Ed Oberlander

D. Edwin Oberlander, 66

Surrounded by family, Ed Oberlander died on June 15 at his home near New Knoxville, following a 10-month battle with cancer.

Ed was born on Jan. 24, 1953, in Ashland, Ohio, to James and Cedella (Kaiser) Oberlander, and they survive in Tiffin. On Aug. 21, 1976, he married Janean Meckstroth in New Knoxville, and she survives at the residence.

He is also survived by his daughters, Tiffany (Michael) Lekan of Kettering and Krista of Columbus; two grandchildren, Sadie and James Lekan; his brothers and sisters, Mike (Bonnie) Oberlander of Tiffin, Carol (Dave) Pagnard of Indianapolis, Marilyn Bentz of Gahanna and Dr. Richard (Betty) Oberlander of Pickerington.  He is also survived by 16 nieces and nephews.

Ed was a graduate of Tiffin Columbian High School and Bowling Green State University. He taught distributive education at Carey High School before moving to New Knoxville, where he most recently worked as a clerk/accountant/store manager at Village Market and Deli.

He was a member of the New Knoxville Methodist Church, where he sang in the church choir; the New Knoxville Historical Society; the Washington Township zoning appeals board and the New Knoxville Civic Association.

He was also an avid golfer, having worked at both Fox’s Den and Lost Creek golf clubs and coached high school golf at both Carey and New Knoxville.

Ed’s passion was refereeing basketball and umpiring baseball. He was a registered baseball official for 45 years and basketball official for 44 years. He was a local association interpreter for 39 years, a local association secretary for 15 years and a state instructor for 15 years. He served on the state basketball officials training committee. He was selected as a state girls’ basketball official nine times and a state baseball umpire 22 times. In 2018 he was inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Officials Hall of Fame, joining his father, who was inducted in 1990.

Services will be held Friday, June 21, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in New Knoxville, the Reverend Dennis Gaertner, officiant. Burial will follow at Pilger Ruhe Cemetery.

Friends may call Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at the Miller Brothers Funeral Home, 1605 Celina Road, St. Marys.

Preferred memorial is Grand Lake Hospice.

Condolences may be sent to Ed’s family via Millerfuneralhomes.net