Anita Musgrave Obituary

Anita M. Musgrave

Anita Marie Musgrave, 64, lost her courageous battle with cancer on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, and went home to her heavenly reward and ultimate healing. She passed into Heaven peacefully, surrounded by her husband Jim, son Jesse, and her daughter-in-law Hailey. Anita was a bright, joyful, tender, and supremely graceful woman who loved the Lord and her family above all else.

She was born Anita Marie Baum on Dec. 31, 1959, to Robert and Charlene Baum, who preceded her in death in 2021 and 2019, respectively. She served proudly as Hancock County Recorder from 1988 to 2008. Additionally, she had the great privilege of donating a kidney to her niece, Merideth, in 1997. Her two greatest joys on Earth were her husband Jim Musgrave, whom she married March 12, 1994, and her son Jesse, born March 8, 2000. Hailey Musgrave, nee Ledford, added to those joys and married Jesse in April 2023. Anita often called her a "daughter-in-love." She enjoyed gardening, landscaping, cooking, deer hunting with her husband and son, reading, and traveling. Her daily three-mile walks with the family dog Molly were Anita's times of prayer and communion with God.

Anita's battles with cancer began in 2002, with a diagnosis of stage two ovarian cancer. She fought through a four-hour surgery and eight rounds of chemotherapy to emerge in remission and able to raise her son and enjoy trips to Cozumel, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, England, and more than ten U.S. states. In April 2021, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which recurred three years later and spread to other organs. Nevertheless, Anita fought bravely and without a single complaint until her death. It was her faith and her God-given determination that kept her battling ever hopefully through the symptoms of brain swelling and pleural effusion. That faith in God to heal her was unflapping to the end, as was her love of family, who surrounded her, prayed with her, and read her scripture on the fifth floor of St. Vincent's the day before she passed. Those family members on the Baum and Musgrave sides recall that afternoon gladly, as they witnessed God give Anita supernatural strength of will even at the end of her life to rally and worship Him with her family.

When Anita's son, daughter-in-love, and husband released her into the waiting hands of God, she responded with joy and ready anticipation, not fear. Anita's story is not one of cancer and disease but of faith in God, strength, healing, and family. She brought so many together with her kindness and generosity, and her family is learning to reckon with the significant absence her passing has left. They know that life will never be the same and she will always be missed, but she would never want to return.

She is reunited with many family members who preceded her, Robert and Charlene Baum, Merideth Baum, and Emilee Baum-Joyner. Anita has joined them in worshipping the Heavenly Father, who has brought all of them, fully healed, to His Perfect Home.

Anita is survived by her husband, Jim; son, Jesse (Hailey) Musgrave; stepson, Levi (Emily) Musgrave; stepdaughter, Tamara Pahl; siblings, Dennis (Deb) Baum, Kevin (Ann) Baum, Greg Baum and Lisa Baum; and her stepgrandchildren, Gavin, Gabe, Chloe, Odessa and Jasper.

A public visitation will be from 1-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at Hufford Family Funeral Home, with a service starting at 3 p.m.

Contributions in Anita's memory may be given to Cancer Patient Services, 1800 N. Blanchard Street, Suite 120, Findlay, Ohio 45840.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.huffordfh.com.