Obituaries courtesy of News-Banner publications, posted with permission.
Nov. 11, 2000
Aldene Price, 94
Aldene Price, 94, of Bluffton, died at 10:30 p.m. Thursday at Hickory Creek, formerly
Extenda Care, in Bluffton of natural causes.
Mrs. Price worked as a secretary at Caylor-Nickel Clinic after retiring from many years of
work at the Bluffton Animal Clinic.
She was born in Wells County Dec. 30, 1906 to Emery and Elsie Jane Evans Church. Her
marriage at Hillsdale, Mich., on Sept. 21, 1924 was to Calvin B. Price, who died March 15,
1973.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Lee (Patt) Harter of Tucson, Ariz., five grandchildren,
seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. A sister, Mary Ann Blake, is
deceased.
There will be no funeral service or visitation hours. Burial will be at a later date.
Arrangements are by Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home.
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Nov. 13, 2000
Leroy O. Williams, 86
Leroy O. Williams, 86, of Montpelier, died at 6:35 p.m. Saturday at Blackford County
Hospital in Hartford City.
He retired in 1971 from Dana Corp in Marion. He formerly farmed in Jackson and Harrison
Townships in Blackford County.
Mr. Williams was a member of Montpelier Masonic Lodge 600, Scottish Rite Valley of Fort
Wayne and the former Red Man’s Lodge at Millgrove.
He was born in Blackford County April 14, 1914 , a son of Arlo L. and Ruth Jane Orndorff
Williams. His marriage at Millgrove on Aug. 27, 1932 was to Vera Curry, who survives.
Mr. Williams was a 1932 graduate of Montpelier High School and a member of the
Pleasantdale United Methodist Church.
Surviving, in addition to the wife, are a son, Gene of Montpelier; two daughters, Janice
“Jan” Younkin of Dunkirk and Mrs. Kay (Linda) Wolfe of Hartford City; eight grandchildren;
and 14 great-grandchildren. A sister is deceased.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel, at
Montpelier with Rev. Robert Davis officiating. Entombment will be in the mausoleum at
Gardens of Memory at Muncie.
Visitation hours at the funeral home are today from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 9 a.m.
until time for services.
Memorials to Montpelier-Harrison Township Cancer Society or to the Pleasantdale United
Methodist Church, rural Montpelier.
Phyllis N. Foltz, 67
Phyllis N. Foltz, 67, of the Chalet Village in Berne and formerly of Portland, died Sunday
afternoon at Wells Community Hospital.
She was retired from the Jay County Welfare Department and was a member of the Fellowship
Baptist Church in Portland.
She was born in Portland Feb. 21, 1933 to Chester and Nilah Hoover Foltz.
Surviving are three brothers, Donald Foltz of Liberty Center and Merritt Foltz and Marvin
Foltz, both of Geneva; four sisters, Kay Melick of Bryant, Patricia Hapner of Uniondale,
Barbara Myers of Charlotte, N.C., and Diana Frye of Illinois; and several nieces and
nephews.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Baird-Freeman Funeral Home in Portland with
Pastor Linwood Doane officiating. Burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery at Pennville.
Visitation hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m.
Memorials to the American Diabetes Association.
Vernice Thorne, 92; Rites Pending
Mrs. Vernice Thorne, 92, of Warren, died at 6:05 a.m. today at the Danville, Ind.,
Regional Rehabilitation & Convalescent Center. Arrangements are pending at Glancy
Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren.
Jacob J. Eicher, 61
Jacob J. Eicher, 61, Berne area farmer, died at 4:15 p.m. Sunday at Parkview Hospital in
Fort Wayne from complications of injuries sustained in an Oct. 28 truck-buggy accident.
A member of the Old Order Amish, he was born in Adams County June 27, 1939 to Joe E. and
Elizabeth Girod Eicher. His marriage in Adams County on Feb. 4, 1960 was to Edith
Schwartz, who survives.
Surviving also are eight sons, Jacob D. and Sam D., both of Bryant, Joseph D., Abraham D.,
Paul D., Levi D. and Enos, all of Berne, and Ben D. of Geneva; 10 daughters, Mrs. Dan T.
(Dehlia) Schwartz, Mrs. Dan F. (Ann) Schwartz and Ruth Eicher, all of Berne, Mrs. Joe L.
D. (Elizabeth) Schwartz and Mrs. Martin (Marie) Wickey, both of Decatur, Mrs. Walter
(Clara) Hilty and Mrs. William E. (Bertha) Schwartz, both of Monroe, Mrs. Enos R. (Edith)
Girod and Mrs. Ernest (Emma) Christner, both of Geneva, and Mrs. Mark (Martha) Yoder of
Willshire, Ohio.; and 94 grandchildren.
