Mabel Caris Warns Sergen was born in Wood County Ohio to Adam Caris and Mary Ann Alleman Caris on September 6, 1895, one of nine children. She married Ruben Benjamin Warns on November 5, 1913. Together they had three children, a daughter Margaret and then sons Glen R. and Marion Warns before separating in the twenties.
Mabel then married Harry "Red" Sergen in 1960 in Steuben Indiana and together they ran several businesses. The family meant the world to them and they lived in a duplex later in life renting the unit above to anyone in the family needing shelter. When someone would move on we would gather and paint and clean the unit for the next person. There was always a full house.
Their house was filled with things that both of them held dear. He had his taxidermy fish covering some walls and grandfather/mother clocks that Harry built in the living room and dining room. Other walls were adorned with her needlepoint designs and ceramic fish. The home was an eclectic blend of the two of them with one bedroom being very Victorian themed while they other was all about the boats that Red used to design and build in his shop. Their knickknacks were sold all around the city before crafting was popular with Red cutting out designs on the scroll saw and Mabel painting them-- including the duck note holder with the close pin bill, the beer can chairs with crushed velvet seats. At one point she also owned a family dance hall called Timber Gardens, restaurant and performed with her horse Prince for the public. She made her own freezer pickles, dandelion salads, dandelion wine and every Sunday she burned the roast beef! The family always had a beautiful garden and grew almost all of their own food.
Mabel survived the Psalm Sunday tornado in 1965 and lost her home at 6113 Summit Street, Toledo OH and their neighbor to whom she was a caregiver, Mr. Nye, to the storm. Mabel was left under the debris clutching the dining room oak table that they family gathered around years later. She was listed in serious condition and lived to fight another day. She had a bald spot on the top of her head and used to spin a tale about the tornado doing that damage, as well as push her knuckles back on her hand. In reality it was possibly a hereditary thyroid problem inherited from her father that did that damage and subsequently causing her stroke. (I suffer the same damage from a thyroid problem, and did not go through a tornado like Ggrandma)
Mabel suffered a stroke/broken hip leaving her paralyzed on her left side in 1976 and was devastated to have to ask for any help. She was the best at comforting others and agonized at not being able to be that for those that she loved.
Mabel was like a mother to me since we lived above her when I was born and when she died it was like losing a parent for me. She was a fantastic lady and I miss her everyday!