Elizabeth A. "Liz" Ketch

Elizabeth Anne Ketch, a devoted nurse, beloved sister, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on September 14, 2026 in Genoa, Ohio, following a recent illness. She was 83 years old. Liz was born in Elyria, Ohio, on September 17, 1942, to Leslie and Bernadine (Obringer) Ketch. She was the oldest of five siblings and enjoyed caring for her younger sisters and brother. She graduated from Elyria Catholic High School in 1960.

Upon graduation, Liz entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in Rocky River, Ohio. During her time there, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from St. John’s School of Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. She went on to devote her life to nursing and caring for others.

Liz began her nursing career at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain, Ohio. She later continued her nursing career at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, before moving to Gainesville, Florida, where she worked at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She concluded her nursing career working for the state of Florida in Gainesville. Throughout her years as a nurse, Liz was committed to serving others through her profession and her compassionate care.

After retiring, Liz moved to Whittier, North Carolina, where she enjoyed the beauty and quiet of the Smoky Mountains and the Oconaluftee River and where she lived until her recent illness. She cherished her longtime friend and companion, Peggy Jennings, and remained close with her siblings, nieces, nephews, and extended family. Liz will be remembered for her dedication to nursing, her caring nature, her independence, and her devotion to the people she loved.

Liz is survived by her longtime friend and companion, Peggy Jennings; her siblings, Gertrude (Dan) Jarven of Oberlin, OH, Rose (Dick) Fulton of Curtice, OH, and Jim (Judi) Ketch of Springboro, OH; her nieces, Erin (Mike) Thuente, Jenna Ketch, and Sasha (Rolf) Schumacher; and nephews, David (Charyse) Jarven, Ric (Pam) Fulton, Bryan Fulton and Tim Fulton. She also leaves great-nieces and nephews John and Ema McMillion-Jarven, Leah and Brendan Thuente, Eric Fulton, Ashley (Robert) Anderson, and Paisley, Jack, and Stella Anderson. Liz is also survived by close friends Paul, Kathleen, and Matthew Ruppert.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Bernadine Ketch; her sister, Mary Jane Schumacher; brother-in-law Bob Schumacher; and her nieces, Kara Ketch Schumacher and Tasha Schumacher. The family would like to thank the staff at Genoa Retirement Village and Hospice of Northwest Ohio for their compassionate care of Liz.

Donations can be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or St. Jude’s Children's Hospital in her honor. Elizabeth will be laid to rest next to her parents, sister, and niece Kara at St. Mary Cemetery in Elyria, Ohio.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 11:30 a.m. until the time of service at 12:30 p.m. at Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home, 38475 Chestnut Ridge Road (at State Route 57), in Elyria, Ohio. Reverend Father Charles T. Diedrick, pastor, will officiate. Interment at St. Mary Cemetery in Elyria will immediately follow. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.laubenthalmercado.com. Arrangements entrusted to Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home in Elyria.