Others surviving are three brothers, Joseph J. of Geneva, and Sam J. and Ben J., both of
Berne; and six sisters, Mrs. Henry M. (Elizabeth) Schwartz and Mrs. Joe D.J. (Margaret)
Schwartz, both of Berne, Mrs. Sam (Frances) Brandenburger of New Haven, Mrs. Reuben N.
(Mary) Schwartz of Monroe, and Mrs. Peter L. (Naomi) Neuenschwander and Mrs. Raymond N.
(Emma) Schwartz, both of Geneva. Two sisters are deceased.
Services will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday at the family residence, 5121E 500S, Berne (Adams
County). Burial will be in Amish Bluecreek Cemetery.
Calling hours at the residence will be Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 9
a.m. to 9 p.m.
Arrangements are by Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home in Berne.
James ‘Jim’ Yoder, 68
James “Jim” L. Yoder, 68, of Linn Grove, died at 12:21 p.m. Saturday at Chalet Village in
Berne.
He was retired and was a former employee of Theodore Yoder & Sons Well Drilling Co.
and later McIntosh Co., Berne.
He was born in Adams County May 18, 1932 to Theodore “Ted” and Edith Campbell Yoder. He
was a member of Cross United Church of Christ.
Surviving are a sister, Coleen Mankey of Preble, and a brother, Robert Yoder of Fort
Wayne.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday will be at the Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home in Berne,
where calling hours will be Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. until time
for services.
Rev. Ralph Klinker will officiate and burial will be in the MRE Cemetery at Berne.
Memorials to Project Share Christmas Fund or to donor’s choice.
Sylvia Beeks — Rites Pending
Sylvia Beeks of Montpelier died this morning at Blackford County Hospital in Hartford City
after an extended illness. Arrangements are pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel
in Montpelier.
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Nov. 14, 2000
Sylvia Beeks, 76
Sylvia Beeks, 76, a resident of Montpelier since 1969, died at 9:20 a.m. Monday at
Blackford County Hospital in Hartford City.
She was a retired office employee and factory worker and had retired as a nurse’s aide at
the United Methodist Memorial Home at Warren.
Mrs. Beeks moved to the Montpelier area in 1969 from Houston, Texas. In Montpelier, she
was a member of the First Baptist Church and its Ladies Mission Society, former church
clerk and former member of the Deaconess Board.
She was born in LaGrange County March 14, 1924 to Floyd and Rosa May Murphy Goodpaster.
She was a graduate of Wolcottville High School in 1942.
Surviving are her husband, Daniel C. Beeks, to whom she was married on June 7, 1969 at
Montpelier; a son, David S. Reeder of Whitestown; and a sister, Edith Picker of Sturgis,
Mich. Three brothers and three sisters are deceased.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel, in
Montpelier, with Rev. Frank Rodgers officiating. Burial will be in Brookside Cemetery at
Montpelier.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and
Thursday from 9 a.m. until time for services.
Memorials to the First Baptist Church at Montpelier.
Harold W. Hilsmier, 91
A native of Ossian, Harold W. Hilsmier, 91, of Fort Wayne, died Sunday at Parkview
Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He was an engineer at General Electric Co., retiring in 1974 after more than 43 years.
His wife, Olga, died in 1999.
Surviving are three daughters, Nancy Sandifer of Alliance, Ohio, Gay Worth of Rushville
and Joy Bodine of Fort Wayne; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home, Wayne
Street Chapel, 420 West Wayne St., Fort Wayne, and burial will be in Covington Memorial
Gardens.
Calling will be one hour prior to services.
Memorials to Trinity English Lutheran Church.
Carol M. Goff, 90
A graveside service was held Monday afternoon at Pleasant View Cemetery in Blissfield,
Mich., for Carol M. Goff, 90, of Ossian, formerly of Fort Wayne.
Miss Goff died Friday at Caylor-Nickel Medical Center in Bluffton.
She was born in Blissfield, Mich., and was a teacher and librarian.
Surviving are a sister, Bernice Mackey of Sylvania, Ohio; a niece, Carol Borton of
Sylvania; and a nephew, Harry Mackey of South Bend.
A funeral service was held Monday morning at Elzey & Haggard Home for Funerals in
Waynedale.
