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Surnames: Robison, Pelz, Yost, Hanauer, Rankins, Steiner, Schieber, Donald, Rainey,
Whitty, Keidel, Lude, Witty, Janero, Simpson, Frankenberg, Mayer
Classification: Obituary
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Message Board Post:
Obituaries courtesy of News-Banner Publications. Posted with permission.
May 22, 2004
Ronald K. Robison, 66—Rites Pending
A former resident of Bluffton, Ronald K. Robsion, 66, died Friday morning in Largo, Fla.
Funeral arrangements are pending with Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home.
May 24, 2004
Raymond Pelz, 93
Raymond M. Pelz, 93, died at Meadowvale Nursing Home in Bluffton on Friday, May 21.
Born in Fort Wayne on Oct. 30, 1910, he was owner-operator of R. Pelz Wrecking Co. and a
member of T.P.A. and C.T.A.
Survivors include a son, Raymond C. Pelz of Bluffton; a brother, Harold Pelz of Fort
Wayne; six grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his
wife, Mildred.
Services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the D.O. McComb & Sons Lakeside Park
Funeral Home. Calling hours are this evening from 5 to 9 p.m. Burial will be in Lindenwood
Cemetery.
Joenita Yost, 68
The wife of a former Northern Wells Schools superintendent, Joenita K. Yost, 68, Fort
Wayne, died Friday, May 21 at home.
Survivors in addition to her husband, Daryl, include two sons, Kent Yost of Huntington and
Brian Yost of Sarasota, Fla.; a daughter, Lana Roth of Findlay, Ohio; and nine
grandchildren.
Services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Grabill Missionary Church. Calling hours
are from 6 to 9 p.m. this evening at the church, as well as for one hour prior to the
service Tuesday.
Preferred memorials are to the Joenita K. Yost Endowed Student Scholarship Fund at Taylor
University. Arrangements by E. Harper & Son Funeral Home, New Haven.
Earl Hanauer, 80
The brother of Betty Bradtmueller of Ossian, Earl Hanauer, 80, Fort Wayne, died Friday,
May 21 at his home.
He was a retired farmer and owner of Wallen Pines Reception Hall.
Other survivors include his wife, Marion Smith Hanauer; two daughters; a son; nine
grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.
Services are at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Bethel United Methodist Church. Calling hours are
this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at the D.O. McComb & Sons Pine Valley Park Funeral Home,
and for one hour prior to the services Tuesday at the church.
Dorothy Rankins, 87
Dorothy M. Rankins, 87, Decatur, died at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, May 22 at the Woodcrest
Nursing Care Center.
Born Feb. 1, 1917 in Redman, Ill., she was a homemaker and also worked at Gilpin, Inc. in
Decatur for 16 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda J. Tricker, of Decatur; a brother, one sister; 10
grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clem
Rankins; a daughter, Phyllis Wolfe; a son, Rex Rankins; three brothers; three sisters; and
one grandson.
Calling hours are Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in
Decatur. Services will be held there Wednesday at 2 p.m., with burial in the Decatur
Cemetery. Preferred memorials to the Adams County Community Foundation (Angel Cancer
Fund).
May 25, 2004
Rev. Daniel L. Steiner, 75
A prominent Bluffton leader and the first pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Bluffton,
Rev. Daniel Steiner, 75, of 233 West Madison St., died at 12:45 a.m. today, May 25, at his
residence.
He had been in failing health since 1998.
Born in Chicago, Ill. July 8, 1928 to Louis and Mary Weltler Steiner, he married the
former Joan MacAskill Aug. 17, 1953 at Grace Lutheran Church in Chicago.
A graduate of Lindblom High School in Chicago, he graduated in 1952 from Capitol
University, Columbus, Ohio, with a bachelor’s degree and earned his masters degree from
Trinity Seminary, also in Columbus
He was called to serve at Calvary Lutheran in 1955, taking the reigns of a fledgling
congregation. He guided it for 42 years, retiring in 1998 as the dean of Wells County
ministers. While he served as a minister, he was also very active in area organizations
and served as president of the Bluffton Lions Club, chairman of the Girl Scouts
Association, director and chairman of the United Way, chairman of UNICEF, president of the
Wells County Mental Health Association, was active in “Project Commitment,” a program of
Fort Wayne Area Churches for race relations, a member of the 1976 Wells County
Bicentennial Committee, a member of the Bluffton Elks Lodge, and was a former president of
the Bluffton Ministerial Association.
