The Toledo Blade ran this nice article about my Grandmother on Friday, June 10, 2005. This was in addition to her obituary. I've copied the article in its entirety since newspaper articles have tendency to disappear from the web.
AUDREY WHITMORE, 1914-2005
Ticket taker a legend at Stranahan TheaterAudrey Whitmore, 90, head ticket taker at the Stranahan Theater, where she'd worked for more than three decades, died Monday in Medical University of Ohio Medical Center.
She was trimming rose bushes two weeks ago when she fell and broke a hip. She developed an infection while in the hospital.
Mrs. Whitmore had taken tickets for countless graduations, lectures, concerts, and stage shows.
While in the hospital, "She just fretted that she was not going to be there for all the graduations," daughter Denise Shumway said.
Mrs. Whitmore was a legend at the Stranahan, and not just for her longevity.
"People [told] me how she remembered their names and details about them," her daughter said.
Liz Sudheimer, marketing director for the Stranahan Theater and Great Hall at the Masonic Complex, said: "She was kind of like everybody's mom."
About two months ago, Mrs. Whitmore said to Ms. Sudheimer, "Come to my car. I have something for you."
The head ticket taker had a box filled with programs from nearly every show that had been at the Stranahan.
"We did not have an archive. Now we have one," Ms. Sudheimer said.
Mrs. Whitmore's affiliation began when her daughter Denise was in the Masonic group, the Rainbow for Girls. Ushering at the theater was the group's money-making project, and Mrs. Whitmore volunteered to be an adult supervisor. When the theater converted to a volunteer workforce, she knew the job and was asked to stay.
The job later became a paying position and she was promoted to head ticket taker.
Mrs. Whitmore was a 1932 graduate of Libbey High School. She did not work outside the home as her children were growing up.
"She was a homemaker. She put her family first," her daughter said. "She was a very giving person. From a biblical standpoint, she just had a gift of giving. There was no fanfare. She just took care of what she saw needed to be done. I feel I have a very special heritage, my sister and I both do, and we have passed that on."
Mrs. Whitmore was a longtime member of the Ohio State University Home Extension Club.
She was especially proud that the glass decorating business begun by her husband, George, and taken over by their late son, Jack, remained in the family.
She and her husband, George were married for 33 years until his death in 1966.
She attended Holland Free Methodist Church.
Surviving are her daughters, Beverly Schaefer and Denise Shumway; sister, Doris Shepler; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter.
Services will be at 11 a.m. today in the Walter Funeral Home.
The family suggests tributes to Family Outreach Ministries in care of Westgate Chapel or a charity of the donor's choice.
She sounds like one of those people for whom the term "saint" was coined.
Nice letter especially for the paper. Huge impact and giving to the end. Is she the one that had the camper?
Kind of neat that all her daugters had last names that began with S.
No, that was my Dad's mom and Dad that had the camper. I can't imagine my Grandma W. camping! Heh.
Hi ~ I have the same name (only that is my maiden name). Happy to have shared same with such a great lady.
Audrey Whitmore
PS: I only came upon this when I decided to Google my brother's name to read about his accomplishments and I accidently put mine in w/o thinking while clicking away here.
Wow, that's neat, thanks for taking the time to comment. If you're still around and interested, therea are two more articles here about grandma. She was a neat lady and we miss her a lot.