Ila Mae Walters

Ila Mae Walters, daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend died Sept. 15, 2021, at age 89 years.

Born May 14, 1932, to Ellis Eugene Matheson and Mabel Elzora Ikenberg in Penn Township, Ila lived in Downieville then Mars.

She survived her parents and eight siblings, Margaret Annetta, U.S. Army Sfc. Elmer Walter Sr., U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Cpl. Ellis Sylvester “Matty,” U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Cpl. George Thompson, U.S. Air Force Cpl. Dale William, Ruth Elisabeth Apanowicz Stants, Maybelle Elzora Thomas Stiffler and U.S. Army Pfc. John Hartley.

Ila graduated from Mars High School in 1950 and enjoyed attending class reunions through 2019 prior to Covid-19.

Ila had 10 children. She married Wiley Howard Huggins in 1950, and from this union had Kathy Sue Sessoms, Wiley Howard Huggins (Diana), Mary Lou King (Steve), Anna May McCabe, Robert Keith Huggins (Josie), Janet Ruth Coats (Kent), Sandra Kay Kocher (John) and Elly Diane Gerber (Richard). She married Robert Eugene Walters in 1970, and from this union adopted Jim Walters, and had Wayne Eugene Walters (Tessa). Ila had 46 grandchildren, 102 great-grandchildren, and the last count was 13 great-great-grandchildren, whom she all loved.

Ila loved doing mission work to Tyrand from 1990 to 2000, through Dueber United Methodist Church. She did home repairs, prepared and delivered Meals on Wheels, canned applesauce, and worked in the clothing store.

Ila volunteered. She served Kiwanis dinners at the Presbyterian church in Mars as a teenager. She served as room mother for many of her children, and in her own words, “I made quite a few cookies for the schools (as she laughed). I had the largest recipes and made six dozen cookies at a time; I didn't know how to make one dozen.” She served in the Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts and Boy Scout organizations.

She was a Sunday school teacher for Doylestown United Methodist Church. She collected money and went on walks for The Gold Rush, The March of Dimes and the Multiple Sclerosis Organization. She collected neighborhood donations for The Breast Cancer Society, United Way, and American Red Cross. She volunteered at Mayfield Manor as a senior companion and hall monitor. She served in positions as trustee, secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the residents organization. She helped to coordinate, purchase food, and serve dinners. She was a member of the Coffee Club and left a remark “get this started back up as soon as you can.”

Ila's work career started as a youngster in her home. She woke up early to start the fires in the coal stove to warm the house. She negotiated getting up early in exchange to having her breakfast made. Then after the house was warm, her sister, “Aunt Ruth” would make breakfast for everyone. She cleaned the Presbyterian church in Mars on Saturdays as a teenager. She worked at Kresge's Department Store in Pittsburgh, from September 1950 to May 1952. She cooked and cleaned privately for Mrs. Smith in Doylestown, then cleaned houses.

Ila was a representative for Fashion Wagon Clothing, Amway, Tupperware, Avanta Cosmetics in Doylestown, Avon, Merry Jewelry and ran a day care on McKinley Avenue for one year.

She enjoyed canning, embroidery, sewing and some paint classes. In recent years, she enjoyed her books on tape, her game shows, Perry Mason and her Bible recorder. Her favorite color was blue. Her favorite authors were Grace Living Hill, Wanda Brunstetter and Jeannette Oaks. Her favorite artist was Monet (purple flowers). Her favorite song “The Old Rugged Cross.” She heard her “Daddy” sing it so many times. She loved the Pittsburgh Steelers, baseball and car racing.

Ila loved being in church and attended many. She attended Mars Presbyterian Church from the age of 3 to 20. She attended Barberton Methodist Church on 2nd Street with her first husband. She attended the Doylestown Methodist Church. She attended Doylestown Nazarene Church with her second husband. Ila attended Dueber United Methodist Church from 1972 to 1990. She attended Grace Fellowship Church for a year, then First Southern Baptist Church for four or five years, where she re-dedicated her life to Jesus Christ and was submerged. She attended Fohl Road Baptist for one year. She attended Mayfield Manor Presbyterian, from 2013 through 2018.

Ila's favorite two Bible verses were John 3:16-17 and John 14:2-3 “In my Father's House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Ila accepted Jesus into her heart as a little girl with a lifelong gift of compassion for others, but declared the past few years, as having grown the strongest in her faith and Christian virtues, and understanding the love, mercies and grace of the Lord toward her. She joined the church triumphant, but not before asking God to let others forgive her if she wronged them, and giving forgiveness to those who wronged her, showing love and mercy to others.

Ila and the family thank Dr. Agatha Chukwumerije, Dr. Gregory Boone, Dr. Mitchell Haut, Dr. Vishal Sawhney, Dr. Mohammed Jan, Dr. Sabrina Singhh, NorthEast Professional especially Carla, “my aide and my friend,” my family, Rose Day, Connie Burcham, my neighbor Glenda and “Only One,” and all who took part in my care and support.

WALTERS — Calling hours for Ila Mae Walters, who died Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at Schneeberger Funeral Home, 2222 Fulton Road N.W., Canton, Ohio, where services will be held at noon.

Private burial will follow in West Lawn Cemetery.

Memorials may be made in her memory to Dueber Church.

To share a memory or send condolences to the family, please visit us at www.schneebergerfuneral.com.