Obituaries courtesy of News-Banner publications, posted with permission.
Nov. 25, 2000
Joyce A. Costello, 69
Joyce A. Costello, 69, of 201W 500N, Decatur, died at 11:33 a.m. Friday at Woodcrest
Nursing Center in Decatur.
Born May 14, 1931, in Fort Wayne, she was a daughter of Jake and Mae Shoaf Musser. Her
marriage was on Dec. 31, 1953, to Alfonso Costello, who preceded her in death in October
of 1980.
Mrs. Costello was a homemaker and a member of the Union Chapel United Methodist Church.
Surviving are one son, Ralph Costello of Decatur, four daughters, Mr.s Francis (Tina)
Geels, Mrs. Ray (Louisa A.) Costello-Clark, LeeAnn Costello and Beth E. Costello, all four
of Decatur; two sisters, Alice Stuart of Kokomo and Carol Norris of Fort Wayne; seven
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A daughter, Penny Costello, died in 1982. Also preceding Mrs. Costello in death were a
granddaughter, Jade E. Markley; two brothers, Zane and William Musser, and one sister,
Betty Musser.
Calling will be today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 at Haggard
& Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur, where services will be at 11 a.m. Monday with Rev.
Jeff Taylor officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery at Decatur.
Memorials to the family.
Joe D. Leman, 99
Father of Fern Leman of Bluffton, Joe D. Leman, 99, of 1010 B Davidson St., Roanoke, Ill.,
died at 2:35 a.m. Friday at the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Home in Roanoke. Ill.
He was born April 17, 1901, in Roanoke to John and Elizabeth Zimmerman Leman. His marriage
was on Oct. 27, 1935, in Roanoke, Ill., to Dena Fehr, who preceded him in death on April
6, 1985.
Surviving, in addition to the Bluffton daughter, are two sons, Wallace Leman of St. Johns,
Washington, and Marvin Leman of Galva, Ill.; another daughter, Karen Leman of Roanoke,
Ill.; two brothers, Irvin Leman of Peoria, Ill., and Wilmer Leman of Roanoke, Ill.; 13
grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. Preceding him in
death were one brother, two sisters, one granddaughter and one great-great grandson.
A lifetime farmer in the Roanoke, Ill. area, Mr. Leman was a member of the Roanoke
Apostolic Christian Church.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Church in Roanoke,
Ill., with church ministers officiating. Visitation will be from 1 to 3 and 5 to 7 Sunday
at Knapp-Johnson-Harris Funeral Home in Roanoke and from 9 a.m. to 9:45 prior to the
service Monday. Burial will be in Roanoke Apostolic Christian Cemetery there.
Memorials to the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Home, 1102 West Randolph, Roanoke, Ill.
61561, or Methodist Medical Center Hospice Program, 221 N.E. Glen Oak Avenue, Peoria, Ill.
61636.
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Nov. 27, 2000
Garth L. Durr, 88
Retired International Harvester Co. employee, Garth L. Durr, 88, died unexpectedly early
Sunday at his residence at 4239E 400N, Bluffton.
He retired in 1972 from the engineering department at International Harvester in Fort
Wayne after 37 years. He was a member of the Moose Lodge in Bluffton and an avid coon
hunter and sports fan.
He was born in Wells County Feb. 13, 1912 to Oliver H. and Cora D. Brown Durr. His
marriage in Wells County on April 24, 1943 was to Catherine Elston, who died in August
1956.
Surviving are a son, Thomas L. Durr of Liberty Center; a daughter, Mrs. Steve (Sonia) Shaw
of rural Bluffton; a brother, Marvin “Jack” Durr of Auburn; two sisters, Velma “Val” Henke
and Betty VanZant, both of Auburn; and three grandchildren.
A daughter, Donna Dian Durr, died in February 1947. Five brothers and a sister also are
deceased.
Services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney
Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Heimach officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 2 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 9
a.m. until time for services.
Memorials to the Bluffton High School Athletic Association or to the First Presbyterian
Church.
Larry ‘Pete’ Gaunt, 67
Larry “Pete” Gaunt, 67, who resided at 320 West Dustman Rd., died at 11:49 a.m. Saturday
at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He was manager of the Valley Park Apartments.
