Cecil Karlen

Cecil O. Karlen, 88, of Smithville, died Friday, June 22, 2018 at LifeCare Hospice, in Wooster after a year long battle with myeloid leukemia.

Friends may call Monday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Roberts Funeral Home-Sherwood Chapel, Wooster.  Funeral services will be Tuesday at 11:00 at the funeral home with Reverend Carolyn Berry officiating.  Burial will be at Sherwood Memorial Gardens.  Memorial contributions may be made to LifeCare Hospice 1900 Akron Road Wooster, Ohio 44691.

Cecil was born January 15, 1930 in Elkins, WV to Adolph (Delphia) and Anna Florence {Sharpes} Karlen.

He married Ruby Bazzle on August 5, 1950 in Oakland, Maryland.  She passed away on August 21, 2005, after celebrating 55 years with Cecil.

As a child Cecil attended school in Silica, West Virginia and worked on the family farm. The family relocated to Elkins, West Virginia where he completed school.  He then worked at several lumber mills in the Elkins vicinity as a Teamster. Ruby and Cecil moved to Smithville in 1954.

Cecil worked at Hagen-Westinghouse in Orrville from 1954 to 1989 as an assembler. He also was employed at the Pure Oil Station in Smithville. Cecil was a part owner of the Standard Oil Station in Smithville.  He owned Karlen Cleaning with his wife (cleaning many First National Bank offices.) Cecil also owned many rental houses (which he considered his hobby in retirement.)

Cecil will be deeply missed by his children O. Warren Karlen, Donnetta (Thom) Snyder, and Randall (Barbara) Karlen; grandchildren Eric (Nicole) Karlen, Jason (Cati Molnar) Karlen, Heather (Bryan) Cassill, Andrea (Bradley) Patt, Melissa (Joshua) Schachner, Chad (Adrienne) Karlen, Stephanie Carmean, April (Todd) Mitchell, Tracy (Todd) Snoddy, and Jennifer Spitler; great-grandchildren Benjamin, Samuel, Connor, Bryson, William, Caroline, Faith, Brooke, Alexis, Anthony, Tyler, Autumn, Trenton, Jordan, Andrea, and Alyssa; sister Mildred Hochstetler; sisters-in-laws Retha Bazzle, and Hazel Gear; many nieces and nephews; special family friend Judy (Jeff) Vincent.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, many siblings. Daughter-in-law Kimberly Karlen.