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Joseph Kennedy Quick
ROCHESTER -- Joseph Kennedy Quick, 93, 2320 Country Club Drive South, Rochester,
passed away at 4:45 p.m. Friday Dec. 9, 2011 at Wynnfield Crossing, Rochester.
He was born Oct. 11, 1918 in Amboy, the son of Earl and Alpha (Kennedy) Quick. Sept. 22,
1941 in Rochester he married
Virginia Louise Delp and she survives. He served as a Sergeant
with the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
Mr. Quick had been owner/operator of Quick Lanes, Rochester, for 37 years from 1951 to 1987.
He was a 60-year member of the Kiwanis Club, had been a member of the Elks Lodge, Moose
Lodge, and had been Past President of the Indiana Bowling Proprietors as well as serving on the
Rochester Community School Board. In his spare time he enjoyed golf and fishing.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia L. Quick, Rochester, sons, Mike and wife Terry Quick, The
Villages, Fla., Tim and wife Jenny Quick, Plymouth, Pat Quick and friend Bobbi Mollohan, Ohio,
five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and brother, Barne and wife Charm Quick, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Patrick Quick, and sister, Martha White-Ehrenhardt.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at Zimmerman Bros.
Funeral Home, Rochester, with the Rev. Brian Sewell officiating. Friends may call from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Odd Fellows cemetery,
Rochester, where military graveside services will be conducted by the Rochester American
Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope
Hospice of Fulton County or the Wounded Warriors Program.
Chad Reese
BREMEN -- Chad Reese, 44, of Bremen passed away Dec. 11, 2011 after battling lung cancer.
He was born Feb. 6, 1967 in Bremen to Jeff Reese and Peggy (Hendricks) Krauter.
Chad was a hard worker, working in the R.V. industry at Forest River. He had a great sense of
humor and enjoyed hanging out with friends. He liked watching sporting events and was a fan of
the Chicago Bears and Notre Dame. He was just a fun guy to be around. He was a good father;
he loved his boys and spending time with them.
Survivors include four children, Matthew Allen Reese, Nicholas Dale Reese and their mother
Andrea Zellmer all of Bremen; Bodie Allen Reese, Charles William Reese and their mother
Jeannine Rote all of Bourbon; his mother Peggy Krauter (fiancé Jack Farrer) of Bremen, sister
Mickey (Jim) Myers of Bremen and two stepsisters. Also surviving is his paternal grandmother
Janice Reese of Bremen, two nieces, Jazmine Stouder (fiancé Isaac Weldy) of Bremen,
Samantha Back of Bremen, two nephews, Nathan and Logan Myers both of Milford and
stepfather Larry 'Mouse' Krauter.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather and his maternal grandparents.
A funeral service will be 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 at Mishler Funeral Home with Chad
Tener officiating.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
The Mishler Funeral Home in Bremen is assisting the family with arrangements.
Richard L. Smith
MACY -- Richard L. Smith, 75, of 6073 N. Lake Shore Drive, Macy, died Tuesday, Dec. 13,
2011 at 8:30 a.m. at his residence.
He is survived by his daughters, Debra Stinson of South Bend, Crystal (Jerry) Murray of
Lafayette, Cynthia Meyers of Wheatfield; sons, Richard (Cathy) Smith of Waxahachie, Texas,
Steven (Becky) Smith of Grandview Texas, and Randall Smith of Alverado, Texas.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 in the Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 W.
18th St., Rochester. Visitation is two hours prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to Guardian Angel Hospice.
James K. Carlson
KNOX -- James K. 'Jim' Carlson, 40, of Knox died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011.
He is survived by his wife, Darcy; children, Zachery, Alexander, AJ, and Savannah, all at home;
parents, James C. and Andrea Lockridge Carlson of Bluffton; sisters, Raine (Joe) Spott of
Schererville, Diana (Jim) Yonker of Bluffton, and Christine (Mike) Rotheker of Elkhart.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. CST with visitation starting at 9
a.m. at MC Smith Funeral Home, 153 E. Washington St., Knox. Burial will take place at Crown
Hill cemetery.
D. Gene Curtis
SOUTH BEND -- D. Gene Curtis, 81, a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather
and friend went to be with the Lord peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at 4:55 a.m. in
Hospice House, South Bend. Gene was born Sept. 11, 1930 to Audley and Bessie (Anderson)
Curtis. His parents and brother, Audley, Jr. preceded him in death.