Pastor Steiner received a commendation from the Texas Migrant Council, and in 1998,
received the highest honor that can be given to an Indiana resident—Sagamore of the
Wabash—from then Gov. Frank O’Bannon.
Pastor Steiner organized the first Bluffton Christmas Lighting Service on the Wells County
Courthouse Plaza and developed the first spiritual Sunday School for mentally and
physically disabled young people and adults.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Judy A. Steiner of Bluffton, and a
brother Jack, of Chicago.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Thursday will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church under the
direction of Pastor Scott Meier and Rev. William Hoerger. Burial will follow in the St.
Paul Lutheran Cemetery west of Murray.
Calling hours will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney
Funeral Home and one hour prior to services Thursday at the church.
Memorials may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church or to the Steiner family.
Pamela A. Schieber, 50
Pamela A. Schieber, 50, Ossian, died Sunday, May 23, in Ossian.
She was born April 3, 1954 to Eugene and Donna Adam Myers of Ossian. They survive.
She was a homemaker and a member of New Hope Lutheran Church in Ossian.
Additional survivors include sons Jason McBride of Chicago, Ill., Chad McBride of Ossian,
and Brett McBride of Zanesville; brothers Kent Myers of Yoder and Todd Myers of Uniondale;
and a sister, Kristine Wyrick of Columbia City.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Jill Myers.
Services Thursday at 11 a.m. will be at New Hope Lutheran Church under the direction of
Pastor Paul Doehrmann. Burial will follow at Elhanen Cemetery east of Ossian.
Calling hours at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home in Ossian will be Wednesday from 2 to
5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and one hour prior to services Thursday at the church.
Memorials may be made to Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice or to the New Hope Lutheran
Church Building Fund.
Joe R. Donald, 43
Joe R. Donald, 43, of Huntington, died at 9:38 p.m. Sunday, May 23 from injuries sustained
in a motorcycle accident at county roads 300W and 100S in Huntington County.
A 1979 graduate of Huntington North High School, he worked in the gas assembly division of
Majestic Corporation for the past two years. Previously he was employed as a journeyman
tool and die maker for Active Products Corporation in Marion for 16 years. A licensed
electrician, he also worked as a professional truck driver and served in the Merchant
Marines for several years.
Born Sept. 25, 1960 in Greenville, Miss., to Joe R. and Olga Petermann Donald, Sr., he was
a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local #214 at Majestic Corporation and had
served as a union steward during employment with Active Products Corporation.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Stephen (Kristie) McIntyre of Bluffton; a son, Joshua
J. Donald of Bluffton; three sisters, Mrs. Michael (Jeanette) Anstett of Ossian and Mrs.
Terry (Dee) Dolby and Mrs. Charles (Patricia) White, both of Huntington. Also surviving is
a grandson.
Calling will be Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Myers Funeral Home, Huntington
Chapel. Services will be at the funeral home on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.with Pastor Gary
Riley officiating and interment at the Horeb Cemetery in Wells County.
Preferred memorials are to Cancer Services of Huntington County.
Robert Garton Rainey, 79
Private graveside services at Elm Grove Cemetery were held Monday, May 24, for Robert
Garton Rainey, 79, of Tulsa, Okla., who died Friday, May 21, in Tulsa.
Surviving is a brother, Bob Rainey, of Tulsa.
Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Richard D. Whitty, 81—Rites Pending
Rites are pending with Glancy Funeral Homes-H. Brown & Son Chapel for Richard D.
Whitty, 81, of Warren, who died at 10:30 a.m. Monday at his residence.
May 26, 2004
Loren Glen Keidel, 83
Loren Glen Keidel, 83, of Bluffton, died at his residence today, May 26.
Born Sept. 7, 1920 to Alphla E. and Carrie Luthi Keidel in Cissna Park, Ill., he married
Juanita Davis in Ossian Aug. 22, 1942. She survives.