Mr. Gaunt was born in Bluffton Jan. 19, 1933 to Rolland and Rachel Bay Gaunt. His marriage
at Bluffton on July 31, 1983 was to Linda Stout, who survives.
Other survivors are two sons, Gregory Gaunt of Massachusetts and Robert Gaunt of Bluffton;
three daughters, Mrs. Duane (Debby) Hill of Markle, Mrs. Jeff (Cindy) Brown of Bluffton
and Mrs. Ron (Mary) Hillsmeyer of Wisconsin; four stepchildren, Michael Heckman, Steaven
Heckman, David Heckman and Mrs. David (Amanda) Sherman, all of Bluffton; a sister, Becky
Hay of Bluffton; 10 grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Goodwin Memorial Chapel, where calling hours are
today from 2 to 8 p.m.
Rev. Larry Sheets will officiate and burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery.
Memorials to the family.
Virginia Ruby Smith, 89
Virginia Ruby Smith, 89, of Warren, died Saturday at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.
She was born in Columbus, Ohio, and was a former resident of Hartford City.
Mrs. Smith retired as a bus driver after 35 years for the Blackford County schools.
Her husband, Fred A., died in 1997.
Surviving are two daughters, Mary Ann Jones of Leesburg, Fla., and Alberta L. Johnston of
Punta Gorda, Fla; a sister, Austin Reed of Memphis, Tenn.; four grandchildren; and six
great-grandchildren.
There will be no services.
Visitation hours at Keplinger Funeral Home in Hartford City will be Tuesday from 5 to 8
p.m.
Memorials to the donor’s choice.
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Nov. 28, 2000
Nelson W. Outcalt, 83
Father of Mrs. Harold L. (Vicki) Kinzie of Bluffton, Nelson W. “Willie” Outcalt, 83, of
Mishawaka, died at 12:20 p.m. Sunday at St. Joseph Community Hospital in Mishawaka.
He was employed by Bendix Products as a supervisor, engineer and draftsman, retiring in
1980 after 39 years.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mishawaka and Yateman Masonic
Lodge 162, life member of South Bend Valley of the Scottish Rite, and member of 15AC
Bendix Retirement Club and Eagles Lodge.
Mr. Outcalt was born May 17, 1917 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Nelson and Ethel Armstrong
Outcalt. He was a 1937 graduate of Western High School in Cincinnati and attended
Cincinnati University for three years.
His marriage on Feb. 4, 1939 was to Marie Elizabeth Kreyling, who preceded him in death. A
son, Gerald N., a sister and a granddaughter also are deceased.
Surviving, in addition to the daughter in Bluffton, are another daughter, Mrs. Ronald A.
(Karen) Miller of Kenosha, Wis.; a sister, Grace C. Wendt of Cincinnati; eight
grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola with Rev.
Lorin Clemenz officiating. Interment will be at Chapel Hills Memorial Gardens in Osceola.
Calling hours at the funeral home are today from 2 to 8 p.m. A Masonic service will be
conducted at 7 p.m. today.
Memorials to the Shriners Hospital.
Viola M. Sickafus, 82
Viola M. Sickafus, 82, of Uniondale, died at 9 a.m. Monday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort
Wayne.
A homemaker, she formerly resided at Laketon, Ind. She was born in Genoa, Colo., Sept. 4,
1918 to Charles and Emma Fulk Wenger. Her marriage on Oct. 18, 1943 was to Ralph E.
Sickafus, who died April 12, 1988.
Surviving are a son, Warren Berkey of Uniondale; a daughter, Vera Patrick of Uniondale;
eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren. Two
brothers and two sisters are deceased.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at DeLaughter-McKee Mortuary, North Manchester
Chapel, with Pastor Bob Conley officiating. Burial will be in Laketon Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral chapel will be Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Florence M. Roop, 90
A native of Wells County, Florence M. Roop, 90, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., died Friday at
Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.
She was a former resident of Decatur and was a homemaker. Her husband, D. Glenn, died in
1997.
Surviving are a son, David L. of Pembroke Pines; four sisters, Thelma Stauffer of
Charleston, S.C., Betty Scott of Decatur, Rose Mary Ingle of Davidson, Mich., and Naomi
Mora of Redding, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur, where
calling will be for two hours prior to services. Burial will be in Decatur Cemetery.
