Obituaries courtesy of News-Banner publications, posted with permission.
Nov. 18, 2000
Jack Paul Hershey, 70
Father of Rev. Michael Hershey of Bluffton, Jack Paul Hershey, 70, of rural Elwood, died
Friday at St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood.
He retired from Delco Remy in Anderson after 21 years.
He was an active member of Zion Chapel Church and a founding member of the Zion Four
Quartet.
Mr. Hershey was born in Elwood Dec. 19, 1929 to Rev. George Paul and Ruth Gardner Hershey.
His marriage on May 29, 1964 was to Frances Ryan, who survives.
Surviving, in addition to the wife and the son at Bluffton, are two daughters, Mrs. Dale
(Dorothy) Smith of Kokomo and Mrs. Jeff (Cindy) Coons of Elwood; another son, Richard
Hershey of Elwood; a brother, Dwight Hershey of Circleville, Ohio; a sister, Mrs. Barney
(Barbara) Rhymer, also of Circleville; eight grandchildren; and three
great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Dunnichay Funeral Home in Elwood with Rev. Dan
Schaffer officiating. Burial will be in Elwood Cemetery.
Visitation hours at the funeral home will be Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m.
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Nov. 20, 2000
Harry J. Wenger, 80
A retired farmer and former member of the Wells County Council, Harry J. Wenger, 80, of
the Vera Cruz area, died at 12:55 p.m. Sunday at Wells Community Hospital in Bluffton.
Mr. Wenger was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Wells County Council in June 1973 and
served until December 31, 1982. He was a member of St. John United Church of Christ.
He was born in Adams County Feb. 25, 1920 to Fred and Sarah Michel Wenger. His marriage at
Bluffton on July 26, 1941 as to Vera June Phillips, who survives.
Surviving also are two daughters, Mrs. James (Joyce) Phillabaum of Bluffton and Mrs.
Richard (Janis) Taylor of Tipp City, Ohio; two sons, James and Jack, both of Bluffton;
three sisters, Mrs. Sam (Dorothy) Bacon of Decatur, Mrs. Gene (Joan) Clanin of Bluffton
and Mrs. John (Betty) Bercot of Berne; three brothers, Fred of Bluffton, Norman of Decatur
and Donald of Fort Wayne; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. A sister is
deceased.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. John United Church of Christ in Vera Cruz
with Rev. Rick Pulling officiating. Burial will be in Six Mile Cemetery.
Visitation hours at Goodwin Memorial Chapel will be Friday from 1 to 8 p.m. and at the
church Saturday for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to the church.
Loren Heller, 94
Loren Heller, 94, who served eight years on the Adams County Board of Commissioners, died
Sunday morning at Bonita Springs, Fla., where he had resided since November 1999.
He was a farmer before becoming an insurance agent for many years and lived most of his
life in French Township, where he served eight years as township trustee, in Adams County.
He was a former deacon at West Missionary Church in Berne for 35 years and Sunday school
superintendent for 28 years.
He was born in Adams County May 24, 1906 to Courtney and Daisy Turner Heller. His marriage
at Vera Cruz in February 1928 was to Florence Gerber, who died in 1993.
Surviving are a son, Dr. Wendell T. Heller of Indianapolis; a daughter, Mrs. Rolland
(Daisy) McCune of Bonita Springs, Fla.; nine grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren and
three great-great-grandchildren. Seven brothers are deceased.
Services at 11 a.m. Saturday will be at West Missionary Church in Berne with Rev. Keith
Rupp and Rev. David Clark officiating. Burial will be in MRE Cemetery at Berne.
Calling hours at Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home in Berne will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m.
and at the church Saturday for one hour prior to services.
Elmer C. Rich, 89
Elmer C. Rich, 89, rural Berne, died at 12:50 p.m. Saturday at his home.
He was a retired French Township, Adams County, farmer and also worked for the Adams
County surveyor’s office for 20 years. He was a collector of exotic birds and animals.
Mr. Rich was born in Adams County Oct. 8, 1911 to John and Mary Klopfenstein Rich. A first
marriage in April 1931 was to Lucile Liechty, who died Nov. 18, 1941; his second marriage
on July 11, 1943 was to Edna Yoder, who died July 9, 2000.
He was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ.
Surviving are a son, Larry G. of Fort Wayne; a daughter, Mrs. Leroy (Darlene) Gibson of
Portland; nine grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. Two brothers are deceased.
Services at 3 p.m. Tuesday will be at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur, with
calling hours today from 4 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday for one hour prior to services.
Rev. Richard Pulling will officiate and burial will be in MRE Cemetery at Berne.
Memorials to St. John’s United Church of Christ.