Aug. 25, 1950 he married
Grace, his loving wife, who survives. Also surviving is his son, Larry
(Diana) Curtis of Plymouth; grandson, Brandon (Katie) Curtis of Crofton, Md.; his granddaughter,
Bethany (Ryan) Bernard of Plymouth; and a step great-grandson, Noah Mazza-Bell of Crofton,
Md. He was very involved in his grandchildren’s lives. He is also survived by a niece, Nancy
Curtis of Ocean Springs, Miss.
Gene was employed at Wayne Hardware, South Bend, for 30 years, starting as a truck driver,
then doing work in the warehouse and waiting on customers in the office. He also worked at
Perma-Volt Electronics as Plant Manager and retired from the Indiana Toll Road in 1998 as a
supervisor at the South Bend-Notre Dame Plaza. He was a member of Community
Congregational Church where he served as a trustee, chairman for some of those years,
diaconate board, and choir member. Gene liked to travel and camped in the west and Canada.
He also camped at Mackinaw Campground, Mackinaw City, Mich. almost every year since it
opened and even worked there for several summers. He liked to do his yard work either by
mowing by hand or riding the tractor and kept busy by puttering around the house and yard.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 in the Welsheimer Family Funeral
Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road, South Bend with Rev. Donald C. Mullen of Community
Congregational Church, South Bend and Pastor Ruth Yoder of Plymouth Church of the Brethren,
Plymouth. Friends may call in the funeral home from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 and one hour
prior to the service Saturday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Hospice
Care, 111 Sunnybrook Ct., South Bend, IN, 46637 or Community Congregational Church 19671,
South Bend, IN, 46637.
Wanda Jean Clark Keiser
KNOX -- Wanda Jean Clark Keiser, 76, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 in IU Health Starke
Hospital, Knox, after a sudden illness.
She is survived by her husband, Bruce 'Ken' Keiser Sr.; children, Sandra (Steve) Dunek of
California, Mary Jo (Mark) Ross of Walkerton, Bruce Keiser Jr. of Knox, Perry (Dena) Keiser of
California, Patti (Mark) Scaggs of Knox, Paula (Dean) Corey of Knox and Allison (Steve)
Mroczkiewicz of Attica; 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Barbara
Matlock of Illinois and Shirley Murphy and Caroline Garner, both of Arkansas.
Funeral services will be Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at 11 a.m. CST in Rannells Funeral Home,
Hamlet Chapel. Burial will be at Crown Hill cemetery, Knox. Visitation is Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m.
and Monday one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Randolf L. Verkler
WALKERTON -- Randolph 'Randy' L. Verkler, 65, residing in Walkerton passed away
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 in Starke Memorial Hospital, Knox. He retired as an operating engineer
with Local #150. Randy worked for more than 23 years for the St. Joseph County Highway
Department as a supervisor. He also served as a reserve law enforcement officer with the
Walkerton and Hamlet Police Departments.
Randy was born March 6, 1946 in LaPorte to Joseph Richard and Harriet (Eftenoff) Verkler and
remained a lifelong area resident. Aug. 31, 1968 he married
Carolyn (Cohee) Verkler in the
former Tabor United Methodist Church, North Liberty.
Randy is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn Verkler; his son, Brett L. Verkler of Walkerton; one
daughter-in-law, Juli Lynn Verkler of Santee, Calif.; his granddaughter, Kendalle Elizabeth
Verkler; a brother, Scott (Chris) Verkler of Walkerton; and a special aunt, Wanda Kruse of
Hammond. His father, Joseph Richard Verkler; one son, Bryan Scott Verkler Dec. 13, 2003; and
his grandparents, Gus and Nellie Verkler all preceded Randy in death.
Randy served in the United States Navy completing three combat tours of duty in Vietnam and
was a member of the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-58 Association. He was also a
member of the North Liberty Masonic Lodge #266 F & AM; the Tyner IOOF Lodge #821; and the
American Legion of Walkerton. Randy enjoyed working on the family farm. He was an avid
outdoorsman and a member of the NRA.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 at Palmer Funeral HomeGuisinger
Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South Bend. Officer Jim Christie will officiate. Friends
may visit with the family from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday in the funeral home where Oddfellow Services
and Masonic Services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friends may also visit one hour prior to services
Tuesday.
Contributions in memory of Randy Verkler may be made to the American Diabetes Association,
1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311.
Wilma F. (Grass, Grosvenor) Barkman
AKRON -- Wilma was born March 12, 1916 in Fulton County to William H. and Nellie Myers
Grass. She married
Harvey Grosvenor June 29, 1940 in Warsaw; he passed away Dec. 17,
1964. She then married
Kenneth Barkman Sept. 24, 1977 in Rochester; he passed away Sept. 17, 2002.