He was a farmer and served on the board of aviation for Baer Field for 22 years.
Additional survivors include a son, Jack, of Terre Haute; a daughter, Mrs. Richard
(Deborah) Kolkman, of Uniondale; a brother, Marlin, of Poe; five grandchildren and 10
great-grandchildren.
Services at 11 a.m. Friday will be at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home, Ossian, under
the direction of Rev. Lyle Ewing. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Calling hours are 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday and one hour prior to services Friday at the
funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Christian Care Retirement Center or Family Hospice of
Northeast Indiana.
N. Maxine Lude, 80
Formerly of Wells County, N. Maxine Lude, 80, of Columbia City died at 2:20 p.m.Tuesday,
May 25, 2004, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Born in Poneto on Oct. 6, 1923, to Samuel DeWitt and Esther Ruth (Arnold) Wolf, she spent
her childhood in Bluffton and moved to Craigville. She graduated from Lancaster Central
High School. Subsequently she moved to Fort Wayne in 1944 and since 1973 she resided in
Columbia City.
Her marriage was on April 4, 1942, in Bluffton to John G. Lude, who preceded her in death
on Aug. 15, 1992. She and her husband had owned and operated Sandpoint TV in Waynedale
from 1953 to 1973. She was a member of the Columbia City Church of the Nazarene.
Surviving are three sons, Kenneth John and William R. Lude, both of Columbia City, and
Arthur Alan Lude of Sardis, Ohio; one daughter, Mrs.Ted (Melanie Kay) Lambert of Bluffton;
two brothers, Waldo Wolf of Bluffton and Ronald Wolf of Craigville; two sisters, Ruth
Risser of Bluffton and Phyllis Thomas of Reiffsburg; 18 grandchildren and 38
great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her husband, were six brothers, Wendell, James,
Dwight “Bud”, Don, Harold and Paul Wolf, and two sisters, Nell Harshman and Doris Call.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at the
DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home in Columbia City. The funeral service will be
at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Columbia City Church of the Nazarene, with Pastor Thomas Beer
officiating. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne. Memorials to the
donor’s choice.
Richard D. Witty, 81
Retired after years as a radio broadcaster and manager in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Madison,
Indiana, Richard D. Witty, 81, died at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 24, 2004, at his residence
at the Warren United Methodist Memorial Home.
Mr. Witty served in the U.S. Army in World War II from 1943 to 1945. He was a radio
broadcaster for WLW radio in Cincinnati, Ohio, for five years and then was manager for 30
years of WORX radio in Madison. There, as the American Wordsmith, he wrote and produced
the Madison Notebook. He and his wife moved to Huntington County in 1997.
Born Feb. 22, 1923, in Kansas City, Mo., he was the son of Brian Patrick and Margaret
Ellen Freeman Witty. He was a graduate of William Chrisman High School in Independence,
Mo., and a member of the Episcopal Faith church. His marriage was on Sept. 29, 1946 in
Springfield,Mo., to Marjorie Miller, who survives.
Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Dick (Susan) Fox of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Scott
(Pamela) Jackson of Huntington and Catherine Witty of New Mexico, and five grandchildren.
A son, Michael Stephen Witty, is deceased.
Calling will be Friday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Memorial Home,
Warren, where services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday with Rev. John Bellante officiating.
Burial will be in Mound Grove Cemetery at Independence, Missouri.
Glancy Funeral Homes-H. Brown & Son Chapel, Warren, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials to Family Hospice of Northeast Indiana in Berne or the Madison-Jefferson County
Public Library in Madison.
Edward Janero, 92
Father of John Janero of Bluffton, Edward Janero, 92, of Huntingdon, Pa., formerly of Fort
Wayne, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at Nor-Ridge Personal Care Home at Huntingdon.
Born Dec. 1, 1911, at White Plains, N. Y., to John and Rapheala Janero, he was a retired
driver for Meadow Gold Dairy in Fort Wayne, and a ceramic tile installer.
He was a member of the Teamsters Union in Fort Wayne, and a U. S. Army veteran of World
War II, earning a Purple Heart.
