Obituaries courtesy of News-Banner publications, posted with permission.
Oct. 27, 2000
Catherine M. Roudebush, 75
A postal clerk at Monroe for 25 years, Catherine M. Roudebush, 75, died at 6:10 a.m.
Thursday at Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Mrs. Roudebush was a clerk at the Post Office at Monroe, where she resided.
She was born in Adams County July 27, 1925 to William E. and Tillie Klophenstein Ehrsam.
Her marriage on Feb. 4, 1945 was to Arthur P. Roudebush, who survives.
Mrs. Roudebush was a homemaker and a member of the United Methodist Church at Monroe.
Surviving, in addition to the husband, are two daughters, Mrs. Chuck (Diana) McCullough of
Decatur and Mrs. Roger (Donna) Currie of Monroe; three brothers, Glen “Mike” Ehrsam and
William Ehrsam Jr., both of Monroe, and Robert “Jim” Ehrsam of Bluffton; two sisters,
Alice Roudebush and Mrs. Fred (Mary Lou) Yoder, both of Berne; five grandchildren; and
eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Monroe United Methodist Church with Rev. Philip
Lutz officiating. Burial will be in Ray Cemetery at Monroe.
Calling hours will be Saturday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Haggard & Sefton Funeral
Home in Decatur and Sunday at the church for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to the church or to the Youth Mission Trip.
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Oct. 28, 2000
Marie E. Studabaker, 92
A native of Adams County, Marie E. Studabaker, 92, died at 4:45 a.m. Friday at Woodcrest
Nursing Center in Decatur.
She was a telephone operator for Citizen Telephone Co. for 20 years.
Born Aug. 16, 1908 in Decatur to Andrew and Martha C. Warnement Zeser, her marriage on
Nov. 10, 1947 was to Everett Studabaker, who died Nov. 9, 1971.
She was a member of St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church in Decatur.
Survivors include a sister, Ursula Stults of Decatur, a niece, Betty L. Hurst, also of
Decatur, and several other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a sister and two brothers.
Calling will be Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in
Decatur, with the Rosary to be recited at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Funeral services will be Monday at 10 a.m. at the St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic
Church, with a prayer service at the funeral home slated for 9:30 a.m. Monday.
Father Phil DeVolder will officiate at the funeral and burial will be in St. Joseph
Catholic Cemetery.
Preferred memorials to St. Vincent de Paul Society or St. Mary’s Improvement Fund.
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Oct. 30, 2000
Paul Leroy Cale, 86
Paul Leroy Cale, 86, a retired Blackford County farmer and livestock breeder, died at
12:50 p.m. Sunday at Miller’s Merry Manor Nursing Home in Hartford City following a long
illness. He had resided at the nursing home since 1996.
He was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Hartford City and its
Pathfinders Sunday School Class. He was a graduate in 1933 of Montpelier High School. He
was a member also of the Blackford County Farm Bureau.
Mr. Cale was born in Montpelier Feb. 9, 1914 to Emory A. and Mabel P. Dorton Cale. His
marriage at Redkey on June 1, 1938 was to Hazel Lucille Sutton, who survives.
Surviving also are three sons, Thomas E. of Hartford City, Donald L. of Shawnee, Okla.,
and Richard P. of Rixeyville, W.Va.; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Services at 10 a.m. Wednesday will be at the Keplinger Funeral Home, 509 North High St.,
in Hartford City with Rev. Merlyn Cox officiating. Burial will be in Hartford City
Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. and
Wednesday from 8 a.m. until time for services.
Memorials to Alzheimer’s Association.
William P. Evans, 79 -- Rites Pending
William P. Evans, 79, of Warren, died at 11:23 p.m. Sunday at Huntington. Arrangements are
pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren.
Edward G. Whaley, 78
A native of Bluffton, Edward G. Whaley, 78, died Friday at Life Care Center of LaGrange.
He was a retired civil engineer.
His wife, Ann, died in 1950. Surviving are cousins.
There will be no services or visitation.
Arrangements are by Johnson Funeral Home at Hudson.
Earl M. Caston, 89
A brother of Frank Caston of Ossian, Earl M. Caston, 89, of Decatur, died Friday at his
home.
He retired as an executive vice president and trust officer at First State Bank of Decatur
in 1983 after 54 years in the banking industry. He was secretary of the board at the bank
until 1983 and was president of Region 1 of the Indiana Bankers Association.
He served as drive chairman of the Adams County War Bond committee for four years and
served on the Adams County Tax Adjustment Board for many years. He was a past president of
the Decatur Optimist Club and executive secretary of the Decatur Community Fund for a
number of years.
His wife, Alta May, died in 1999.
Surviving, in addition to the brother at Ossian, are two sons, David of rural Decatur and
Calvin of Decatur; six daughters, Claudia Schnepf of Fort Wayne, Marian Elliott of Cicero,
Sheila August, Bonnie Herman and Deborah Cook, all of Decatur, and Karen Shallcross of
Wheaton, Ill; 16 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Zion Lutheran Church in Decatur. Burial will be in
Decatur Cemetery.
