Kathleen M. Brickner

58, of Van Wert, died at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at her residence.

She was born April 9, 1949, in Lima, the daughter of the late Raymond and Ruth (Powers) Studer. On Saturday, March 16, 1974, she married James C. Brickner, who survives in Van Wert.

Mrs. Brickner attended St. Gerard's Grade School in Lima and graduated from Lima Central Catholic High School. She attended and graduated from Mary Manse College in Toledo and received her master's degree in reading from Bowling Green State University. Mrs. Brickner taught seventh and eighth-grade language arts classes at the former Lincoln Junior High School for 20 years and then served the Van Wert City School District as its director of curriculum for another 10 years. For nearly six years she was co-director of the West Central Ohio Regional Professional Development Center, which provided teachers in an eight-county area with professional development through the Ohio Department of Education. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for Professional Educators. As a voracious and avid book reader, she also belonged to the "Good Times" book club. As a mother, she attended all of the Van Wert High School soccer meets, baseball games, and YMCA and high school swim meets, where she helped with timing, etc. She also did the leadership training for adult volunteers for the Hawthorne District of the Boy Scouts of America. She was a member and past senior regent for Van Wert Chapter 7, Women of the Moose, and was also a member of its College of Regents. For several years, she enjoyed playing flute in the Van Wert Community Concert Band. She was also a member and a past president of the Van Wert Chapter of the American Association of University Women. She was also a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, where she had served on several church committees and had chaired the Liturgical Committee. In recent years, she had also served as a lector and Eucharistic minister for the church.

In addition to her husband, survivors include two sons, Carl Raymond (Megan) Brickner of Vandalia and Michael Edward (Kathryn) Brickner of Willowick; a granddaughter, Aubrey Jane Brickner of Vandalia; and four brothers, Bill (Chris) Studer of Cincinnati, James (Judy) Studer of Stamford, Conn., John (Sandy) Studer of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., and Park (Lois) Miller of Las Vegas, Nev.

A sister, Anne Marie Miller, also preceded her in death.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 4, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, with Fathers Mike Zacharias and Keith Stripe officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Visitation is from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Van Wert Community Concert Band, St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Van Wert Community Health Professionals-Hospice or Black Swamp Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.