1933 – 2012

LEWISTON — Jo Ellen Rumpler, 79, of Healy Terrace in Lewiston died Monday, Dec. 3, at Central Maine Medical Center from complications after a hip fracture.

She was born Jo Ellen Rhodes, July 9, 1933, in Spencer, W.Va., grew up in Charleston, W.Va., and attended Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., Class of 1955. At Marshall her beauty, style and dancing skills made her much in demand as a dance partner whenever the jukebox was fired up.

After graduation she moved to Elyria, Ohio, where she taught high school Latin and English. In Elyria, a friend introduced her to a handsome real estate salesman, Ramon J. Rumpler, whom she married on April 13, 1957.

In 1979, after their children were grown, they moved to West Virginia, where Jo Ellen began a new career as an executive director of county senior services, first in Spencer, then in Clarksburg, from which she retired in 2000.

After Ray died Nov. 19, 2011, she moved to Maine to be near her daughter. On Nov. 19, exactly one year after losing her husband, her hip broke.

Jo Ellen was an avid reader of history, especially the Civil War, and mystery novels, was a wicked good bridge player, and had a sharp wit and phenomenal memory. She made friends easily and was already popular with the other seniors at Healy Terrace after only three months in residence.

She is survived by her daughter, Holly Rahmlow and son-in-law, Don, of Readfield; a son, Donald Jay Rumpler of Akron, Ohio; a sister, Lou Ann Starkey of Akron, Ohio; a brother, Dennis Rhodes of Charleston, W.Va., a brother-in-law, Ronald Rumpler and his wife, Beverly, of Huron, Ohio; and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins, including her special favorite childhood playmate, cousin Deane Wright and his wife, Reva, of Spencer, W.Va.

Memorial services will be held in the spring in West Virginia.