Frieda L. Stavenik, 86
Frieda L. Stavenik, 86, of Fort Wayne, former beauty shop owner in Monroe as well at Fort
Wayne, died Friday at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Born in Marion, she was the owner and operator of Frieda’s Beauty Shop in Monroe from 1933
to 1968 and the East State Salon in Fort Wayne from 1970 to 1997.
Mrs. Stavenik was a member of the former Evangelical Christian Church of Fort Wayne.
Surviving are two daughters, Karlo and Roxann S. Carpenter, both of Fort Wayne; a son,
Mike Stavenik of Fort Wayne; and five grandchildren. Her husband, William H., preceded her
in death in 1982.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at D.O. McComb & Sons Lakeside Park Funeral
Home, 1140 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne, where calling hours are today from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9
p.m. Burial will be in the Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery east of Bluffton.
Memorials to Heartland Home Health Care & Hospice.
Gary W. Holley, 57
A memorial service for Gary W. Holley, 57, of Huntington will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday
at the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Huntington with Rev. Karl Fleig officiating. Myers
Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
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Nov. 15, 2000
Vernice L. Thorne, 91
A former resident of the Warren area, Vernice L. Thorne, 91, died at 6:05 a.m. Monday at
the Danville Regional Rehabilitation Center at Danville, Ind., to which she had moved
three months ago.
Mrs. Thorne first worked seven years as a secretary for the Jefferson Township School
District in Huntington County and later retired from Kitchen Fabulous in Fairmount.
She was born Dec. 20, 1908 at Peru to Perry and Mattie Swift Lees. Her marriage at
Fairmount on April 22, 1929 was to Ralph J. Thorne, who died June 3, 1982.
She was a 1925 graduate of Fairmount High School and was a member of the Fairmount
Christian Church.
Surviving are a son, David Thorne of Warren; a daughter, Diane Hiser of Avon; a sister,
Gladys Thompson of Fairmount; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Two brothers are deceased.
A graveside service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Gardens of Memory at
Marion with Rev. John Roof officiating. There will be no calling hours.
Arrangements are in charge of Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, at Warren.
Memorials to the Fairmount Christian Church.
Lucille Barton, 90
Mother of Delores J. Henderson of Bluffton, Lucille Barton, 90, died Monday at Riverbend
Health Care Center in Fort Wayne.
Born in Wayne County, she was a homemaker and attended Calvary Temple.
Surviving, in addition to the daughter in Bluffton, are a son, Charles Lambert of
Louisville, Ky.; three sisters, Geneva Ball of Orionville, Mich., Clara Stahl and Frieda
Dickerson, both of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; a brother, Chester Street of Paducah, Ky.; 22
grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren. Her husband,
James A., preceded her in death.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at D.O. McComb & Sons Foster Park Funeral Home,
6301 Fairfield Ave., Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior to services. Burial will be
in Williamsport Cemetery at Poe.
Memorials to the Allen County Cancer Society or to the American Diabetes Association.
Rosemary Helen Paddock, 51— Rites Pending
Rosemary Helen Paddock, 51, a former resident of Bluffton and Fort Wayne, died at 7:40
p.m. Tuesday at the Markle Health Care Center. Among the surviving relatives is her
father, George Paddock of Fort Wayne. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Sheets
Funeral Home in Churubusco.
John I. Vendrick, 73 — Rites Pending
John I. Vendrick, 73, of Warren, died Sunday at Butler Lake, Fla. Rites are pending at
Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel in Warren.
Ronald L. Kline, 56
Ronald L. Kline, 56, of rural Huntington and an elementary teacher in Huntington, died at
8:11 p.m. Tuesday at Huntington Memorial Hospital.
He was a sixth grade teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School and coached the sixth grade
boys basketball team for many years.
Mr. Kline, a 1962 graduate of West Union High School in Huntington County and a 1966
graduate of Huntington College, received his master’s degree from the University of Saint
Francis in Fort Wayne.
He worked as a Huntington County farmer for 30 years, was a truck driver for Schenkel’s
Dairy in Huntington and was the owner of Kline’s Mowing Service.
He also was a member of St. Peter’s First Church of Christ in Huntington, the Moose Lodge
and an avid supporter of the Huntington College men’s basketball team.
He was born Feb. 1, 1944 in Huntington to Gilbert C. and Miriam E. Ream Kline. His
marriage in Huntington on Aug. 31, 1991 was to Sylvia Bissell, who survives.
Additional survivors are two sons, Jon and Jason, both of Huntington; two daughters, Ms.