Calling hours at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur will be Tuesday from 1 to 4 and
5 to 9 p.m. and at the church Wednesday for one hour prior to services. Memorials to the
donor’s choice.
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Oct. 31, 2000
William P. Evans, 79
William P. Evans, 79, of Warren, retired General Motors worker, died at 11:23 p.m. Sunday
at Huntington Memorial Hospital.
He had retired in 1985 after 28 years with the General Motors Company in Marion.
Mr. Evans was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, from Aug. 22, 1942 to Jan. 8, 1946,
serving both in the Central Burma-India Theater of Operations and in the European Theater
of Operations.
He was a 1939 graduate of Jefferson Center High School in Huntington County and a member
of the Church of Christ at Warren.
He was born in Huntington County Jan. 23, 1921 to William E. and Icy Leota Sutton Evans.
His marriage at Warren on Sept. 28, 1963 was to Margaret Eloise Slater, who survives.
Surviving also are two daughters, Mrs. Bill (Pamela J.) Martin and Mrs. Jim (Michelle E.)
Williams, both of Warren; two sisters, Harriett Griffis of Fort Wayne and Mrs. Lawrence
(Mary E.) Trout of Sebring, Fla; and five grandchildren. Three brothers, two sisters and a
granddaughter preceded him in death.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday will be at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son
Chapel, at Warren with Rev. Stephen Leininger officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn
Cemetery at Warren.
Visitation hours at the funeral home are today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorials to the Warren Church of Christ or to the American Heart Association.
Floyd F. Adams, 86
Floyd F. Adams, 86, of Fort Wayne, father of Greg A. Adams of Ossian, died Sunday at St.
Joseph’s Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He was employed at Peter Eckrich & Sons and was a veteran of U.S. Army service during
World War II. He was a member of Christ United Methodist Church.
Mr. Adams, who was born Aug. 17, 1914, is survived by his wife, Ruth E. Martin Adams.
Surviving, in addition to the son at Ossian, are a daughter, Linda A. Smith of Avon;
another son, Paul E. of Greenfield; three brothers, Morris and Ellis, Both of Fort Wayne,
and Donald of New Haven; three sisters, Wilma Combs of Rome City, Bernice Buckle of Fort
Wayne and Delores Byall of Columbia City; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A son, William, and a daughter, Sharon, are deceased.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Winchester Road Chapel
and burial will be in Lindenwood Cemetery.
Visitation hours are today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials to Christ United Methodist Church or to the American Heart Association.Jeanelle
Eleanor Otis, 76
Jeanelle Eleanor Otis, 76, of Ossian, died Monday at Ossian Health Care &
Rehabilitation.
She was employed nine years as a pumper at the Ossian Packing Co. and as general labor at
Franklin Electric Co. for 10 years, retiring in 1989.
She was born at Decatur May 31, 1924 to William D. and Estella E. Emenhiser Miller. Her
marriage in Fort Wayne on April 29, 1942 was to Robert James Otis, who died Nov. 21,
1994.
Surviving are eight sons, William R., Lawrence G., Lauren E. and Gary L., all of Fort
Wayne, James L. and Edward H., both of Florida, Eugene M. and Timothy L., both of Ossian;
six daughters, Geraldine R. Bailey of Zanesville, Teresa A. Otis of Columbia City, Estella
L. Paugh of Texas, Cynthia L. Favory and Peggy J. Hunt, both of Fort Wayne, and Penny J.
Otis of Highpoint, N.C.; a sister, Betty Doil of Las Cruces, N.M.; 37 grandchildren; 22
great-grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two stepgrandchildren; and one
stepgreat-grandchild. A sister is deceased.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Elzey & Haggard Funeral Home in Ossian and
burial will be in Prairie Grove Cemetery at Fort Wayne.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 5
p.m. until time for services.
Memorials to the donor’s choice.
Donna Rae Parker, 54
Donna Parker, 54, sister of Georgene Lambright of Bluffton, died at 6 p.m. Sunday at the
Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
She was born in Glen Carbon, Ill., Aug. 7, 1946 to George Willard and Mary Elizabeth
Walker McCain. Her marriage on Aug. 10, 1988 was to Richard E. Parker, who survives. Her
mother also survives and resides in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Other survivors are two sons, Robert F. Bixler II and Heath S. Bixler, both of Cincinnati;
a daughter, Mrs. Roger (Mary) Woolett; three other sisters, Pat Kelly and Mrs. Frank (Mary
Beth) Holst, both of Colorado Springs, and Mrs. Jerry (Audrey) McNurlin of LaGrande,
Oreg.; two grandchildren; and 14 nieces and nephews. Her father and a sister are
deceased.
A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Baptist Church at
Bluffton under the direction of Pastor Doug McClure.
Norma F. Snyder, 82 -- Rites Pending
Norma F. Snyder, 82, of Hartford City, died at 4:50 a.m. today at the United Methodist
Memorial Home at Warren. Arrangements are pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel,
at Montpelier.
