Caren Elizabeth Gill

Caren Elizabeth “Kay” (Baxter) Gill of Massillon, Ohio, formerly of Lordstown, Ohio, Lake Lure, NC and Clearwater, FL, so long and so favorably known by a wide circle of loving friends and family, has gone at last to be with her Lord and Savior, on the 22nd day of May, 2024, at the age of 83. She was delivered into this world at home in New Somerset, Jefferson County, Ohio, on September 20, 1940, by Robert W. “Doc” Schilling, and was the daughter of the late Floyd and Eleanor Elizabeth (Williamson) Baxter.

Kay was born into several Jefferson County pioneer families. Her paternal great grandparents, James and Jane (McKillip) Baxter, were early settlers of New Somerset. Her paternal great great great grandfather, Martin Swickard, was a Revolutionary War veteran, early settler of Jefferson County, co-founder of the Bowling Green (Osage) Lutheran Church and the Mt Tabor Methodist Church and the father of descendants that now number into the thousands. Another paternal great great great grandfather, Martin Easterday, settled in Jefferson County in 1800 emigrating from Maryland. Her paternal great great grandparents, John and Elizabeth (Leas) Zimmerman were early settlers near Annapolis in Salem Township. Her maternal great great great grandfather, Michael Myers, was a Revolutionary War veteran, having been a member of Crawford’s Expedition to Sandusky. He was the original owner of the tract of land where Newburgh, OH (later Toronto, OH) was established on the Ohio River.

Kay was born to her then 41 year old father, who operated a small dairy on the Baxter family farm in New Somerset. It was partly because of this dairy business and his best friend, Raymond Lawrence, that Floyd met Miss Eleanor Williamson of Hammondsville, Ohio. Eleanor’s parents were among the many milk customers of Floyd and Raymond was dating Eleanor’s sister. For over 5 years, Floyd courted Eleanor and eventually they married in 1939 over the objection of Floyd’s mother, a widow with only one son to run the farm. After they married, Floyd bought the old Olive Seevers house in New Somerset where he and his wife set up housekeeping. After Kay was born, Floyd took the baby over to the farm to introduce her to his elderly mother. Kay’s grandmother Baxter held her one time and passed away the December after she was born. Nearly six years later, the Baxters gave Kay a baby brother named Joseph William, who was named after both of his grandfathers. Growing up the Baxters had very little money, but Eleanor, a graduate of high school, made the most of Floyd’s income. They had a very large garden, fruit trees and of course, the milk from the farm from which Eleanor made butter and bread and all the baked goods for which she became famous. They worked hard cultivating their land and canning the harvest each year. Even though they had very little for themselves, many times they would share what they produced with family and neighbors who were less fortunate. It was said by many if it hadn’t been for the Baxters, they would have often gone hungry. Kay and Joe soon became the favorites of Floyd’s maiden sister, Ada “Aunt Addie”, and his cousin, Katie Smith and her husband, Bill, who had no children of their own. Aunt Addie bought Kay and Joe their first TV and Katie and Bill (Kay called him “Woobie”) were always visiting and bringing gifts for the children.

Most of the responsibility for the education and upbringing of the children belonged to Eleanor, who saw to it that the children were raised with strong moral and Christian values. Kay took piano lessons and at a young age played occasionally during services at the New Somerset Methodist church. Most weekends, Eleanor would take the children to Hammondsville to visit family including Eleanor’s mom, Grammie Williamson, and her sisters, Marie and Roemaine. Kay grew very close to her cousins especially the girls, Catherine, Butchie, Rosie, Dana, Judy, Carol, and Bonnie. Floyd continued to work the farm and also worked at the sewer pipe works in Stratton. He was a stern gentleman and deep down a loving and caring man. Kay attended school and graduated from Jefferson Union High School in 1958.

