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Obituary for Myrtle M. Ake
Myrtle M. Ake, age 87, of Caldwell, Ohio, died Saturday, December 2, 2006, at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. She was born February 27, 1919, in the farm house in which she resided, daughter of the late Peter and Bertha Rucker Morgareidge. She was a 1935 graduate of Caldwell High School. Education was her love, and after earning her teaching certificate from Muskingum College at age 18, she began teaching at the one room Forest Grove schoolhouse. Myrtle earned her bachelor of science degree in education from Muskingum College in 1943, and moved to Bedford, Ohio, where she taught at Ellenwood School. While in Bedford, she was active in community work, including volunteering for the Bedford Historical Society, and she helped create Bedford's annual Strawberry Festival and the So-Ed youth group at her church, where she met her future husband, Mort Ake. They married in 1955. Myrtle held the honor of being one of the first two women to serve as district supervisor for the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Agency. She also created the first annual conservation fair held in Cuyahoga County. The Akes returned to Caldwell in the early 1970s, and she has remained very active in developing Caldwell's Heritage Park, town square restoration, Noble County Bicentennial celebration, Johnny Appleseed Center, Soakum Festival, and the Noble County Jail Museum. In 1996, Myrtle was honored to receive an honorary doctorate degree from Urbana University for her work with the Johnny Appleseed Center. She was a member of the Caldwell First Prebyterian Church. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Mort Ake, in 1996. Surviving are her daughter, Melissa (Scott) Gerold of Columbus; and a grandson, Matthew. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, December 6, 2006 at 1:30PM at McVay-Perkins Funeral Home, Caldwell, with Pastor Ken Hyland officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Noble County Historical Society - P.O. Box 128 - Caldwell, Ohio 43724.