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Nov. 29, 2000
Rosalyn A. Kuhn, 68
A sister of Anna Jane Gillion of Bluffton, Rosalyn A. Kuhn, 68, of Angola, died Tuesday at
St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Born in Decatur, she was a nutrition site director for aging and in-home services.
Her husband, Merle L., died in 1997.
Surviving, in addition to the sister at Bluffton, are a son, Larry of Fort Wayne; a
daughter, Sonja Kuhn of Angola; a bother, Larry Schwartz of Indianapolis; and three other
sisters, Coleen Allmandinger of Berne, Virginia Sprunger of Elkhart and Gertrude Kropa of
Massachusetts.
A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at Sonlight Community Church in Angola,
where calling hours will be Friday from 2 to 5 p.m.
Memorials to the church or to Cameron Hospice and Home Health.
Arrangements are by Weicht Funeral Home in Angola.
Donald ‘Jack’ Fenstermaker, 83
A native of Geneva, Ind., and a retired postal supervisor, Donald “Jack” Fenstermaker, 83,
died Oct. 22 in Vancouver, Wash.
He retired in 1979 as an assistant postmaster/director of customer services from the U.S.
Postal Service. He formerly resided in Fort Wayne.
Surviving are his wife, Virginia; a daughter, Susan McNamara of Talent, Oreg.; a son,
James McNamara of Vancouver; a brother, Myron McNamara of Kendallville; four
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Elzey & Haggard Home for
Funerals, 6810 Old Trail Rd., Fort Wayne.
Calling will be for one hour prior to the service.
Memorials to Shriners Children’s Hospital.
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Nov. 30, 2000
Mary F. Cox, 91
Mary F. Cox, 91, formerly of Roanoke, died at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday at the Norwood Nursing
Center in Huntington.
She was a bookstore manager for IPFW for 26 years, retiring in 1972. She was a member of
the Seminary United Methodist Church in Roanoke and she and her husband, Paul, sang
together for many years in Huntington area churches.
She was born in Fort Wayne Oct. 5, 1909 to William G. and Dorthea W. Fahlsing Mertz, Her
marriage on Dec. 14, 1926 in Fort Wayne was to Paul B. Cox, who was teacher for many years
at Roanoke High School. Mr. Cox died in 1985.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Walter (Doris) Lewark of Roanoke; three grandchildren, Greg
Lewark of Albion, Mrs. Lynn (Lisa) Nicholson of Roanoke and Mrs. Greg (Lori) Mosher Jr. of
Denver, Colo.; and seven great-grandchildren. Two sisters and a great-granddaughter are
deceased.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Seminary United Methodist Church in Roanoke
with one hour of visitation prior to services. Officiating will be Rev. Mark Klinepeter
and Rev. Martha Troyan Lyon and interment will be in Glenwood Cemetery at Roanoke.
Visitation hours also will be at Myers Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, Sunday from 2 to 4
and 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorials to the church.
Barbara Jean (McCann) McCracken, 70
Mother of Mrs. Kirk (Linda) Gumpp of Uniondale, Barbara Jean McCracken, 70, of Fort Wayne,
died Tuesday at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Mrs. McCracken worked as a data entry clerk in New Haven for HWI Hardware Stores. She also
had worked at GCE/Thorson in Rockford, Ill. She was a member of the Pythian Sisters in
Auburn.
She was born in Decatur Sept. 7, 1930 to Omer and Reba Roop McManama.
Surviving, in addition to the daughter at Uniondale, are a son, Jerry McCann of Butler;
four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A brother and a sister are deceased.
Visitation hours at Myers Funeral Home, Markle Chapel, will be Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m.
with a private family service following at 11 a.m. Pastor David Ballinger will officiate.
A graveside service will be at a later date at Willwood Cemetery at Rockford, Ill.
Memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Ruth D. Lauer, 75
Ruth D. Lauer, 75, of Wabash, mother of Elaine K. Darnell of Bluffton, died at 6 p.m.
Wednesday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
She was retired from clerical work at Dataview in Wabash.
She was born at Kieffer, W.Va., March 15, 1925 to Jennings and Zenna Walkup Hunter. Her
marriage on Dec. 20, 1945 was to Dennis Lemoine Lauer, who died Feb. 7, 1995.