Andrea Buzzard and Mrs. Clint (Julie) Sluss, both of Wabash; two stepdaughters, Theresa
Bissell of Fort Wayne and Tammy Bissell of Convoy, Ohio; two brothers, James L. and Jerry
E., both of Huntington; two sisters, Mrs. Jim (Janet) Smith of Sterling Heights, Mich.,
and Mrs. Tom (Linda) Jennings of Huntington; and nine grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Myers Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, with Rev.
Jonathan Heaslet officiating. Interment will be in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery in
Fort Wayne.
Visitation hours at the funeral chapel will be Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorials to the American Heart Association.
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Nov. 16, 2000
William Dwight Pennington, 43
William “Bill” Dwight Pennington, 43, of Geneva, former Sterling Casting Co. worker, died
at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday at Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He formerly was employed for 22 years at the Sterling Casting Co. in Bluffton and was a
trainer of and showed dogs. He was a graduate of Pennville High School and attended Purdue
University.
He was born at Portland Nov. 24, 1956 to Carl E. and Gladys Lee Pennington. His father
died in 1983. His mother survives and resides in Geneva.
Surviving also are five brothers, Matthew W. of Mendon, Ohio, Carl L. of Bryant, Jim L. of
Decatur, Raymond “Scott” of Geneva and Rex A. of Berne; a sister, Mary A. Pennington of
Geneva; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home in
Bluffton with Rev. Cindy Osgood officiating. Burial will be in Stahl Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m.
Rosemary Helen Paddock, 51
Funeral services for Rosemary Helen Paddock, 51, a former resident of Bluffton, will be
held at 11 a.m. Friday in the Greenlawn Cemetery Chapel of the Cross in Fort Wayne.
Ms. Paddock died at 7:40 p.m. Tuesday at the Markle Health Care Center.
She was born in Fort Wayne Feb. 22, 1949 to George and Ruth Stonebrook Paddock. She spend
most of her life in Fort Wayne and lived in Bluffton for a period of time before entering
the nursing home.
She was a member of the North Christian Church in Fort Wayne.
Surviving are her father, George Paddock of Fort Wayne, and two cousins, W.O. Shearer of
Dahlongea, Ga., and Charles Hostman of Louisville, Ky.
She was preceded in death by her mother in 1984 and by a cousin, Robert Shearer, in June.
Services will be conducted by Rev. Denise Devault and calling at the cemetery chapel will
be for 30 minutes prior to the interment services.
Sheets Funeral Home in Churubusco is in charge of arrangements.
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Nov. 17, 2000
Harold Ansel Thomas, 79
A former resident of Markle, Harold Ansel Thomas, 79, died Nov. 8 at his home in
Oceanside, Calif.
Born in Markle, he owned and operated the Thomas Milling Co. in Markle with his father for
40 years. He was a veteran of U.S. Army service during World War II.
Surviving are his wife, LeDonna; two daughters, Christine Wuth of Malibu, Calif., and
Donna Thomas Thornburg of Temecula, Calif.; two sons, Eric of Temecula and Gary of
Boulder, Colo.; a brother, Ralph of Fort Wayne; and five grandchildren.
There were no services or calling. Arrangements were by AcuCare Mortuary in Carlsbad,
Calif.
Lois Maxine Smith, 76
Lois Maxine Smith, 76, of Andrews, died Wednesday at Wabash County Hospital in Wabash.
Born in Wells County, she retired from Triad-Utrad in Huntington and also worked at
Evergreen Manor in Huntington until 1991.
Her first husband, Vaughn Gray, died in 1970. A son, Billy Jene Gray, also is deceased.
Surviving are her husband, Charles G.; a daughter, Patricia Biehl of Lagro; two sons,
Larry W. Gray of Wabash and Bob Gray of Andrews; a sister, Elaine Kindlesparger of
Andrews; a brother, Lloyd Kindlesparger of Fort Wayne; 16 grandchildren; and 12
great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Deal-Robbins & VanGilder, Andrews Chapel, where
calling hours are today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in Hopewell Cemetery at
Wabash.
Bernadine A. Graue, 79
Mother of Dee Double of Ossian, Bernadine A. Graue, 79, died Wednesday at her home in Fort
Wayne.
She was born in Fort Wayne and was a homemaker.
Surviving are her husband, Walter A.; three other daughters, Sandy Baughn of Wolcottville,
Janell R. Graue and Doris Urick, both of Fort Wayne; eight grandchildren; and a
great-grandchild.
Services at 11 a.m. Saturday will be at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home Winchester
Road Chapel, 6424 Winchester Rd., Fort Wayne. Burial will be in Concordia Gardens
Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home are today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and also Saturday
for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to Bethlehem Lutheran Church.