Obituary of Melva L. Stroup

Melva L. Stroup, 86, of Streetsboro, formerly of Mt. Zion, WV and Akron, Ohio, passed away on Friday, December 14, 2018.

Melva L. Stroup was born July 18, 1932 at her parent’s home on Paden City Fork Road near Paden City, WV, daughter of the late Virgil and Iva (Snodgrass) Blatt. She graduated from Magnolia High School, and soon after, she moved to Akron where she met and married her husband Charles Stroup, Jr. She retired from the Census Bureau at the age of 82. She had previously owned and operated S&S Marketing Research in Akron, OH.

Melva was a woman whose strong faith in her Lord Jesus Christ made it her purpose in life to know God and to make Him known to others. Her generous and loving spirit deeply touched those who knew her. She was the best kind of wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, sister, and friend.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Charles T. Stroup, Jr., brothers, Wilbert Blatt, Bob Blatt, Tom Blatt and sisters, Mary Kidder, Dreva Harris and Betty Billeter.

Surviving are her four children, Rebecca Szydlowski (Witold) of Wilbraham, MA, Teresa Arrington (Charles) of Boiling Springs, PA, Charles Stroup of Streetsboro, OH, Theodore Stroup (Bonnie) of Huntsville, AL; nine grandchildren, Izabela, Victoria (Matthew), Leo, Daniel (Rachel), Robert (Katie), Chuck (Christina), Ben (Elizabeth), Joe (Felicia), Andy (Brittany),  seven great-grandchildren, five siblings Ernie Blatt, Lena Smith, Phyllis Sonneberger, Frank Blatt, and Bonnie Hizer, several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 1 PM on Saturday December 29, 2018 at Stow Alliance Fellowship, 4460 Stow Road Stow, OH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made, in Melva’s name, to Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 2038 South Calhoun Highway, Grantsville, WV 26147.