Ladea P. "Penny" Zurcher

Ladea P. “Penny” Zurcher, age 99, of Dover, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Park Village Health Care Center.

Born October 4, 1919, in Dover, she was a daughter of the late Arthur and Mary DiLuca Nichols. Penny graduated from Dover High School in 1937, and married Arthur J. Zurcher on May 20, 1944. The couple reared four children and shared nearly 54 years of marriage prior to Arthur’s passing on March 17, 1998.

Penny was employed by the former Hammond Cleaners of Dover, Dorothea’s House of Gifts, New Philadelphia, and theTuscarawas County Health Department from which she retired.

She was a member of New Philadelphia’s Sacred Heart Church and its Altar Society and Senior Citizens group, as well as the Dover Lady Elks. Penny gave generously of her time and talents over the course of her life. She volunteered with the PTA, 4-H, Girl Scouts, The Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County and Friends of the Library. She dedicated herself to 50 years of serving with the Union Hospital Auxiliary, and 40 years with the American Heart Association. Penny was honored in 2011 as the Lucille Nussdorfer Tuscarawas County Woman of the year.

Penny was hard-working and creative, and was an accomplished seamstress making much of her family’s clothing when they were young. She also designed and made prom dresses, wedding gowns and equestrian wear. Penny enjoyed playing bridge and belonged to the Tuscarawas County Duplicate Bridge Club. She loved to dance, had an eye for decor, and could bake an excellent pie. Penny will be fondly remembered for her loving spirit and kindness.

Survivors include her four children, Stephanie Sattoria of Westerville, June Contini of Dover, Christopher J. (Mari) Zurcher of New Philadelphia, and Tricia (Rob) Parker of Gastonia, North Carolina; her ten grandchildren, Scott, Michelle, Jennifer, Alicia, Joe, James, Natalie, Arthur, Maggie and Nate; her sixteen great-grandchildren; her sister, JoAnn Hammond of Dover; and her many nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, and her husband, Arthur, Penny was preceded in death by her sisters, Valia Nichols, Mary Josephine McKnight and Alicia “Lee” Waddington; her brothers, Ralph, Albert and Arthur Nichols; and her son-in-law, Denny Contini.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, May 30, at 11 a.m., in Sacred Heart Church; Fr. Jeff Coning will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph Calvary Cemetery, Dover. Following the committal, there will be a lunch in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover. Honoring Penny’s wishes, there will be no calling hours. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Penny, please visit the obituaries link on the Toland-Herzig website.

The family suggests that contributions in Penny’s memory be made to Sacred Heart Church, 139 Third St. N.E., New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663; Union Hospital Auxiliary, 659 Boulevard, Dover, Ohio 44622; or Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Ave. S.W., New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.