Elaine L

Diefenthaler

Diefenthaler
Elaine L. (Meyer) Maier
Elaine Louise Diefenthaler, of Toledo, went with God, peacefully in her sleep, at her residence, Kingston of Sylvania on Sunday, January 4, 2015. She was born on December 15, 1926 in Toledo, Ohio, to August and Jessie (Timmerman) Meyer. Elaine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who took great pride in her family.
She attended Nathan Hale Elementary School and was a proud graduate of DeVilbiss High School. After graduation she worked at Sealtest Dairy where she met her first husband and the father of her children, John E. Maier. Elaine and John were married on April 29, 1949 at Grace Lutheran Church. After her marriage she worked as a telephone switchboard operator at Ohio Bell. After spending time at home with her two sons, James and Larry, she also worked the switchboard at Owens Illinois, C & O Railroad, and Doehler-Jarvis, finally retiring from the Toledo Hospital on February 1, 1995.
She was a devoted mother, very active in the parent's group that supported her sons' Boy Scout Troup 117. She often said that she was proudest of the fact that both of her sons became Eagle Scouts. Even after the boys completed their Boy Scout careers she continued to meet with the core group of mothers from the parent's group.
Elaine was also very proud of her German heritage. She made many trips to Germany to visit her husband John's family, who still reside at the farm where he was raised. She was also very active in The American Turners of Toledo, a German American social group.
Elaine loved being a grandmother and attended all her grandchildren's activities whenever possible. She and her granddaughter Katie loved to attend the areas' county fairs each year and she made trips to visit her grandsons, Denny, Scott and Brian, in Michigan whenever she could.
She loved to travel and visited the majority of the 50 states, always stopping at any historic sites along the way. Her favorite vacation spot was always Douglas Lake in Northern Michigan where she had vacationed with her family for over 50 years!
After her husband John's death on November 26, 1986 and being a widow for over 10 years, she surprised herself and her family when she fell in love again. She married Dale R. Diefenthaler on August 29, 1999 at St. John's United Church of Christ. Dale and Elaine then embarked on a life of travel, symphony, opera, and theater performances. They also loved to attend Mud Hen games and watching Ohio State football together. She often said that they were together every day after they met until Dale's death on September 6, 2003.
Elaine is survived by her sons, James (Mary) Maier, Larry (Suzanne) Maier; step-daughters, Margaret Smith, Ann Hannah, Susan (Dirk) Bredon, and Amy (Brad) Self; grandchildren, Kathryn Maier Ghesquiere, Dennis (Angela) Maier, Scott (Theresa) Maier and Brian Maier; step-grandchildren, Gary (Betty) Puckett, Margayla (Robert) Sabin, Scott (Amy Jo) Hannah, Karen Seymour and Raymond Self; great grandchildren, Dylan Maier, Braden Ghesquiere, Andrew, Madison and Aubrey Maier, Megan and John Maier and many step-great grandchildren. She is also survived by nieces and nephews in Germany.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands John and Dale, and step-son John R. Maier.
The family would like to thank the staff at Kingston of Sylvania's Assisted Living and Memory care facilities for the wonderful care they gave our mother and grandmother.
Family and friends may visit at Foth-Dorfmeyer Mortuary, 3815 Sylvania Ave., Toledo, OH on Friday, January 9, 2015 from 2-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, Heifer International or a charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be left at fothdorfmeyer.com