Wanda “Carlene” (Fite) McCurdy passed away surrounded by family on August 18, 2018 at Bridge Hospice in Bowling Green, Ohio, following a five and a half month bout with pancreatic cancer.
Born May 29, 1939 in Friendship, Ohio, she was a daughter of John Carlos Fite and Grace (Gordley) Fite Ault. She was married on May 25, 1957 to the love of her life, Roy McCurdy, who survives. They met at Munn’s roller skating rink in Bowling Green.
Carlene wore many hats during her life: she worked at Green Gables in downtown Bowling Green, Hillcrest Care Center in Waterville, Wood County Hospital, and Bridge Hospice, received her LPN at the age of 40 and RN at the age of 50, loved genealogy, became a master gardener, learned the dulcimer and often played at festivals, learned sign language and taught it to children at church camp, volunteered for the Red Cross, Medical Reserve Corps, NAMI, and as a camp nurse at Camp Indogan, she also enjoyed travel and adventure. Of all of those things, she was most proud of being a Christian, a wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter, and friend.
Carlene loved. She loved her husband. She taught her children and grandchildren how to love by the love she showed. She loved her little dogs, Sassy and Baby Girl.
She loved learning new things. She loved a good garage sale. She loved nature and feeding the birds. She loved feeding people. Her family and friends will miss her baked beans and homemade bread, which were featured at every family gathering or potluck and in an article in the Sentinel-Tribune in September of 2011.
Most importantly, she loved the Lord and she raised her children to love the Lord. At the end of her life, she wanted to make sure her loved ones kept the faith and remembered to pray in Jesus’ name. If she were here today, she would say those were the most important things of all.
Left to live her legacy of love and hospitality are her five sons: Michael (Valerie) of Portage, Thomas (Donna) of Bowling Green, Robert (Sandra) of Fort Wayne, Jeffrey (Sue) of North Baltimore, and John (Amy) of Mount Vernon. She delighted in and spoiled her 16 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. She also leaves a sister, Jean (Charlie) Ladd of Bowling Green, and two brothers: Lloyd (Linda) Fite and John (Joyce) Fite, both of Bowling Green, as well many beloved nieces and nephews.
Preceding Carlene in death were her parents, infant brothers, Richard Harvey Fite and Danny Lee Fite, stepfather Kenneth Ault, nephew Dennis Fite, and son of her heart, Donald Koontz.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 25 at 11 a.m. at Bowling Green Church of Christ, 17317 Haskins Road, with calling two hours prior. Tom McCurdy officiating. Services will be followed by a potluck lunch.
In honor of our precious Carlene and her love of all life had to offer, please go to the China Dragon in Napoleon and get the hot and sour soup, eat a slice of lemon meringue pie made by Karen Mason from the Liberty Twp. pavilion at next year’s Wood County Fair, sign up to take a class from the parks department to learn something new, make a donation to Bridge Hospice in Bowling Green, or send a donation to the Wood County Humane Society.
