Former West Holmes Secretary and Librarian Dies at 79
Marilyn Louise Gingerich, a longtime Millersburg resident and fixture at West Holmes High School and the Holmes County District Public Library, died Dec. 17, 2025 at age 79. Her passing and the upcoming memorial service matter to families, students, patrons and church members who depended on her decades of local service.
Marilyn Louise Gingerich, 79, of Millersburg, died Dec. 17, 2025. Born Oct. 1, 1946, in Killbuck, she married Merle Gingerich in 1966 and remained closely connected to the Millersburg community through work and church life.
Gingerich spent much of her career in roles that placed her at the center of local schools and libraries. For many years she worked as a guidance office secretary at West Holmes High School, supporting students, counselors and school administrators. Later she served as a librarian at the Holmes County District Public Library, a position that put her in daily contact with residents who relied on the library for information, programming and community space. Those institutional ties made her a familiar presence to multiple generations in Holmes County.
Her death will be felt across several local networks. School staff and students who encountered her in the guidance office, library patrons who benefitted from her stewardship of collections and programming, and members of Millersburg Christian Church where she was affiliated, will all experience the loss of a steady local presence. In communities the size of Millersburg, individuals who work in education and public libraries often play outsized roles in civic life by helping families navigate services, supporting youth development and maintaining civic routines. Gingerich’s decades of service fit that pattern.
Funeral arrangements are set for later this week. A public service will be held at Millersburg Christian Church on Dec. 27, with visitation to take place beforehand. A private family graveside service will also be held. The obituary notice lists surviving family and provides instructions for submitting online condolences through the arrangements listed by the family.
Residents who knew Gingerich through West Holmes High School, the county library or Millersburg Christian Church may wish to attend the visitation or service to offer support to her family and to one another during this period of local mourning.
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