Gordon P. Moser Sr., 68
Gordon R. Moser Sr., 68, a retired farmer and former Franklin Electric worker, died at
10:50 p.m. Monday at his rural Bluffton residence.
In addition to his farming and work at Franklin Electric in Bluffton, he had been employed
at EPC in Geneva.
He was born at Geneva May 1, 1932 to Edwin T. and Elma Knuess Moser. His marriage at
Portland on June 19, 1949 was to Patricia L. Grogg, who survives.
Also surviving are four sons, Randy G. of Riddle, Oreg., William L., of Geneva, Gordon P.
Jr. of Bluffton, and Jerry D. of Fayetteville, N.C.; a brother, Dale of Columbia City;
three sisters, Helen Franze of Swiss Village in Berne, Mrs. Bud (June) Study of Redkey and
Ms. Imogene Skipper of Plant City, Fla.; nine grandchildren; and eight
great-grandchildren. A son, David Allen, is deceased.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Downing Funeral Home in Geneva with Rev.
Ralph Klinker officiating., Burial will be in Alberson Cemetery in Adams County.
Visitation hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 2 to 9 p.m. and Thursday from
9 a.m. until time for services. Memorials to the family.
Robert D. Kinsey Sr., 74
Robert D. “Red” Kinsey Sr., 74, of Angola, a native of Bluffton, died at 8:20 a.m. Monday
at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He was employed for 32 years at Dana Corp. as a lead man, retiring in 1979. Previously, he
was employed 18 years at Cameron Hospital.
Mr. Kinsey was a U.S. Navy veteran of service during World War II.
Surviving are his wife, Barbara J., of 53 years; four sons, Greg and Kevin, both of Fort
Wayne, Dennis of Pleasant Lake and Robert D. Jr. of Angola; three daughters, Pam Bastian,
Kelly Heath and Tina Parisot, all of Fort Wayne; four brothers, Max and Neil, both of
Markle, Paul of Lady Lake, Fla., and Roger of Greenwood; two sisters, Betty Urstel of
Longville, Minn., and Jean Mossburg of Huntington; 18 grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren. A sister and two grandsons are deceased.
A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Church of Christ in Markle.
Memorials to the Cameron Hospital Oncology Center
Dennis L. Smith, 44
Dennis L. Smith, 44, a half-brother of Wendi Kilgore of Bluffton, died Sunday at Parkview
Hospital in Fort Wayne.
A native of Fort Wayne, he was a laborer at Fort Wayne Wire-Die Corp.
Surviving, in addition to the half-sister in Bluffton, are his father, William Smith of
Fort Wayne; his mother and stepfather, Leota May and Charles R. Ware of Fort Wayne; three
sons, Tom Moriarity, Bryan Smith and Erik Smith, all of Fort Wayne; two daughters, Angela
Smith and Kari Smith, both of Fort Wayne; and his grandmother, Velma Smith of Bremen.
Services at 1 p.m. Wednesday will be at Waynedale Baptist Church with calling for one hour
before services. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens.
Calling also is today from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at D.O. McComb & Sons Foster Park
Funeral Home, 6301 Fairfield Ave., Fort Wayne. Memorials to the church.
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Nov. 1, 2000
Norma Frances Snyder, 82
A Blackford County native who had lived most of her life in the Indianapolis area, Norma
Frances Snyder, 82, died at 4:50 a.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Memorial Home in
Warren, where she had resided since 1996.
She was employed as a time keeper for years with the Switzer Company in Indianapolis.
She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Hartford City.
Mrs. Snyder was born at Hartford City Sept., 25, 1918 to Martin and Daisy Lechein Knecht.
Her marriage was to George Snyder, who died Sept. 23, 1994. She had spent her early years
in Hartford City and was a 1937 graduate of the high school there.
Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Van L. (Wilburta) Smith of Hartford City, and several nieces
and nephews. A brother and three sisters are deceased.
A memorial mass will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John’s Catholic Church in
Hartford City with Fr. Bob Moran officiating. Burial will be at a later date.
Arrangements are in charge of Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel, at Montpelier.Maud
Anna Lepper, 89
Mother of Barbara Earling of Bluffton, Maud Anna (Carnes) Lepper, 89, of Fort Wayne, died
Tuesday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
She was the cafeteria manager with People’s Trust for 23 years, retiring in 1976.
Mrs. Lepper was born in Wells County Oct. 1, 1911 and had resided in Fort Wayne since
1931. Her husband, Elliott, died in 1980.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Waynedale Chapter of the Order of
Eastern Star.
Surviving, in addition to the daughter in Bluffton, are a son, Earl Lepper of Leo; nine
grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in
death by two sons, Jim, who died in 1956, and Larry, who died in 1979, and 17 brothers and
sisters.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at D.O. McComb & Sons Foster Park Funeral Home, 6301
Fairfield Ave., Fort Wayne. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Thursday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. An OES
service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Memorials to Matthew 25 Health Clinic.
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Nov. 2, 2000
None
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