Jesse H. Cummins, 72
Jesse H. Cummins, 72, of Ossian, a retired construction worker, died Sunday at Ossian
Health & Rehabilitation Center.
He had retired after 37 years as a construction worker with John Dehner Co.
He was born in Kentucky Feb. 4, 1928 to Hugh D. and Mary J. Cummins. His wife, Martha, to
whom he was married in 1953, is deceased.
Mr. Cummins was a veteran of service with the U.S. Air Force.
Surviving are four daughters, Cynthia Wyss, Pamela Irwin and Lori Osborn, all of Ossian,
and Susanna Heyne of St. Cloud, Fla.; a sister, Edith Waldron of Ohio; nine grandchildren;
and seven great-grandchildren. A brother, Hugh, is deceased.
Services at 10 a.m. Wednesday will be at the Elzey & Haggard Funeral in Ossian with
Pastor Richard Secor officiating. Burial will be in Star of Hope Cemetery. Calling hours
at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials to the family.
John I. Vendrick, 72
A funeral service for John I. Vendrick, 72, who died as a result of a motorcycle accident
Nov. 12 in Florida, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown
& Son Chapel, in Warren.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Mr. Vendrick was former resident of Warren and of Huntertown, moving to Florida in 1983.
His wife, Elizabeth, also was injured fatally in the same motorcycle accident near Starke,
Fla.
Mr. Vendrick was a graduate of Rock Creek Center High School in Huntington County and
spent his early years in that county. He was employed at Homac Manufacturing Co. in Ormand
Beach, Fla.
He was a member of Gold Wing Road Riders Association and ABATE of Satsuma, Fla, where he
resided.
Surviving are his mother, Helen Vendrick of Ft. Myers, Fla.; a daughter, Mrs. Kenneth
(Brenda) Smith of Olalla, Wash.; a brother, Howard of Tampa, Fla.; two grandchildren; four
stepsons; and several nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Lancaster Cemetery in Huntington County.
Memorials to Gold Wing Road Riders Association or to ABATE.
Randall K. Disler, 77
Brother of former resident Carmen Horn, and a former resident of Churubusco, Randall K.
Disler, 77, died at 6:35 a.m. Sunday at Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville, where he
was taken Saturday morning from his residence at the Provena Sacred Heart Home at Avilla.
He was born in Smith Township, Whitley County, Nov. 15, 1923 to Forrest and Estella McCoy
Disler. As a youth, he attended the Indianapolis School for the Deaf and lived in the
Churubusco community all of his life.
He entered the Provena Sacred Heart Home in Avilla in 1999.
Surviving are two brothers, Richard W. Parish of Adel, Ga., and Dallas P. Parish of
Churubusco; three sisters, Mrs. Donald (Donnis) Goneau of Avilla, Mrs. Donald (Dwila)
Bloom of Alpharetta, Ga., and Mrs. David (Carmen) Horn of Roseville, Ohio; and several
nieces and nephews. A brother is deceased.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sheets Funeral Home in Churubusco, where calling
hours are today from 5 to 8 p.m.
Rev. E. Vaughn Powell will officiate and burial will be in Riverview Cemetery south of
Churubusco. Memorials to the handicap bus fund at the Provena Sacred Heart Home at
Avilla.
Glenn Vernon Custer, 90
Glenn Vernon Custer, 90, of Decatur, died at 12:25 a.m. today at Lutheran Hospital in Fort
Wayne.
He was retired after 32 years with General Electric in Decatur.
Mr. Custer was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
He was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, June 22, 1910 to Wilbert and Lucy Mae Moyer Custer.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Ray (Gayle) Lanternier of Bluffton; a brother, Rex of Fort
Wayne; a sister, Mrs. Waldo (Mary Ellen) Stetler of Ohio City, Ohio; and three
grandchildren. A son, Thane, died in 1997, and two brothers also are deceased.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur with
Rev. Jeff Taylor and Rev. Fuhrman Miller officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery
at Ohio City.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 10
a.m. to 1 p.m. A memorial service by the Optimist Club will be conducted at 8:45 a.m.
Tuesday.
Memorials to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church or to Decatur Optimist Scholarship Fund.
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Nov. 21, 2000
Jesse H. Cummins, 72
Jesse H. Cummins, 72, of Ossian, a retired construction worker, died Sunday at Ossian
Health & Rehabilitation Center.
He had retired after 37 years as a construction worker with John Dehner Co.
He was born in Kentucky Feb. 4, 1928 to Hugh D. and Mary J. Cummins. His wife, Martha, to
whom he was married in 1953, survives.
Mr. Cummins was a veteran of service with the U.S. Air Force.
