Mary Dininger

Mary Eleanor Armbruster Dininger, age 100, a lifelong resident of Shelby, Ohio went to be with the Lord October 6, 2023 in Mansfield. 

She was born May 12, 1923, to Urban and Matilda (Blanchard) Armbruster at the Armbruster family home on Myers Avenue in Shelby. The fifth child in a family of eight, Mary helped her father in the family's home bakery, greasing the bread pans and slicing and wrapping the loaves. 

At eighteen years of age, Mary took the bus to Mansfield to begin employment as a housekeeper and nanny with a family on Coleman Road. In 1941, during World War II, Mary found work at the Autocall, then at Westinghouse. At Westinghouse she inspected ammunition shells and worked on airplane wings bucking rivets. Also during the war, she worked at the Wilkens Air Force Base in the telephone room and Central Files. In 1944, she decided to stay at home to enjoy time with her baby niece, Evelyn Sargent Morris. In 1945, Mary went to work at Ideal Electric winding motors, a skill she was familiar with because her father, Urban Armbruster also wound huge armatures at Ideal Electric. Mary became a full time homemaker when she and Melvin (Joe) Dininger married. After her children were grown, Mary put her homemaking skills to use at the cafeteria at the Shelby Junior High. After eight years, she retired from the school cafeteria and enjoyed many volunteer activities such as being a Red Cross volunteer at Shelby Memorial Hospital and transporting blood to Columbus with Margaret Bertke. She volunteered at the hospital for twenty-two years and sang in the Saint Mary's choir for 24 years. She enjoyed being a member of the Peacemakers Quilt Club from 1981 to 2009. Mary delivered meals for the Meals on Wheels program for many years. She was a member of the local AARP and enjoyed traveling with the club and AAA tours. After her husband died, Mary went back to school and earned her GED at 65 years of age.

She enjoyed travel, knitting, crocheting and especially making quilts for her family. In her later years, she kept up with the daily news with newspaper and television and following family news on Facebook and email. She particularly enjoyed working with her niece, JoAnn Armbruster Brown, on family genealogy. She assisted JoAnn in collecting and recording family history. Mary was a lifelong member of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church and attended St. Mary’s School.

Mary was dearly loved by her family and will be missed by her three children: James (Karen) Dininger of Greenacres, WA and their children, Amy (Austin) Abelar of California, Kevin Dininger of Washington and Alex Dininger of North Carolina; Lawrence (Brenda) Dininger of Mansfield, OH and their children, Sara Hall of Mansfield, and Kristin (Lance) Seaman of Willard, OH,  Michael (Joyce) Dininger of Ostrander, OH and their children Barbara (Chad) Fairchild of Dublin, OH and Joseph Dininger of Kentucky. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Christopher, Matthew & Thomas Seaman, Jessica & Josh Hall, Evelyn, Oliver, Leo and Violette Fairchild and Eli Abelar. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

 
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin (Joe) Dininger in 1986, her parents, Urban and Matilda Armbruster, and her daughter, Susan Dininger in 1969. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Joseph Clair Armbruster, Francis Regis Armbruster, John (Jack) Armbruster, and Urban Eugene Armbruster and sisters, Marcella Ulmer, Rose Marie Sargent Trago, and Dorothy Humphrey.

Friends may visit Barkdull Funeral Home & Crematory in Shelby Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 10:00AM - 12:00 PM, A funeral mass will be held immediately following at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church on with Father Chris Mileski officiating. Interment will immediately follow in Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to Southern Eye Bank, 2701 King Man Street Ste 200, Metairie, LA 70006 or to Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 29 West St. Shelby, OH 44875

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