Esther Mae Diehl

Esther Mae Diehl (nee Stroll)
Esther went home to be with the Lord on October 6, 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer. Esther Mae was born September 21, 1923 in Akron, Ohio. She was one of ten children born to Minnie and Fred Stroll. Early in life Esther realized a love and talent for singing. This led to her running downtown from Margaret Park School to WJW Radio for her own radio show called Songs by Esther when she was fourteen years old. In those days Margaret Park was a K-8th grade school, and she was in 8th grade. After leaving Margaret Park School, she attended South High School. However, a singing career lured her away from getting her diploma as a teenager. She received her high school diploma in 1996 at the age of seventy-three to the cheers of her own ten children and a host of friends and relatives who celebrated her delayed commencement. Prior to World War II, Esther won many local singing contests and sang with the then well-known Ross Halamay Orchestra. In 1942 she was with the popular Artie Shaw Band. In 1943, Artie, Esther, and the band were preparing to leave for Europe to entertain the troops when Artie Shaw was called into the Navy. Esther, who had performed with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, maintained contact with the band members. During 1943, Whiteman's first trumpet player, Goldie Goldman, started his own band and asked Esther to join him. They spent 1943 to the war's end traveling to U.S. troop training centers to entertain our soldiers before they left the States to fight in faraway places. Esther, Goldie Goldman, and the band spent over a year performing at Fort Benning, GA, Fort Knox, KY, and Camp Breckenridge, KY. After the war, Esther returned to Akron where she was part of a group who regularly sang commercial jingles for local radio stations. Esther is best remembered for her spontaneous laughter, terrific sense of humor, and deep affection for children. She loved children and was a splendid Mother, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother. Because of her love of children, she was a faithful employee at Akron Children's Hospital for twenty years, helping to prepare and serve their meals. Until 2007, when she became ill with liver cancer, Esther was often heard singing Karaoke with her children and grandchildren at various places in the Akron area. She will be greatly missed by all of her family, extended family, and countless friends. Esther was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie and Fred Stroll; four sisters; two brothers; and five great-grandchildren. She is survived by her ten children, Russell (Linda), Linda (Bob) Seckel, Ronald, Robin Polumbo and boyfriend Dan Wehrlin, Randell, Rhonda (Barry) McBurney, Rick, Renee Colombo, James, and lastly Debra Simmons; brother, Harold (Beverly) Stroll; sisters, Janet (Chuck) Haag and Juanita Seifert; seventeen grandchildren; and nineteen great-grandchildren. Our family would also like to thank Dr. Douglas Trochelman, Nurse Amber Headley, and Summa Hospice for all their care and support. Family and friends may call on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME, 131 N. Canton Rd., where funeral services will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m., Rev. Joshua Schoon officiating. Interment at Rose Hill Burial Park.