During her high school years, she and the love of her life, Ronald Gill, found each other. They were in the same class and knew each other long before the “love bug” bit them. There were of course “ups and downs” during their early relationship and sometimes when things were not going real well, Kay will throw Ronnie’s class ring at him to express her “opinion”. (The ring still shows the results of this.) Eventually they resolved these early spats and dated steadily through graduation and while Kay was attending Kent State University to obtain her degree in education. One of her best friends, Betty Ann Armour, attended Kent with her. While she was at college, Ronnie served a stint in the Marine Corps at Paris Island. In the early part of June, 1961, Ronnie went to Kent to visit Kay. While there, Ronnie jokingly suggested that they with another couple run off and get married. It wasn’t long before the two couples were off to Winchester, VA where they got married on June 3. Eventually Ronnie’s parents knew what the kids had done but the Baxters never found out. Ronnie finished out his time with the Marines and Kay graduated from college in the spring of 1962. The following August, Kay and Ronnie were married “again” at the New Somerset Methodist church on August 12. Those who attended Kay and Ronnie at the wedding were Kay’s best friends, Betty Ann (Armour) Dunn and Cinda (Cable) Hollister, and Ronnie’s brothers and best friend, Russ and John Gill and Doug Griffith. They always considered the church wedding as their “real” wedding and always celebrated that date for their anniversary.

Kay took her first teaching position in the Geauga County (OH) Schools in Chesterland after being offered a position by Philip Runyon, who had been her high school principal at JU. The newlyweds lived in Jacques Trailer Park outside of Chardon. Two years later, their son, Lance, was born. Not long afterward, it was announced that General Motors was opening a plant in Lordstown, OH. Ronnie and his brother, Russ, applied for jobs and began working there in 1966. In April, 1967, their son, Todd, was born. Because the drive from Chardon to Lordstown everyday was so long and difficult, Kay and Ronnie moved to Southington, OH and lived there in a mobile home for a short time. They then bought their first home, which was located in Champion, OH where Lance went to kindergarten and first grade. While Ronnie worked at GM, Kay began teaching at Secrest School in Warren, where she made many lifelong friends including Kathy Luhaney and John Poniewasz. For entertainment, they joined a bowling league at Rainbow Lanes in Warren and Kay joined a card club, which lasted for many years. In 1971-1972, the family moved to Lordstown where Kay and Ronnie had purchased 3 acres and built a home on Lyntz Road. Kay eventually took a teaching position in the Lordstown Schools. Ronnie’s brother, Russ, built a house right next door and eventually the neighborhood grew into a close group of neighbors and friends, which included, Arch and Connie Jones, Jim and Barb Jones, John and Grace Bogunia, Chuck and Sharon Archer, Sam and Jane Glunt and Derm and Judy Hall. Around 1978, the family moved to a larger home in Lordstown on Pritchard-Ohltown Road. As if Kay didn’t have enough to do with raising a family, running a household and teaching school, she got involved with the community recreation program. She agreed to coach a boys’ baseball team when she found out that the other coaches would only play their best players and let the other team members sit the bench. She made it clear that if she coached a team every kid would practice and play without regard to winning and losing. Eventually, her teams became very successful winning teams with rosters of happy kids. Ronnie and Kay also joined the masonic organization, the Grotto, in Warren and were active for a long time. During her years of teaching at Lordstown, Kay made many lifelong friends, including Ida Klein, Alice Croft, Bill Dray, Bonnie Webber, Denny Tamaro, Jan Crosbie, Karen Marsteller, Sue and Charlie Stingel, Joyce Mudrack, Jane Cribbs, Stephanie Sanders, Paula Sheldon and Lyle Thompson.

