Lavean Christ

LaVean T. "Lettie" Christ
CHRIST LaVean T. "Lettie" LaVean T. "Lettie" Christ, 84, of Toledo died on Saturday, May 27, 2006, after a brief illness. She was born March 26, 1922, in Beaver, PA, to the late Alvin and Thurza Taylor and was preceded in death by her husband, William P. (Bill) Christ, in 1989. The family will receive guests on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, in the Newcomer Funeral Home, 4150 W. Laskey Rd.,Toledo (419-473-0300) from 2 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place Thursday at 10 a.m. at St. Clement Catholic Church, 3030 Tremainsville Rd. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Lettie and Bill met during World War II while serving the war effort at a munitions factory in Ravenna, OH and were married August 1, 1945. Lettie converted from the Methodist church to Catholicism with her marriage to Bill and her religious faith provided a lifetime of hope, solace and spiritual meaning that carried her through life's challenges. They had four children, Donna Vasquez in 1946, Stephan in 1949, Robert in 1950 and Gregory in 1959, all of whom survive. Lettie was a pragmatic and strong-willed woman, with an independent streak and no-nonsense character--"a modern gal" in every sense. She worked as a secretary after the war when she and Bill moved to Toledo, using the bookkeeping and office management skills at which she excelled. Happily, Lettie knew how to leave work behind and have fun in life, too. For decades, her Gals' Night Out was held at the bowling lanes; later, at restaurants or playing cards. Lettie was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) Ladies Auxiliary, Aerie #197. Donna married in 1969 and gave Lettie seven grandchildren, who in turn brought seven great-grandchildren and additional family members into her life: Marie Cropper-Vasquez and her children, Samantha and Christian; Susan Dawson Vasquez and her husband, David; Lisa Suhrweier, her husband, Dale, and their children, Dale Jr. and Taylor; Thomas Vasquez and his children, Thomas, Jr. and Marisa; John-Paul Vasquez; Peter Vasquez and Spec. Andrew Vasquez, his wife, Sgt. Rachel Vasquez, both in the U.S. Army, and her son, Samuel. Steve and his wife, Irene (nee Cortez), also contributed to the family's population explosion. They married in 1968 and gave Lettie four grandchildren, who in turn brought four great-grandchildren and additional family into the fold: Jennifer Morran, her husband, Timothy, and their children, Jordan and Justus; Angela Jimison, her husband, Todd, and children, Amanda and Olivia; Stephanie Christ and Adam Christ. Bob's wife, Kathleen (nee Seidel), joined the Christ clan in 1984 and quickly learned that her new husband and siblings inherited Bill's and his father's irreverent sense of humor and precarious use of high-falutin' phrases. She's been laughing ever since, despite Lettie's admonitions not to encourage them. With 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren keeping Lettie busy and bewildered, Greg and his partner of 19 years, John Irwin, conspired with Bob and Kathy to entertain Lettie with the tales and tribulations of their four-legged household members, none of whom ever required Lettie to change a diaper or babysit. After all, Lettie's beloved Inky, like Peanut many years earlier, had cousins in the family, too. Lettie was preceded in death by her older brother, John, and sister-in-law, Betty. Lettie also is survived by her younger sister, Adele Zumwalt, and her husband, William, and by her younger brother, Elton, his wife, Vickey. Elton's dearly departed first wife, Marilyn "Aunt Pud", whose tragic loss with several other community members in the Pittsburg-area flash flood on Friday, May 30, 1986, is in the Christ family's hearts this week as the 20th anniversary of the tragedy is observed. Adele, a devout Mormon and avid contributor to the church's genealogical project, this week recounted for younger family members her research confirming the Taylor siblings' direct maternal lineage to a celebrated passenger on the Mayflower, Mary Chilton, the only female on the ship to leave a will before her death. On Bill's side of the family, Lettie was preceded in death by her father-in-law, Ralph, and mother-in-law, Mary Jane ("Daisy"); her sisters-in-law, Rose Christ, Sister Mary of the Angels, O.P. (Betty); Martha Longstreth and her husband, Raymond and her brothers-in-law, James and Robert. Surviving are Sister Jean Clare, O.S.F. (Jane) and Rita Christ, widow of James, along with numerous members of the Longstreth and Jim Christ family branches. Also surviving are special friends, Marge Jacob and her family and the "Friday Night Gals", Maryann, Katie, Angie, Flossie and Ethel. The family wishes to thank Lettie's doctor and the wonderful staffs at Alexis Gardens (Michelle in particular), St. Vincent Hospital and Hospice of Northwest Ohio for their care and compassion during Lettie's journey to eternal life. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Hospice of Northwest Ohio, the Sight Center of Toledo, the American Red Cross or another charity of choice.