Jessie J. Nash
Jessie Jeanette (Burkholder) Nash, 85, of Leipsic died on January 4, 2013 at Richland Manor in Beaverdam. Nash was born in Ottawa on April 9, 1927 to Irma Mae (Foltz) and Christian Columbus Burkholder, who both spent their youth just miles from where they would later raise their six children (Christian grew up in Columbus Grove and Irma was a native of Gilboa). The tight-knit Burkholder family was comprised of two boys, Ray and Clare, and four girls: Velma, Vera, Laura, and Jessie. Transportation came in the form of a 1932 Dodge sedan, into which all eight members of the Burkholder clan regularly swarmed.
As a child, Nash developed a strong affinity for music. By her early teens, she had learned how to play the piano and violin, in addition to receiving vocal instruction. After gaining an elementary education at Crawfis College, Ottawa Nash attended Blanchard High School in Gilboa, where she graduated in 1945. She went on to enroll at Tiffin University, but was dismissed early from the university on August 10, 1945-four days after U.S. military forces dropped the atomic bomb on Japan-amidst heightened fears of potential attacks on American citizens by Axis nations during World War II.
In 1947, Jessie married Charlie Edwin Nash (1928-2001), a farmer, purebred Duroc hog breeder and auctioneer who would later serve as president of the Ohio Farmer Union, and as vice president of the National Farmers Union. Jessie and Charlie had four children: Charles Everett Nash (1948-2012), Crystal Kay Nash (1952), Clark James Nash (1960) and Cheryl Noel Nash (1963). The couple raised their family on a farm located at 9395 Road 5-H in Leipsic. (They divorced in February 1977).
More than a decade after attending Tiffin University-during which time she worked in a variety of positions, including as a clerk and bookkeeper at the First National Bank in Pandora, a weigh master at Buckeye Sugar Company in Ottawa and a typist at the Putnam ASCS Office in Ottawa-Nash returned to pursuing an education. She took courses at Bluffton College, where she further developed her musical talents (including those on the piano and organ), and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music education with a minor in piano in 1965. Stints of enrollment at both Eastern Michigan University (1966) and Bowling Green State University (1968), where she garnered credits toward a master's degree in music. Following her graduation from Bluffton College, in the fall of 1965, Nash began working as a K-12 vocal music teacher for the Leipsic Public School System-a position that she held for two years thereafter. She later taught vocal music at Continental Local Middle School (1971) and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Ottawa (1973-74) to grades 1-6 and grades 1-8, respectively.
For nearly two decades (beginning in 1989), Nash served as organist/pianist for the Gilboa United Methodist Church, of which she was a longtime member. She also proudly served as pianist for both the National Farmers Union Convention and the Ohio Farmers Union Convention for several years. Additionally, Nash served as a member of the youth choir (1933-38) at the Gilboa Episcopal Methodist, pianist (1947-81) and organist for the Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, and a choir member (1981-89) and organist at the Ottawa Trinity United Methodist Church.
Nash is survived by one brother, Ray Burkholder of Pandora; three children, Crystal Kay Nash, Clark James Nash (Lisa Catherine Nash) and Cheryl Noel Nash (Stephen Slyh); seven grandchildren, Mindi Sue (Steve) Trout, Matthew Robert Nash, John Charles Nash, Jacqueline Kay Nash, Alexi Rose Nash, Alison Mary Nash and Charles Chance Jacob Nash.
Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 6, 2013 at Gilboa United Methodist Church, Gilboa with Rev. Bill Patterson officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pandora. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at HEITMEYER FUNERAL HOME, Ottawa and from noon until time of service Sunday at the church. Memorials may be made to Gilboa United Methodist Church, Gilboa.
Condolences can be expressed at: www.heitmeyerfuneralhome.com.

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