Kay and Ronnie worked tirelessly and because of Kay’s management of their incomes, they were able to live a comfortable life and put both of their sons through college. Kay retired from teaching and Ronnie from GM in 1993. By that time, it was clear that Kay’s mother, Eleanor, who had been a widow since 1987, could no longer stay in her home alone. After retiring, Kay and Ronnie wanted to move south to enjoy a better climate and they invited Eleanor to go with them so Kay could fulfill a promise she made to herself—that she would take care of her mother so that she would never have to go to a nursing home. They settled in Lake Lure, NC, where they eventually built two homes. Kay couldn’t sit still in retirement so she got involved with community affairs, worked at a small grocery store and studied for and obtained a license to sell real estate. Over the next 12 years, she became the most successful real estate agent in that area. They made several wonderful friends in Lake Lure including Bill and Marilyn Bird, Everett and Jennie Chapman and Don and Beverly Settles. While they were in NC, Kay and Ronnie were blessed with two grandchildren—Lance’s son, Joey, and Todd and his wife, Lori’s, son, Alec. By 2004, Kay and Ronnie decided to move back to Ohio to be closer to their sons and their families. In 2005, they moved to Jackson Twp. In Stark Co., OH where they lived for a few years. After Kay’s mom died in 2007, they decided to sell their home and downsize to a smaller home in Perry Twp. Kay and Ronnie made a host of friends after moving back to Ohio, including, Michelle and Shawn Flood, John and Kay Strickland, Tina and Bill Keneaster, Jodi and Tim Albrecht, Jan and Monte Geuy, Julie Covington, Nancy Miller, Pam and Jerry Bates, Beverly and Larry Shertzer, Kathi Richards, Connie Weaver and Mary Grafton. While living in Stark Co., Kay again couldn’t sit still in “retirement”. She occasionally helped Lance in his law and title offices and she eventually began working at TJMaxx, where she quickly made many friends, was everyone’s adopted grandmother and where she remained an employee until her illness prevented her from working.

For many years, Kay and Ronnie traveled to Clearwater, FL where they owned a condo and stayed each winter from the end of December until May 1. They made a host of friends there including Rose Bentley, Denise Malfer, Kelly and Barry Yellets, Rae Ellen and Dave Hicks, Harper and Sue Mellott, Keith and Barbara Stowell, Sally and Howard Young, Ann Stephenson, Catherine Gray, Karen Ipseen, Jack and Diane Ward and Lynette Collins.

Kay leaves behind to mourn her loss, her husband, Ronald J. Gill; her sons, Lance D. Gill of Canton, OH and Todd A. (Lori A.) Gill of Sheffield Lake, OH; her grandsons, Joseph Daniel Swickard Gill and Alec Michael Gill; her brother, Joseph W. (Pamela A.) Baxter of New Haven, IN; her brother-in-law, Russ Gill of Lordstown, OH; her nieces, Lauren A. (Steve) Davis, Megan E. (Matthew) Davis, Beth Krepasky, Kandi Drizake and Michelle Gill; her nephew, Steven Gill; her grandniece, Kirsten Davis; her cousins, Catherine Hawley, Rosie Springer, Bill Williamson, Dana Burgett, Judy Burgett, Ronnie Williamson, Carol Boker, Calvin “Buddy” Lawrence, Bonnie Mills and Michelle Allen, and numerous other relatives, all of whom she loved dearly. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandparents, Joseph and Ella (Swickard) Baxter and William B. and Nancy Gertrude (Eifert) Williamson; a brother-in-law, John A. Gill; a nephew, Brian Joseph Gill; aunts and uncles, Janie and Marshall Roudebush, Annie and Wilbur Sapp, Ada Baxter, Stella Baxter, Marie and John Myers, Alice Williamson, Roemaine and Stan Baker, John and Hazel Williamson and Violet and Raymond Lawrence; and cousins, Feryn Morris, Joseph Roudebush, Harold Sapp, Dorothy Mercer, Jane Leiby, William M. Myers, Jane Frontone, Elizabeth Ann “Butchie” Roberts and Joel Lawrence.

Kay was a sincere, earnest Christian, adorning the doctrines of God, her Savior, by a godly walk and conversation, and met her death calmly because she knew in whom she believed. She was respected and loved by all who knew her and will be sadly missed by everyone.

Kay’s funeral service will be held at the Paquelet, Arnold-Lynch Funeral Home, 1100 Wales Road NE, Massillon, OH 44646 on Thursday, May 30, 2024 with visitation starting at 5:30 p.m. The service will begin at 7:00 p.m. Interment will take place at a later date in Fort Steuben Burial Estates, Wintersville, OH next to her in-laws, Joseph M. and Margaret Ruth (Durbin) Gill.

The family requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be in the form of contributions to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.

(Note: The above was written by Lance D. Gill. If anyone’s name has not been mentioned or is misspelled, please forgive me for that. I have tried to be complete in writing this. Unfortunately I was not personally familiar with many of the people that my parents knew and loved over the years. Thank you.)