Talitha Magee

Talitha Berlepp Magee, 91, died at her home in Idaho Falls on Saturday, October 12, 2013. Talitha was born on November 7, 1921, to George L. Berlepp and Rosa Miller Berlepp in Stanford, Kentucky. After2800 graduating from Stanford High School in 1940, she attended Eastern Kentucky University where she met John S. Magee. They married on February 20, 1943, in Abilene, Texas, where he was serving in the U.S. Army. When he was transferred to Europe, she returned to Stanford to teach in a one-room school. When he returned from World War II, they briefly resided in Maysville, Kentucky, where their one daughter was born. In 1947, she and her husband, John, purchased a bakery in Hillsboro, Ohio. In 1951, they moved to the west to improve their daughter’s health and worked in Phoenix, Arizona, Death Valley National Park, and Yellowstone National Park until they purchased the Dutch Girl Bakery in Santa Rosa, California. After John’s death in 1957, she continued to run the bakery in Santa Rosa until it was sold. She moved to Kent, Ohio, to complete her undergraduate degree in education at Kent State University and later completed her Masters Degree in Education. She taught elementary school for thirty years in Ravenna, Ohio. She lived in Kent, Ohio, until 2004 when she moved to Idaho Falls. Talitha had a sense of humor, a twinkle in her eye, and laughter which remained with her through her dementia. She was known for her creativity, hard work, generosity, and warmth. She enjoyed children, animals, gardening, reading, and interior decorating. Talitha is survived by her daughter, Renee R. Magee of Idaho Falls, ID; grandsons, John H. Freudenthal of Portland, OR and Aaron W. Freudenthal of Pittsburgh, PA; and niece, Diane Schmidt Nicholson of Fort Meyers, Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her sisters, Carol (Harry) Schmidt of Canton, Ohio, and Charlotte (Jay) Ward of Knoxville, Tennessee; and brother, George (Joan) Berlepp of Canton, Ohio. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 21, at the Buffalo Springs Cemetery in Stanford, Kentucky under the direction of Spurlin Funeral Home, 411 West Main Street, Stanford, KY, 40484, (606) 365-2800; Idaho arrangements are under the direction of Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, (208) 522-2751. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to the American Heart Association or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Graveside Services will be held:

1:00 p.m. ,Monday, October 21, 2013 Buffalo Springs Cemetery Stanford, KY 40484