Surviving are two nieces: Carol Haas, LaPaz and Candance Yeager, Zionsville. Along with her
husbands she was preceded in death by one brother: Lloyd Grass.
Wilma began her career upon her graduation from Mentone High School in the mid 1930s. At a
time when women had limited options in the workforce, Wilma began working in the office of the
Marshall County superintendent of schools. She later became the treasurer of the Union-North
United School Corporation and she retired as treasurer of the Culver Community Schools
Corporation.
Wilma was proud of her independence and the other benefits of her hard work. She was a role
model and inspiration to young women in her family and those with whom she worked.
Following Wilma’s wishes there will be no public services held. There will be private family
services held at a later date with burial in the Old Oak Hill cemetery in Plymouth.
Hartzler Funeral Home 305 W. Rochester Street, Akron, has been entrusted with her arrangements.
James J., DVM Dorman
LEESBURG, Fla. -- James J. Dorman, DVM, who served for more than 25 years as a multicounty
large - animal veterinarian, entered into his heavenly rest Dec. 16, 2011. He and his wife
(Allie Bird) moved from Argos in 1966 to work for the USDA as an epidemiologist in the states of
North Carolina and Tennessee. He is survived by his loving three children, Jean, Libby and John
and his wife Nora of Leesburg, Fla. Doc had seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Argos remained a very special place in his heart.
Fannie A. Kuhns
NAPPANEE -- Fannie A. Kuhns, 78, of 4279 N. Beech Road, Nappanee, died Dec. 17, 2011, at
1 p.m. at the home of her brother, Tobias Kuhns, after a two-year illness.
She is survived by two brothers, Tobias (Susie E.) Kuhns and Noah (Rachel) Kuhns, both of
Nappanee; three sisters, Mary Kuhns and Sovilla Kuhns, both of Nappanee and Miriam (Ora)
Troyer of Alvutis, Pa.; and a sister-in-law, Katie Slabaugh Kuhns of Topeka.
Visitation was after 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 and all day Monday at the Kuhn’s Home
Place, 4279 N. Beech Road, Nappanee. Funeral services will be Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
at the Marlin Mullet Home on Beech Road. Burial will be in Weldy cemetery. Arrangements are
with Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home.
Dr. Neil Van Der Kolk
HOBART -- Dr. Neil Van Der Kolk, known as Dr. V., passed away Dec. 17, 2011, following a
long battle with asbestosis. Neil was a devoted Christian, husband, father, educator, and friend.
He was a man of compassion, generosity and integrity. He began his journey in Gary, Oct. 30,
1937, as the son of Clarence and Marion Van Der Kolk.
After several moves, the family settled in Plymouth. Neil graduated from Plymouth High School
as 'the Outstanding Senior Boy.' That was the beginning of many awards and honors in his
lifetime. There were two that he treasured most. The first was to be named 'Principal of the
Year' in 1986, an honor given by the Indiana State PTA. The second was to be selected as a
Sagamore of the Wabash, a designation awarded sparingly by Governor O’Bannon for
outstanding service to others. Neil had followed in the footsteps of his father who was also an
educator. He earned four degrees from Indiana University, the last being ED.D, doctor of
education. Dr. V’s career spanned 40 years in three elementary schools in Hobart: Mundell,
Foreman and Joan Martin. Upon his retirement in 1999, Neil received a gift of a miniature
Schnauzer from the children of Joan Martin Elementary School. He was named Toesi.
Dr. V had many interests. A friend stated that 'He never forgot how to have fun.' He loved to
travel and had visited 60 different countries, including Ethiopia, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, and Dominican Republic. He enjoyed construction projects, such as working at Echo
Ranch Bible Camp near Juneau, Alaska, as well as building his own house after retirement.
Mowing his large lawn on his John Deere was a pleasure to him. He was an avid train and
aviation fan. A short flight on the Concord at the EAA Fly-in was a highlight. Neil, a former
Rotarian, served on the boards of Kids Alive International, West Africa Christian Mission, and
Linden House in Hobart. He was a member of Liberty Bible Church.
Neil leaves behind Bonnie, his wife of 47 years, and two sons Douglas and Kent. He is also
survived by his sister Nancy Budensiek of Winston-Salem, N.C., six nieces and nephews, and
brother-in-law Dale Garard of Rockford, Ill.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Dec. 23, 2011 at 11 a.m. at Liberty Bible Church, 824 N.
Calumet Ave., Chesterton, with Pastor Robert Nienhuis officiating. A visitation will be held
Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Moeller Funeral Home, 104 Roosevelt Road, Valparaiso. Memorial
contributions can be made to: West Africa Christian Mission or Echo Ranch Bible Camp.
