MARY ELLEN (MANALAKOS) GEHRING went to be with The Lord Our Father on August 15, 2017.  She is proceeded in death by parents George Dimitri Manalakos and Pearl Hattie -Frank Deetz, sister Virginia Bickford.  She is survived by brother Henry Manalakos, sister and her family Tena Wunderink Den Haag of Holland, father of her children Peter Gehring, Sr. of Ohio, daughters Penny Gehring of Florida, Peg Marie (Darrell) Terry, son Peter Gehring, Jr., daughter Pearl (Jeff) Pfau, all of Ohio, grandson Shane Graber of Florida, granddaughter Samantha (Thom) McCreery and family, grandson Nicholas Bowe and family all of Ohio, and five great grandchildren and others by marriage. She graduated a Massillon Tiger - Class of  1955!  Mary was an active member of Canal Fulton Baptist Church before her illness, additionally she was an established businesswoman with “Country Collections” & “Flowers by Mary” for many years. In her younger years she belonged to The Massillon Woman’s Club and then later in life she became a Country Line Dancer as a member of Massillon’s Senior Center, where she entertained at area nursing homes.  She also belonged to the once “Hill and Hollow Garden Club”.  She had a love for flowers and the outdoors and actively participated in golf, camping, bowling, and weekly tennis outings at Massillon Sippo Lake Park.  The Evening Independent even photographed her a few times as she fed the ducks at the park - one of her favorite past times alongside her late long time companion Don Piper. Mary will be missed dearly by all of the people whose lives she touched with her modest,  graceful, yet positive attitude.   R.I.P. Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2017 from 1 to 2 P.M. at Heitger Funeral Home - Massillon Chapel, 639 First St. N.E., Massillon, Ohio  44646. Funeral service will follow beginning at 2 P.M. with Dr. Dorsey Davidsson officiating. Please leave condolences here at this site.

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