Tombstone Tuesday–Theo. M. and Carrie L. Leininger

Carrie L. & Theo M. Leininger, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Carrie L. & Theo M. Leininger, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Theo. M. and Carrie L. Leininger, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

LEININGER
Carrie L.
1898-1988

 Theo. M.
1895-1992

According to Zion Chatt’s records Carrie Louise Becher was born 23 February 1898 to Henry and Rosina (Schlenker) Becher. She was baptized on 28 February with William Becher and Lulu Kessler as sponsors and she was confirmed in 1911 by Rev. George Haas. Carrie married Theodore Leininger of Muncie, Indiana, on 26 November 1919 by Rev. J.E. Albrecht. Carrie and Ted had two daughters, Catherine Mildred and Dorothy Jean.

Carrie Becher

Carrie Becher

Obituary:
Carrie Leininger
Carrie L. Leininger, 90, 911 Kingswood Dr., died at 4:35 p.m. Friday at Shane Hill Nursing Home, Rockford.

Mrs. Leinigner was born Feb. 23, 1898 near Chattanooga, the daughter of Henry and Rosa (Schlenker) Becher. On Nov 26, 1919, she was married to Ted Leininger, who survives with two daughters, Mrs. Glenn (Catherine) Miller, Chattanooga, and Mrs. Dillon (Dorothy) Hellwarth, Celina; a sister, Mrs. Martha Woodruff, Celina, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. One sister, Freda Byers preceded her in death.

A homemaker, Mrs. Leininger was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, the Women of the Church, and Chatt Valley Senior Citizens. She had lived on a famr near Chattanooga for many years, moving to Celina in 1976.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church, the Rev. Gary Anderson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call 2-9 p.m. Sunday at W.H. Dick and Sons Funeral Home, Celina, and at the church from one hour prior to the services. Memorials may be given to the church. [1]

Carrie Leininger (Rites)
Services were held Monday afternoon at Zion Lutheran Church, Rockford, for Carrie Leininger. The Rev. Gary Anderson officiated and Mrs. Roy Thompson served as organist. Mrs. Gary Anderson sang the hymns. Pallbearers to the church cemetery were Ned Goins, Tom Kuhn, Jerry Miller, Kenneth Brodbeck, Walter Piper and William Bollenbacher. W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, had charge of arrangements. [2]

Carrie (Becher) & Ted Leininger, 1943.

Carrie (Becher) & Ted Leininger, 1943.

Obituary:
Theodore Leininger
Theodore “Ted” Leininger, 96, Celina, died at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Shane Hill Nursing Home, Rockford. He moved from his Chattanooga farm to Celina in 1976.

Born in Chattanooga Sept. 26, 1895, he was the son of John and Minnie (Zeilinger) Leininger. He was married Nov. 26, 1919, to Carrie L. Becker [sic], who died Dec. 2, 1988.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Glenn (Catherine) Miller, Chattanooga, and mrs. Dillon (Dorothy Jean) Hellwarth, Celina; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Inez Nichols, Indianapolis, and Erma Reed, Albuquerque, N.M.

He was preceded in death by a brother, six sisters and a great-grandchild.

Mr. Leininger was a retired farmer and a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga. He also was a Liberty Township Trustee from 1941 to 1957.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the church, the Rev. Gery Anderson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call 2-9 p.m. Thursday at W.H. Dick and Sons Funeral Home, Celina, and an hour prior to services at the church. Memorial contributions may be directed to the church. [3] 

Ted Leininger confirmation.

Ted Leininger confirmation, 13 years old.

Theodore Leininger (Rites)
Services for Theodore “Ted” Leininger were held at 11 a.m. Friday in Zion Lutheran Church, Rockford. The Rev. Gary W. Anderson officiated, with Mona Thompson at the organ and Mary Lou Anderson singing the solos. Pallbearers to the church cemetery were Ken Brodbeck, Tom Kuhn, Ned Goins, Jerry Miller, Tom Stephenson and Gene Behm. W.H. Dick and Sons Funeral Home, Celina, was in charge of arrangements. [4] 

Ted Leininger on his motorcycle.

Ted Leininger

I remember when Ted and Carrie attended church at Zion. From family members I learned that Ted had seven sisters, but no brothers. Ted was born in Chattanooga and his family moved to Muncie, Indiana, after their father died when Ted was young.

Ted Leininger on road grader 1948.

Ted Leininger on road grader 1948.

Carrie was the oldest of three girls and her father also died young. When she was a young woman she was a housekeeper in Chatt  for the Vinings. During that same time Ted Leininger drove a huckster wagon in the Chatt area. Ted and Carrie met in the grocery in Chatt, which was run by the Vinings. At one time Ted ran a road grater and was a Liberty Township trustee. He was good at drawing pictures of animals and liked to play cards. Euchre was his favorite card game but he also played Canasta, Pinochle and Sheepshead. He also played dart ball at Zion Chatt, helping them win many championships and trophies.

Ted Leininger playing dart ball at Zion Chatt.

Ted Leininger playing dart ball at Zion Chatt.

Carrie enjoyed sewing and gardening. She would preserve and freeze the garden produce and one of her granddaughters recalls that over the years she tried many ways to keep the birds out of her cherry tree.

 

[1] The Daily Standard, Celina, Ohio, 3 December 1988, p.2.

[2] The Daily Standard, Celina, Ohio, 6 December 1988, p. 3.

[3] The Daily Standard, Celina, Ohio, 12 Feb 1992, p. 3.

[4] The Daily Standard, Celina, Ohio, 2 January, 1992, p. 2.

Photos courtesy of daughter and granddaughter of Ted and Carrie Leininger.

3 comments

  1. Interesting that folks appeared to be much more likely to marry locally in the past. Suppose that makes good sense as a horse or walking limited access to viable candidates, but then social customs were much stronger then too, such as staying with an ethnic click and/or religious affiliation. Similar to the Amish community even today where the number of family names seems very limited, ie Schwartz, Wickey, Hilty, etc. I am still trying to keep straight the 11 or more Joe Schwartzs that I personally know in the Berne area.

    1. People usually married someone who lived within three miles of where they lived.

      1. That is much more “local” than even I had imagined. 3 miles is a pretty small circle, espeically since it is probably your family living near by!! No wonder there had to be laws about marrying too close to the parents close relations. Just thinking back about the Millers, Kallenbergers and Caffees there near your parents, everyone in a 2 mile section was related.

Leave a Reply to Karen Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.