Mary Elizabeth Hartshorn and grandson Benjamin Targett.
She is survived by a daughter, Gweneth (Judson) Targett of Jamestown, Ohio; three sons, David (Evelyn) Whilding of Jamestown, Ohio, Rhys (Patricia) Whilding of Fairborn, Ohio, Samuel (Heidi) Whilding of Omaha, Nebraska; eight grandchildren, Kelly (Aaron) Cooper, Chad (Angie) Whilding, Amy (Jason) Garringer, Jason (Dianna) Whilding, Nathan (Amy) Targett, Dallas Upchurch, Kasey (Alex) Whilding, and Chelsey Whilding; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Anna attended Jackson High School and was salutatorian of her graduating class. She worked for many years in the banking industry and later retired from the Sears catalog store in Xenia, where she was employed as a bookkeeper. Some of her happiest memories were of family vacations. As she fondly recalled, the family traveled all 48 contiguous states with “nothing more than a Coleman stove and box of groceries.” In later years, she and Em made several trips to his parents’ homeland in Wales. Granny Annie, as she was known to her grandchildren, and Pappaw Em continued to share their love of travel and history with their grandchildren, taking them on many memorable excursions. Em and Anna Merle were members of the Jamestown Presbyterian Church.
Memorial services will be conducted at 3:30 on Friday, March 1 at McColaugh Funeral Home, 826 N. Detroit Street, Xenia, Ohio with the Rev. Mike Helling officiating. The family will receive friends from 2 to 3:30 prior to the service.
The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Dr. Kevin Sharrett and staff, the staff of Jamestown Place Health and Rehab, and Hospice of Dayton for their compassionate care and support during Anna’s declining years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of your choice.