Cecelia “Ceal” (Bochenek) Bayham, 83, of 04370 Poppe Road, St. Marys, Ohio, and formerly of Dayton, died 8:05 P.M. Friday, October 3, 2008, at her residence.

She was born March 3, 1925, in Dayton, the daughter of Alexander and Marianna (Sikiewicz) Bochenek.

She married Robert Bayham on January 5, 1946; he survives at the residence.

She is also survived by her 13 children: Edward (Beverly) Bayham of Ladue, MO; Cynthia (Bill) Newlin of Kettering; Dennis Bayham of Dayton; Sandra (Bill) Evanoff of Zionsville, Indiana; Marilyn (Bill) Stewart of Fairborn; Andrew (Amee) Bayham of Louisville, Ohio; Cecelia Pechler of St. Marys; Loretta (Subhash) Verma of Mason; Margie (Doug) Whitling of St.Marys; Paul (Annette) Bayham of St.Marys; Raymond (Helen) Bayham of Ypsilanti, MI; Teresa Young of Parkton, MD; Robert (Tammy) Bayham of O‘Fallon, IL; by 38 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; by one brother, Francis Bochenek of Troy, Ohio; by 2 sisters: Phyllis Palmer and Florentine Brzozowski, both of Dayton. Also, half-siblings: Frank Slavik, Dorothy Reid, Vicki Graf, Alice Pavey, Linda Myers.

Preceded in death by: parents, son Patrick Bayham in 1968, sisters: Sophia Plummer, Josephine Ivory, Elizabeth Bochenek, Veronica Bochenek, Mary Louise August; brothers: Henry Bochenek, Adolph Bochenek, , Ralph Bochenek,

Ceal was a wonderful mother and wife. She had worked assembling machine guns in Dayton during WWII and also as a messenger at WPAFB; she had done private duty care for the elderly, and worked at Kuck’s Turkey Farm in New Knoxville.

She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in St.Marys for 36 years; she had previously belonged to Our Lady Of the Rosary Catholic Church in Dayton. She was a member of American Legion Post #444 Auxiliary in New Knoxville, Gold Star Mothers, Twigs at Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Auglaize Co. Historical society and the altar-rosary sodality of the Holy Rosary Church.

Her interests included: babysitting her grandchildren, traveling, collecting buttons and dolls, attending auctions and garage sales, searching for arrowheads, ceramics, bingo, crocheting, bird-watching, singing and whistling.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday, October 9, 2008, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in St. Marys, the Rev. Anthony E. Cutcher, celebrant. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Dayton.

Visitation 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. Wednesday and 9:30 -10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Miller Funeral Home, 1605 Celina Road, St. Marys.