Louise Gerber Spaulding

Louise Gerber Spaulding died January 4, 2018. Louise was born September 26, 1916 in Ragersville, Ohio where her grandfather practiced medicine. She graduated at 16 years old from Dover High School and spent a year before college reading "all the books" in the local public library. During the Depression, her father lost his feed store business and the Roosevelt administration appointed him as post master in Dover. This post provided a steady family income to support Louise's attendance at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Louise joined Chi Omega sorority and maintained lifelong friendships.

In 1938, Louise graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor's degree and she taught high school business skills for two years in Gnadenhutten, Ohio where students elected her as teacher of the year. Louise and G. Alan Spaulding (whom she met at OU) were married in Dover on November 9, 1940. They moved to Portage Lakes and Al worked at The B. F. Goodrich Company, a job that he started before graduation. After Pearl Harbor, Al enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as Lt. Junior grade on a Destroyer in the Pacific theatre. Louise returned to Dover where her daughter Susanna Belle was born. In August 1945 with the armistice ending WWII, Al returned to his work at Goodrich and the family moved to Stow. In 1947, their son Thomas Alan was born.

During Al's career in management with Goodrich, Louise and Al moved frequently to communities where Goodrich had manufacturing facilities: Alabama, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. Everywhere they lived, Louise volunteered in her children's scout troops and school activities and made lasting friendships with connections to women's organizations such as Chi Omega and PEO. When the family returned to Akron for Al's position in Goodrich's International Division, Louise continued her volunteer work, most significantly as member of the Akron City Hospital Women's Board and a Grey Lady at the gift shop.

Both Louise and Al loved domestic road trips and international travel to learn about different cultures. When Al traveled on business, Louise often accompanied him around the world: Yugoslavia, Japan, India, Brazil, and Singapore. Louise especially enjoyed visiting her grown children when they worked in New York City, Houston, Paris, and Botswana.

Louise is survived by daughter, Susanna Spaulding (Stephen King) from Salida, Colorado; son, Thomas Spaulding (Judy) from Moreland Hills, Ohio; half-brother, John Gerber (Patti) from Boulder, Colorado, and many great nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by husband, Al and sister, Barbara Gerber Stuhlmiller.

Louise loved the journey and her optimism, curiosity, and determination inspired so many along the way.

A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, 2018 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. David Nevergall officiating with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect St., Akron 44304 or your favorite charity. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)