Rev. Mikesell remembered as kind, spirit- filled

Area residents fondly remembered well- known community member Rev. Elaine Mikesell, who passed away Friday in a car crash.

Mikesell had been traveling home from the veterinarian before the accident. According to Dr. Chad Higgins. Her dog Tebeau, was a double doodle. Higgins is also president of the Lima Area Concert Band; Mikesell played tenor sax for 25 years for the band. “She was a big part of the band — someone everyone respected,” Higgins said.

She was also apart of the band’s board or directors. He said she had a calming influence on everybody.

Higgins said Miksell like to volunteer, but was very low- key in her efforts. He recalled she always volunteered to give the invocation at their annual band banquet.

Mikesell was also a volunteer with the Wapakoneta YMCA.

Josh Little, CEO of the organization, said he had known her as a board member at the Y.

She was on the CEO search committee and also the first chair of the Christian Emphasis Committee.

“I don’t remember anytime I asked her for help and she didn’t say yes,” Little said.

Little had nominated her for the Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the

Year award.

Using house hunting as an example, Little said he happened to be looking at the same house as she was. Mikesell offered to step back as she was concerned about he and his family needing a house. He said it showed how much she cared about others — being willing to give up a house she really liked and ended up living in.

Little said he last saw her Friday morning when Mikesell came to swim at the facility.

Georgia Mcmichael, a member of the Spencerville United Church of Christ board, said when Mikesell was assigned as an interim pastor, she walked into a turbulent situation.

Mcmichael said Mikesell’s gentle smile, peaceful demeanor and steadfast faith was just what that church congregation needed. “She was a quiet woman, but powerful. She healed our church,” Mcmichael said. Mcmichael said Mikesell made it seem like everything was going to be OK.

“She was a special friend to all of us,” Mcmichael said.

Cindy Oehlhof attends the Spencerville Church and said Mikesell inspired people to do things they normally wouldn’t do, including recruiting people for mission trips.

Pastor Scott Johnson said Mikesell had planned to go on a mission trip to El Salvador this spring but was prevented due to COVID- 19. He was impressed with both Mikesell and her husband’s dedication to mission work.

“It’s remarkable, she and Alan were just troopers,” he said.

He said she was dearly loved by the congregation.

“She just seemed to embody Christ,” Johnson said.

Association Minister Dan Busch said Mikesell was a generous, kind person; he had known her for 15 years. Busch said she was easy to talk to and a spirit- filled person; although quiet she could express herself quite well.

She also served at the Westminster church in Harrod, St. Paul in Wapakoneta and as a chaplain at Memorial Hospital. “Congregations loved her. She could listen to people very well. She lived her faith in what she did,” Busch said.