David L. Kaercher 1934-2025

Born Dec. 3, 1934, Dave was the youngest child of Paul and Charlotte Kaercher and was raised in McDonald. As the baby of the family, he was affectionately known as “Punky,” and later in life, he was typically just called “Coach.”

Dave was a natural-born athlete and excelled in multiple sports at an early age, including baseball, football, basketball and track. He established many school records while attending McDonald High School and was a state pole vaulting champion.

He played football in college for both Mount Union and Heidelberg universities before joining the Army, where his athletic skills gave him the opportunity to play football for the Army in Japan. He was honorably discharged after serving with the 101st Airborne Division of the 506th Infantry Regiment.

After returning home from the Army, his childhood friend, MaryAnn Benyo Baldwin, introduced him to her sorority sister. This introduction led Dave to marry his life partner, Angela “Dolly” Ballotta, in 1956, and establish their family in Niles.

Dave managed the Waddell Pool during summers while finishing his degree in education from Youngstown State University. His interest and intellect in all things science led him to a fulfilling career teaching biology at Mineral Ridge High School for more than 30 years.

Although raised a McDonald Blue Devil, Dave was a devoted Ridge Ram and his heart bled orange and black. He channeled his love of sports into a rewarding coaching career at Mineral Ridge, serving in multiple coaching roles (including a stint as cheerleading advisor!) and mentoring hundreds of high school and junior high school students in football, basketball and golf. He was passionate about coaching players in the fundamentals of a sport, helping them develop skills to excel, and more importantly to Dave, enjoy the game. Despite never playing competitive tennis himself, Dave channeled his innate understanding of sports to mentor and coach both his daughter and granddaughter in tennis, resulting in two state qualifiers and a college hall of fame inductee.

Although sometimes caught drawing up basketball plays on church bulletins during Mass, Dave was devoted to his Catholic faith from his youth as an altar boy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in McDonald to attending St. Pope John XXIII Parish-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles for the majority of his adult life.

There wasn’t anything Dave wouldn’t do or travel for when it came to his family. Whether school sporting events, tennis lessons and tournaments all over the Midwest, or dance competitions, music concerts and beauty pageants, distance never mattered to Dave as he was always there to support his children and grandchildren in all their activities. (It’s estimated he sat through at least 33 dance recitals, in itself worthy of angel wings!) His hilarious, off-the-wall comments and observations will always be fondly remembered by his family.

After family, Dave’s other passion was golf. He loved the game, coached it, and continued hitting the ball long and straight while winning skins games well into his 80s.

Dave was preceded in death by his wife, Angela; his parents; and siblings, Robert Kaercher, Donald Kaercher and Shirley Metzinger.

He will be deeply missed by his daughters, Sandra (Robert) Haskell of Stow and Denise (Brian) Leipold of South Lyon, Michigan; and granddaughters Madison Haskell, Meredith Haskell, Tara Leipold and Joanna Leipold; in addition to many nieces and nephews in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The family would like to thank the staff on 3East at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center for the care and compassion they provided to Dave while he was hospitalized.

Family and friends may call 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 7, 2025, with funeral services following at 6 p.m., at the Joseph Rossi and Sons Funeral Home in Niles.

Burial will be in Niles City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dave’s memory to Mineral Ridge Schools for either athletic or science programs. Donations should be mailed to Weathersfield Local School District, 1334 Seaborn St., Mineral Ridge, OH 44440, with notation in Dave Kaercher’s memory and designation.

Arrangements are being handled by the Joseph Rossi and Sons Funeral Home in Niles. Family and friends can visit www.josephrossifuneralhome.com to view this obituary and send condolences to Dave’s family.

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