Charlene Ricketts Kramp, 81, of Bellefontaine, passed away Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, at Valley View Alzheimer’s Care Center, Frankfort.
She was born at home in South Bloomingville on Nov. 20, 1938, to the late Ezra Lincoln and Olive (Russell) Ricketts. Charlene married Peter Kramp on July 13, 1963, in Cleveland and he preceded her in death on Aug. 26, 2003, after 40 years of marriage. She was also preceded in death by her brother Richard Ricketts and a great-grandson Paul Phillips.
Charlene is survived by daughters: Teresa Smith of Bellefontaine, and Susan (Vaughn) Rall of Kenton, grandchildren: Jennifer (John) Phillips of Niles, Heather (Stewart) Zachrich of Holgate, Derick Conley of Kenton, Allison Smith of Russells Point, and Jacquelyn Smith of Upper Arlington; great-grandchildren: Peter Phillips, and Leia Zachrich; sister-in-law Helen Ricketts of Laurelville.
Charlene graduated from Laurelville High School in 1956. Before marriage she worked for The Ohio Bell Telephone Company in Columbus and Cleveland. Next, she became a stay-at-home air force wife for 15 years where she lived at Eglin AFB and Tyndall AFB in Florida and Hanscom AFB in Massachusetts. She worked as a switchboard operator for the United Telephone Company until they closed in 1986, and at Mary Rutan Hospital for 10 years.
Charlene was a member of Saint Patrick Catholic Church. She was a devoted fan of The Ohio State University football team, a loyal viewer of 10TV news, a lifelong chocolate enthusiast and her favorite TV show was Law & Order.
Friends may call at the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 321 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, on Friday, Oct. 16, from 10 to 11:40 a.m. Father Shawn Landenwitch will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, Oct. 16, at noon at the Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Bellefontaine. Private family burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Bellefontaine.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Charlene’s memory may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, P.O. Box 37920, Boone, IA 50037-0920.
Due to current pandemic orders, please be symptom-free, practice social distancing and consider wearing a mask.
Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Bellefontaine, is honored to serve the Kramp family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com.