Leota Blanche Staats, age 90, passed away peacefully Thursday December 31, 2020. She was the oldest daughter of McKinley and Gay McDade born in Leon, West Virginia on May 28, 1930.
Leota “Ody” was renowned for her baking and cooking skills, showing her love with food especially baking cookies with her grandchildren and making mush, a family recipe she perfected which will never be duplicated.
Ody was employed with Strydel Company in Stryker, Ohio. It suited her loving and playful heart to create toys she knew children were going to enjoy, most notably Etch-A-Sketch. After her retirement, Leota remained a prominent person in her community working at the local library for many years.
It is often said to live a life of example. Leota’s life was an example of the Bible verse Ephesians 4:32 – “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as God forgave you in Christ.” There is no kinder soul than Ody.
Besides her family, Leota’s heart and joy was her church, Stryker United Brethren, where she faithfully served on the board as secretary/treasurer for more than forty years. Ody donated her time sending church bulletins and visiting nursing home patients brightening their day with her sunny presence and delivering flowers and homemade food.
Leota relished in teaching Vacation Bible School and Sunday School where she was a favorite mentor, teacher and friend to hundreds of students.
Loved ones who pre deceased Leota are her parents, McKinley and Gay McDade, husband Charles Staats, daughter Karen Harrington, granddaughter Tonya Jo Crisenberry, brothers Richard McDade, Dorsel McDade and Casey McDade and sister Josephine McDermitt.
Loved ones who will miss Leota dearly until they meet again are her sisters Gerri Bell and Irene Andretta, son in law Michael Harrington, grandchildren Melanie Grubbs and Christopher Davis, step grandchildren Misty Thomas and Jamie Harrington, seven great grandchildren, four step great grandchildren and her nieces and nephews. Leota was greatly loved and will be deeply missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, Leota’s family requests donations be sent in her name to her beloved church.: Stryker United Brethren, 104 East Short Street, Stryker, OH 43557
Service arrangements have been entrusted to Crow-Hussell Funeral Home and will be Wednesday January 6, 2021 beginning at 11:00 at the funeral home a graveside service will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Letart, WV.
Family and Friends may express condolences online at: crowhussellfh.com
1 Comment
Leota was a wonderful woman – a great employee at Strydel – a very good friend of my mother, Ethel Clingaman. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Hattie Brodbeck