Surviving, in addition to the daughter at Bluffton, are a son, Dennie L. II of Logansport;
another daughter, Susan M. Dunn of Wabash and four granddaughters.
Other survivors are four brothers, Roy M. Hunter of Meadow Bluff, W.Va., Robert Hunter and
Kirby Blankenship, both of Kieffer, W.Va., and Carl Hunter of Rupert, W.Va.; three
sisters, Mrs. Ted (Gay) Eilts and Mrs, Hank (Jackie) Eilts, both of Wabash, and Mrs.
Charles (Gladys) Hedrick of Kessler, W.Va.; four grandchildren; and three
great-grandchildren. Two brothers are deceased.
Services at 10 a.m. Saturday will be at McDonald Funeral Home, Eddingfield Chapel, in
Wabash, where calling hours will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Pastor S. P. Freeman will
officiate and burial will be in St. Peter’s Cemetery at Urbana.
Merea E. Woodworth, 90
A native of Wells County, Merea E. Woodworth, 90, of Fort Wayne, died Tuesday in Parkview
Hospital in Fort Wayne.
She retired in 1980 as an office worker from Royal Lace Paper after 12 years.
Her husband, Earl L., died in 1964.
Surviving are a stepdaughter, Phyllis Dronberger of Alexandria; two nephews and a niece.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Elzey & Haggard Home for Funerals, 6810 Old
Trail Rd., Fort Wayne, where calling hours are today from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in
North Webster Cemetery.
An Eastern Star service will be conducted at 7 p.m. today.
Memorials to Bethany United Methodist Church or to Heartland Hospice.
____________________________________________________________
Dec. 1, 2000
Shirley S. Anderson, 63
A sister of two Markle residents, Shirley S. Anderson, 63, of Kokomo, died at 12:38 p.m.
Thursday at St. Hospital & Health Center in Kokomo.
She formerly worked as a teller at the Union Bank and Trust and Key Bank.
Mrs. Anderson was a member of Psi Iota Xi Sorority, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and
of its choir, Joy Fellowship, Naomi Circle of United Methodist Woman and Fa-Ho-Cha Sunday
school class.
She was born at Plum Tree in Huntington County Nov. 27, 1937 to William C. and Berniece D.
Hoover Sheets. Her marriage at Markle on Oct. 14, 1956 was to Howard “Tom” Anderson, who
survives.
Other survivors are two daughters, Mrs. David (Sherry) Brechbiel of Monticello and Mrs.
John (Julie) Rowe of Bloomington, Minn.; four sisters, Mrs. Max (Wava) Miller of Warren,
Lois Mae Double and Mrs. Bob (Ann) Jackson, both of Markle, and Mrs. Doyle (June)
Pursifull of Elizabethtown, Ky.; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Services at 10 a.m. Monday will be at Ellers Mortuary, Webster Street Chapel, in Kokomo
with Rev. Dr. Ronald Ver Lee and Rev. Harold E. Williams officiating.
Calling hours at the Kokomo chapel will be Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
A graveside service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Monday at the Markle Cemetery at Markle.
Memorials to St. Luke’s United Methodist choir fund or to the Leukemia Society of
America.
Blaine Stuart Lockwood, 53
Blaine Stuart Lockwood, 53, of Huntington, died at 7:08 p.m. Thursday at Lutheran Hospital
in Fort Wayne.
He worked for 32 years as an executive sales administrator for Shuttleworth Inc. in
Huntington.
Mr. Lockwood was a 1966 graduate of Huntington High School and earned a two-year degree
from Radel College in Fort Wayne. He was a member of Central Christian Church in
Huntington.
He was born in Huntington County Sept. 19, 1947, a son of Max and Jean Hughes Lockwood.
His marriage on May 11, 1968 in Huntington was to Judy Brumbaugh, who survives.
Additional survivors are a son, Scott W. of Huntington; two daughters, Julie K. Lockwood
and Melissa J. Lockwood, both of Huntington; and a brother, Bruce Lockwood of Coconut
Creek, Fla. Two brothers, Brent and Brady, are deceased.
Services at 2 p.m. Monday will be at Myers Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, with Pastor
Mike Urschel officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery at Huntington.
Visitation hours at the funeral chapel will be Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorials to the family.