Also surviving are four daughters, Cynthia Wyss, Pamela Irwin and Lori Osborn, all of
Ossian, and Susanna Heyne of St. Cloud, Fla.; a sister, Edith Waldron of Ohio; nine
grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A brother, Hugh, is deceased.
Services at 10 a.m. Wednesday will be at the Elzey & Haggard Funeral in Ossian with
Pastor Richard Secor officiating. Burial will be in Star of Hope Cemetery. Calling hours
at the funeral home will be today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials to the family.
(The above obituary is being re-published to provide corrected information)
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Nov. 22, 2000
Nellie C. Houtz, 80
Nellie C. Houtz, 80, of Ossian, died Monday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
She was employed as a cafeteria worker at Norwell High School.
She was born in Wells County March 7, 1920 to James and Lucy Philebaum Elzey. Her marriage
on Sept. 21, 1938 at Uniondale was to Glen W. Houtz, who died Jan. 1, 1998.
Mrs. Houtz was a member of the United Methodist Church at Ossian.
Surviving are two sons, James Houtz of Warsaw and Dennis Houtz of Uniondale; a daughter,
Marla Donaghy of Ossian; a sister, Doris Schlaudraff of Poe; 12 grandchildren; and 13
great-grandchildren. Two brothers, Joe and Edward Elzey, are deceased.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Ossian United Methodist Church with Rev.
Michael Heinbaugh officiating. Burial will be in Horeb Cemetery.
Calling hours at Elzey & Haggard Funeral Home, Ossian Chapel, will be Friday from 2 to
8 p.m. and Saturday at the church for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to Ossian United Methodist Church building fund or to Wells County Diabetes
Association.
Lallah A. Dennis, 89
Lallah A. Dennis, 89, died at 2:30 a.m. today at her home on rural Markle.
She was a homemaker and member of the Union Church.
She was born April 30, 1911 in Kosciusko County to Andrew J. and D. Viola Spencer
Laughlin. Her marriage in Roanoke on June 4, 1927 was to Charles H. Dennis Sr., who died
May 20, 1963.
Surviving are two sons, Chuck Dennis of Ossian and Gerald Dennis of Huntington; two
daughters, Mrs. Ray (Betty) Ellet of Markle and Dixie Lou Harrell of Clearwater, Fla.; 10
grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.
Two daughters, Wilodene Dennis Moore and Bonnie Sue Dennis, four brothers and four sisters
are deceased.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Saturday will be at the Myers Funeral Home, Markle Chapel, with Dr.
Howard Cherry and Rev. Paul DeMerchant officiating. Interment will be in Glenwood Cemetery
at Roanoke.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials to
Meals on Wheels.
Ray Wickline, 83
A retired farmer and resident of Berne, Ray Wickline, 83, died at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at
Chalet Village Health & Rehab Center in Berne.
He was a former resident of Kewanna, Ind., where he was a member of the Wesleyan Church
and taught Sunday school, served as superintendent and was song leader for many years. He
also was a member of the Rochester Gideon Camp.
He was born near Mt. Sterling, Ohio, Oct. 1, 1917 to Newton A. and Grace Waugh Wickline.
His marriage at Wabash on June 25, 1945 was to Vera Singer, who survives.
In 1950, he and his wife moved to the Bruce homestead near Lake Bruce, Ind., where they
resided for 50 years.
Surviving, in addition to the wife, are a daughter, Vera Ray White of Berne; three
grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Three brothers and two sisters are deceased.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Harrison-Metzger Funeral Home, Kewanna Chapel,
with Rev. Paul D. Reynolds officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Lake
Bruce.
Calling hours will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral chapel.
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Nov. 23, 2000
No paper • Thanksgiving
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Nov. 24, 2000
Wilma L. Zoda, 82
Wilma L. Zoda, 82, of Jackson Township, Wells County, died at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Marion
General Hospital following an illness.
A homemaker, she was a member of the Dillman United Brethren Church.
She was born at Majenica in Huntington County April 9, 1918 to Elbridge and Lena Beerbower
Thompson. Her marriage in 1939 was to Marvin “Bud” Zoda, who preceded her in death.
Surviving are three sons, Jerry L. of Marion, Richard W. of Van Buren and Tim J. of
Muncie; a daughter, Mrs. Mike (Cathy) Wright of Marion; a sister, Mary Thomas of
Huntington; a brother, Paul Thompson of Arkansas; 11 grandchildren; and 15
great-grandchildren. A brother, Glenn Thompson, is deceased.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Dillman United Brethren Church with Rev. Lynn
Mefferd officiating. Burial will be in Van Buren Cemetery.
Visitation hours at Ferguson Funeral Home in Van Buren will Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. and at
the church Monday for one hour prior to services.