The Hill Funeral Home and Cremation Services 614-882-2121

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Friends may call 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at HILL FUNERAL HOME, 220 S. State St., Westerville where services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, February 1, 2017. Interment Blendon Central Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to HomeReach Hospice (Kobacker), PO Box 600001, Columbus, OH 43272-9802 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142

Please accept my condolences upon the passing of your mother and grandmother. Although I did not know Mrs. Lakeman, I remember your late father and grandfather from his days as the football coach at Big Walnut High School. As a result, however, of some recently completed genealogical research for my family, it appears that Margaret and her late siblings, in relation to my own children, are 2nd cousins 3x removed, which would also mean that you and the descendants of her siblings are our cousins as well. Our closest lineal ancestor in common is Joshua J Lehman (1819-1879), Margaret's great-grandfather and my father's (Bob Morris) 2nd great-grandfather. Dad was born and raised in Westerville and my late mother taught school there for 27 years and almost certainly would have known Margaret through the library.

As a young boy during Gib's tenure as coach at BWHS, our family lived on Letts Avenue (both of my parents also graduated from Otterbein), one block away from the then high school. Coach Lakeman noticed and encouraged an interest that my neighborhood friend Jack Saunders and I showed in football, with his team at that time practicing on a field (complete with a cinder track) behind the high school. He would occasionally assign us small tasks to complete, e.g., retrieving equipment left on the field after practice, and allowed us to watch practice and 'hang out' with the team members, many of whom we knew by their nicknames, e.g., "Horse", and who appeared to us at that young age as giants. A couple of times, after gathering up all the equipment, Jack and I rode in Coach Lakeman's car, a mid-1950's era Chevy as I recall, across the practice field to return everything to the locker room. That was a big deal to us! It was a great neighborhood and a great childhood, and during high school at Big Walnut I went on to play football, basketball and baseball, perhaps in part due to Coach Lakeman's encouragement at a young age.

I am very sorry for your loss.
David Morris

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Obituary for Margaret Lakeman

Margaret Lakeman

01/23/1928 - 01/25/2017

Margaret (Lehman) Lakeman, 89, a life long resident of Westerville, born January 23, 1928 passed away January 25, 2017. Executive secretary for forty pus years at Westerville Public Library. Upon retirement she volunteered at Kobacker House and Friends of The Westerville Library. Enjoyed Mahjong and Bridge and belonged to Blendon Senior Center. Preceded in death by husband of 43 years, Gilbert C. Lakeman, Jr, parents Percy and Ruby (Moss) Lehman, sister Janette Elsea, infant brother Willard, brother Dwight. Survived by children, Richard (Nancy), Matthew (Elizabeth, Laura (Dave) Mink, Alex all of Westerville and Dan of Charlotte N.C.; 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Friends may call 4 to 7 PM Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at HILL FUNERAL HOME, 220 S. State St., Westerville where services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday. Interment Blendon Central Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to HomeReach Hospice (Kobacker), PO Box 600001, Columbus, OH 43272-9802 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142