Marilyn Rausch

Marilyn Elizabeth Rausch left this life on Sunday morning July 8th, 2018. She passed away peacefully leaving behind a memorable legacy created during her nearly nine decades as a resident of Napoleon, Ohio. She was the first woman to serve on the city’s council and was named Henry County’s Woman of the Year in 1990. Born in 1930 during the beginning years of the depression, she often spoke about her childhood in Napoleon and the positive influences of her father and mother Arthur and Helen Saneholtz. One of her favorite and memorable stories involved looking for her first real job. “I applied at Mitchell’s Flowers,” she loved to tell proudly, “Mr. Mitchell told me I was too young and to come back when I was older. I went back the next day and said ‘I’m older’ and he hired me on the spot.” She was also paid handsomely – 72 cents per hour. In her teens, she met a good-looking young man at Napoleon High School named Lowell Rausch. They were meant to be together and wed in 1951 at the St. Paul Methodist church. Lowell was best know around town as ‘Pete’ and now honored with having married Marilyn Saneholtz the 1947 Homecoming Queen at NHS. Marilyn became a registered nurse in 1951 following graduation from nursing school at Flower Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. She subsequently spent many of the following years attending patients in the offices of multiple Napoleon doctors and also worked in the Obstetrics department at Heller Memorial Hospital and later at the Henry County hospital. Her friends and family believed her greatest achievement was helping to deliver hundreds of babies that went on to become the adult citizens of Henry County. Subsequently, Marilyn was often stopped and thanked by the many mothers who remembered her helpful smile and professional care during the most important moments of their lives. In 1979, Marilyn decided to run for city council and was elected. She was the first woman in the city’s history to hold this position. During her time on the council, Marilyn was a strong supporter of the city’s fire and rescue departments, the municipal pool and improved medical care in the county. Then in 1990, she was proudly named by the Northwest Signal newspaper as Henry County’s Woman of Year. She was given the honor for donating her time to ACS pap clinics and as co-founder of the county’s mammogram screening program involving the Cancer Society and the Henry County Hospital. During their marriage, Marilyn and Pete Rausch had four children; Susan, Mike, Barbara and Steven. All four (born two years apart) are doing well and are now living in Maryland, Colorado, Missouri and Texas. Their family legacy also includes seven grandchildren - Todd, Alex, Callie, Carlin, Caroline, Ashlee and Hayley along with four great-grandchildren. Family and friends may stop by the Rodenberger Funeral home Friday morning between the hours of 10:00 and Noon to remember life-long Napoleon resident Marilyn Elizabeth Rausch. A graveside service will be held at noon at the Forrest Hill cemetery where she will join her husband, brother, sister, parents, grandparents and Rausch family in-laws in their final place of rest. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations and remembrances to the Napoleon Rescue and Fire Company or the Henry County Hospital Foundation. Marilyn would have greatly appreciated this gesture!

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Marilyn Rausch

March 20, 1930 - July 8, 2018