Surviving, in addition to the Bluffton son, are another son, Edward Janero of North
Huntingdon, Pa.; eight brothers and sisters, seven grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Angelina “Lena” and four
brothers and sisters.
The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, with visitation one hour prior, at
Highland Park Cemetery Chapel, 2403 East Wallen Road, Fort Wayne. Visitation will be from
2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Hockemeyer & Miller Funeral Home, Fort Wayne. Burial will be
in Highland Park Cemetery. Memorials to the American Diabetes Association.
Richard Garton Rainey, 79
Private graveside services at Elm Grove Cemetery were held Monday, May 24, for Richard
Garton Rainey, 79, of Tulsa, Okla., who died Friday, May 21, in Tulsa.
Surviving is a brother, Bob Rainey, of Tulsa.
Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
(The above obituary is being re-published to provide corrected information)
May 27, 2004 - None
May 28, 2004
Ronald K. Robison, 66
Graveside services for Bluffton native Ronald K. Robison, 66, of Sullivan, Mo., will be
held Monday at 2 p.m. at Six Mile Cemetery east of Bluffton. Mr. Robison died suddenly on
May 21 in Largo, Fla.
Born May 18, 1938 to Glen and Anna Lee Thompson Robison, he was employed by Nipsco in Fort
Wayne for 20 years and also worked for Hydro-tek in Chicago for 20 years. He was a
veteran, serving in the Marines, and was an active member of the Allen County’s Sheriff
Posse for 20 years.
He was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Sullivan, Mo., the American Legion
Post 111 in Bluffton as well as the Oak Forest Lodge 1398 in Houston, Texas and the
International Shrine Horse Patrol. He held dual memberships in the Ansar Temple and Arabia
Temple and was the immediate past president of the Great Lakes Shrine Assoc. Horse
Patrol.
Survivors include three children, Tina Toledo of Clearwater, Fla., Stacey Evans of
Melbourne, Fla., and Dana Lykins of Michigan City; a brother, Dean Robison of Hudson; and
three grandchildren.
Calling hours are Sunday from 1 to 3 and 5 to 8 p.m. at the Thoma/Rich, Hewitt &
Chaney Funeral Home. A Masonic Service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home,
and military graveside honors will be performed by the American Legion.
Preferred memorials to the Shriners Hospital in lieu of flowers.
Donna Simpson, 77 - Rites Pending
Arrangements are pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel in Montpelier for Donna P.
Simpson, 77, rural Poneto, who died this morning at 3 a.m. at her residence.
Ethelyn Frankenberg, 100
The widow of Bluffton native Fred Schreiber, Ethelyn L. “Ethel” Frankenberg, 100, of Fort
Wayne, died Wednesday, May 26 at Renaissance Village in Fort Wayne.
She was a 50-year member of O.E.S. Chapter 432 and a member of St. Luke’s Evangelical
Lutheran Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia L. McKinney of Lake George; two grandchildren;
three great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by
her first husband, Mr. Schreiber, and by her second husband, Clyde W. Frankenberg.
Calling hours are today from 3 to 8 p.m. at D.O. McComb & Son Lakeside Park Funeral
Home in Fort Wayne, with services scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Lindenwood Cemetery
Bohn Chapel in Fort Wayne.There will be an Eastern Star service this evening at 7 p.m.
Preferred memorials to the church, the Allen County Council on Aging, or League for The
Blind.
Harold Mayer, 82
Harold Mayer, 82, LeRoy, Ill., died on May 26. A native of Wells County, he was born June
3, 1921 in the home that later became the office of the Civilian Conservation Corp in the
1930s.
Survivors include his wife, Kathryn; four sons, Royden of Rohnert Park, Calif., Ken of
DeWitt, Ill., James of Clinton, Ill., and Harold (H.D.) Mayer of Walls, Miss.; two
brothers, George of LeRoy, Ill. and Bill Mayer of Tenn.; and several cousins in Wells
County. He was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.
Services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Calvert, Ballangee and Bruce Funeral Home
in LeRoy, with calling two hours prior to the service. Burial will be in LeRoy cemetery.