GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — Meta Elizabeth McGrath, age 92, of Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, at Peace Haven (a Christian Science nursing home) in St. Louis, Mo.
A lifelong Christian Scientist, Meta was anxious to get to Peace Haven and was happy to spend her final days there. Most members of her extended family traveled there to say “I love you” (goodbye). The daughter of George and Anna (Holesten) Jones, she was born in Cleveland on Dec. 31, 1920.
During World War II, Meta was the quintessential “Rosey the Riveter”. She worked on a riveting team that helped manufacture the B29 Superfortress Bomber at a Fisher Body (GM) Plant in Cleveland, Ohio.
Meta married her husband, Frank, (married 65 years) in 1947. They raised their family in Twinsburg, Ohio. In addition to being a full-time homemaker, she delivered mail for the U.S. Post Office and supervised the shipping department at IER Corp. (both in Twinsburg, Ohio).
She was extremely hard working until just a few months ago. Meta was the primary caregiver of both her daughter and her husband during their long illnesses. She also helped raise several of her grandchildren. She will be remembered for her unconditional love for her family and friends and her strong ethical character. Everyone who met her could feel her love. She was the glue that kept our large extended family together and was an excellent role model.
Meta enjoyed traveling. She traveled to every state in the union (realized in 2009 when she visited Alaska). She was also thrilled to visit Paris and Ireland in 2007. Meta and Frank were snowbirds and traveled between Indian Creek Resort in the summer and Cloverleaf Campground in Brooksville, Fla., in the winter.
Meta was preceded in death by her husband, Francis R.; her mother, Anna C. Jones; her father, George R. Jones; her brother, Russell Jones; her sister, Matilda; and her daughter, Kathleen “Kathy” Buccini.
She is survived by her daughters, Barbara (Don) Vycital of Titusville, Fla., Marylou (Russ) Starcher of Brooksville, Fla., and Linda of Chardon; her sons, Frank of Twinsburg, Daniel (Donna) of Geneva-on-the-Lake and Pat (Bernadette) of Denver, Co.; her son-in-law, Chuck Buccini of Hilliard, Ohio; her grandchildren, Scott, Michelle, Rusty (Patty), Kevin (Gretchen), Danielle (Bill), David, Corrine (Dwain), Laura (Jesse), Nichole, Elvis, Sean and Rebecca; her great-grandchildren, Nicole, Kyle, Sydney, Jocelyn, Deanna, RJ and Jack; and her great-great-granddaughter, Selena.
Meta’s urn will be placed along side her husband’s at the Ohio Western Reserve National Veterans Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio. A short Inurnment Service will be held by the family at 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013.
Obituary and condolences at starbeacon.com.
