Doris Irene Ovall

She is risen!  On Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at 12:19 PM, Doris Ovall went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As one friend stated, it would be a tough call to determine who was singing louder, Doris or Jesus himself.

Doris was born to Joseph and Florence (Hoy) Meyer, on September 8, 1930, in Bellevue, Ohio.  She was number seven of ten children.  Doris’s appreciation for family, and small town life grew out of this upbringing.

On January 30, 1949, Doris married the love of her life, Clifford Ovall Jr., after meeting him on a blind date.  The two were married for 59 years, until Cliff’s death in 2008.  From the beginning of her marriage until her passing, Doris’s life was built around four things: God, family, friends, and generosity.  As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart - Proverbs 27:19.

That life included three biological daughters, one adopted daughter, over forty foster children, and many exchange students.  In fact, many young women who were putting their babies into foster care specifically requested Doris’s home, and the Ovall household was often used for exchange students who weren’t succeeding in other placements.

Doris was always passionate about helping the underprivileged, so in a move that was uncommon for the time, at the age of fifty, she started volunteering at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. She eventually began working there to help the homeless men and women of Toledo.  Even later in her fifties, she became a licensed social worker employed at Zepf Community Mental Health Center.

As much as Doris enjoyed her job, nothing made her happier than spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  No matter how poorly she felt, her face would literally light up when any relative would walk into the room.  Not only did she love spending time with them, she also loved attending all of their activities.  Even late in her eighties Doris was often seen at these events enthusiastically yelling her support.  In particular, yelling embarrassing things like only a mother or grandmother could.

Doris was a woman of many talents who had some impressive accomplishments in her life.  She attended nursing school before getting married, but after marriage committed herself to raising her children and foster children for thirty years. During this time, she was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader.  She was an avid seamstress, hand making many of her children’s clothing. This included several bridesmaid dresses, and even wedding dresses for two of her daughters.  She enjoyed Camp Friendly, where many summer weeks were spent with her family and church family.  Doris started playing piano and playing softball in her fifties - she stuck with the softball until she was in her sixties.  After retiring, she volunteered at Hospice of Northwest Ohio.  She loved to travel, especially with her widowed friends, and was an avid, possibly obsessed, game player.  In the last six months of her life, she would often wake up between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am with a desire to play cards.  She was a resident of Oregon, Ohio for 70 years; and could often be seen driving about town in her orange Mustang while in her seventies. She even had plans to go parasailing for her 87th birthday, but the weather didn’t cooperate.

Throughout her life, God and church were of utmost importance to Doris.  She was a long time member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Grace Evangelical Church, and Hope Community Church.  Not only did these places help her faith grow, but she also developed lifelong friendships in each church.  Doris found joy in the lost art of sending handwritten notes of encouragement to those she cared about; even long after her handwriting couldn’t be read by most!

One of Doris’s best qualities though, was her ability to find beauty in everyone, and everything.  In prayer, in quiet whispers, and in daily conversation, she could often be heard thanking God for all that surrounded her.  She was grateful for the house she lived in, the friends she had, her wonderful neighbors all the years she lived in Oregon, and even the leaves on the trees in Pearson Park.  She was a wonderful woman, with a wonderful heart.  She will be greatly missed by those who knew her and loved her.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, daughter Connie Obrock, infant son Ronald Ovall, and siblings Wilbur Meyer, Marge Rhoades, Dorothy Reidy, Eileen Popke, Evelyn (Chick) Glumm, Gordon Meyer, Phyllis Howard, and Shirley Cook.  Additionally, she is survived by the eighth sibling in line, Vivian Jett, along with many nieces and nephews.  Doris is also survived by her children: Vick and Paul Feher, Marilyn and Joe Korsak, Michael (Connie) Obrock, and Jodi Ovall.  Also surviving are her grandchildren and great grandchildren: Adam, Kate, Joe, Will and Lizzie Korsak; Michael and Jen Korsak; Ann and Patrick Gordon; Megan and Kyle Shelton; Amanda, Phil, Everly, Rhett and Emelia Konczal; Jessica, Dave, Elijah, Luca and Vincent Donofrio; and Justin Feher.  Her friends Lucille Ovall, Ermalea Jones, and Sharon Hulet – The Gals, also survive her.

The family would like to thank Brittany, from Heritage Home Care.  They are also deeply appreciative of Elizabeth, Doris’s at home Hospice nurse, as well as all of the other Hospice nurses and aides who helped take care of her both at home, and when she was an inpatient.  The family would also like to thank the STNAs who helped Doris maintain her dignity and independence as long as possible, and who answered the request to, “Let’s play cards,” at all hours of the day and night: CeCe, Hannah, Katharine, Macy, Maricela, and especially Gayle who trained them all; and LPN Chance.  One last thank you goes to Dawn.  No one endured more trips to The Dollar Tree, and Goodwill than Dawn.  There just are not enough words to explain the gratitude of the family for the love, happiness, friendship, freedom, compassion, patience, companionship, game playing, and caring, that Dawn provided for Doris over the past six years.

A memorial service will be planned for the spring.  Memorial contributions can be made at any time to either Hope Community Church, or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.