FALL 2011 - Lake Erie College

IN Memoriam
Fla., died Feb. 10, 2011 at age 95. She taught at several
schools in Ashtabula County and was librarian at Ashtabula
Public Library. She was active in the Fine Arts Society and
was a volunteer for the Red Cross.
Steakley is survived by a brother, Dr. Linn Newman; a son,
Dr. Steven Steakley; and two grandchildren.
1969
JANET WHITE BATTAILE, New York, N.Y., died Feb. 18,
2011. She worked for more than 25 years as an editor for
The New York Times in its Washington bureau and earlier
for its news service. She oversaw national news coverage
through parts of four presidential administrations, from
Ronald Reagan’s through George W. Bush’s, and edited
countless Page One articles of legislative battles in
Congress over domestic issues as well as those on wars,
terrorism and numerous scandals. After her retirement
from The New York Times in 2005, she wrote and edited for
Politics Daily, the website that is part of AOL.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry Knight; their three
children, Jesse, Erin and Marc; her siblings, Jeannie, John
and Lawrence Battaile; and eight grandchildren.
BONNIE (CADDELL) RUSS, Norfolk, Conn., died
March 24, 2010. She was a technical research librarian and
belonged to the Nutmeg Curling Club in Connecticut. The
College was notified of Bonnie’s death by her classmate,
Nancy Haswell, who described her as a delightful woman
who laughed a lot.
1970
MARGARET SUSAN (WATSON) GILMOUR, Glendale,
Ariz., passed away Feb. 11, 2011. She spent much of her
life in the Phoenix, Ariz. area doing the two things she held
dear – raising a family and teaching music. She also taught
school in the Austin, Texas area and, after moving to San
Jose, Calif., started her own talent agency for aspiring
musicians. She enjoyed teaching private piano lessons and
sharing her passions of cooking, baseball and music with
her friends and family.
She is survived by her children, Katie Kueck and Eric
Gilmour; their families; son-in-law, John, and grandchildren,
Connor and Asa; daughter-in-law, Allison, and grandchildren,
Alex and Ava; sister, Diane, and her husband,
Dale; former husband, Peter; and many nieces
and nephews.
The College was notified of Gilmour’s death by her sister,
Diane (Watson) Anders, Class of 1960.
1972
MARGARET (SCHABEL) GARDIS, Riverside, Calif.,
passed away March 12, 2011. She taught for several years
in parochial and public schools in Lake County, Ohio, prior
to retiring to the southern California area in the early 1980s.
She is survived by her sons, David, Neil and Warren Gardis;
and two granddaughters.
1973
JEAN M. ESCH, Painesville, Ohio, died Aug. 13, 2009; the
College was only recently notified of her death. She taught
for 30 years in the Painesville City Local Schools. She is
survived by her daughter, Susan Esch; son, Jeffrey Esch;
three grandchildren; one brother; and a sister-in-law.
1976
MAVIS (EVANS) THORNTON, Concord Twp., Ohio,
died July 12, 2011. She was a retired teacher, administrator
and author. She wrote three fictional novels, including the
historical fiction epic, “Three Tries for a Welshman,” under
the name Mavis Evans Thornton, as well as short stories
and poems included in newspapers and compilations.
Her work in education spanned all grades and culminated
in the successful operation of her own school and day
care center. She loved to read, play bridge, do crossword
puzzles, bird watch and walk, especially on the beach. She
was known for the one-woman comedic shows she put
on to raise funds at area colleges and schools and for her
public speaking.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Bryce G.
Thornton; daughter, Linda A. Darling; son, David Thornton;
three grandchildren; one great-grandson; one sister; and
many nieces and nephews.
1986
ROBERT R. KLEIN, Mentor, Ohio, died Jan. 25, 2011.
He received his M.B.A. from Lake Erie College. He was a
54 L A K E E R I E | FALL ‘11