Rhea Jean Springer

Cortland- Rhea Jean Springer, age 88, of Cortland, died on Monday, September 1, 2014, at 7:25 AM from a brief illness at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.

She was born on August 7, 1926, in Monessen, PA, a daughter of the late Clark E. Wilson and the late Mary “Nona” Ceccarelli Wilson.

Rhea was a member of the Cortland Christian Church and a past member of the Cortland Lady Lions Club. She worked as a licensed insurance agent for the Wollam and Greenwood Insurance Agencies for a total of 30 years. She and her husband Wilbur “Bill” owned and operated Springer’s Flower Shop in Cortland for 10 years. After selling the flower shop, Rhea worked for Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown. Rhea had served as past president for both the Trumbull County Insurance Women and the Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who always put her family first. She loved family gatherings and always made time to attend any family member’s extracurricular activity. She enjoyed bowling and playing cards, but mostly she enjoyed traveling with her husband and cherished the many years the couple had at their retirement home in Florida. Her memory will remain precious to those whose life she touched in her 88 years.

She will be greatly missed by her husband of 67 years, Wilbur “Bill” Springer, whom she married on June 8, 1947; her two daughters, Kathy (Sam) Penn of Cortland and Lynda (Gerry) Kane of Fowler; two sons, Darrel (Dona) Springer of Cortland and Bill (Michele) Springer of Cortland; nine grandchildren, Owen (Niki) Penn, Matt (Kelli) Penn, Darren (Cassie) Kane, Jarrod (Heather) Kane, Adam (Beth) Kane, Aubrey Springer, Chad Springer, Travis Springer and Ashley Springer and by her ten great-grandchildren, Trevor, Jeremy, Haiden, Avery and Allie Penn, Morgan, Alexa, Brennon, Sidney and Ethan Kane.

Rhea was preceded in death by two sisters, Marlene Hinkson Chambers and Helen Gehringer Lee.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 4, 2014, from 5PM – 7PM at the Shafer-Winans Funeral Chapel in Cortland.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 5, 2014, at 11AM at the Cortland Christian Church.

Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Cortland.

Donations can be made in her memory to the Cortland Christian Church, 153 Grove Dr., Cortland, OH 44410.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Woods-Rettig Funeral Home in Leetonia.