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Douglas A. Brookins
TIPPECANOE — Douglas A. Brookins, 56, of Tippecanoe, died at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21,
2010 at Rivercrest Specialty Hospital, Mishawaka.
Douglas was born Feb. 1, 1953 in Goshen to Wilbur and Fern (Yoder) Brookins.
He married
Barbra Phillips June 22, 1975; they divorced and she survives.
He lived in Tippecanoe, coming from New Paris in 2004 and he worked in sales for ADM
Alliance Nutrition since 2004. He also owned Progressive Pork Concepts and was involved with
the family farm.
Douglas was a member of the Maple Grove Church of the Brethren and was currently serving on
the New Paris Telephone Board. He was an advocate for the Pork Industry, a 1971 graduate of
Fairfield High School and a 1975 graduate of Creighton University, Omaha, Neb., where he had
played basketball.
Douglas is survived by special friend Lorre Osborn of Plymouth; a son, Gavin (Natalie) Brookins
of Cutler; two grandsons, Pierce and Preston; and two brothers, Ronald (Barbara) Brookins of
New Paris and Richard (Julia) Brookins of Goshen.
Visitation will take place from 2 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25 at Yoder-Culp Funeral
Home, 1911 s. Main St., Goshen and one hour prior to services Tuesday.
Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Maple Grove Church of the
Brethren with Pastor Dwayne Runkle officiating.
Burial will follow at Whitehead cemetery, New Paris.
Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Douglas Brookins Memorial Fund which will be
used for the benefit of the Maple Grove Church of the Brethren, Creighton University and other
institutions that Doug supported.
Evelyn L. Fore
BREMEN — Evelyn L. Fore, 92, of Bremen, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 at Bremen Health
Care Center.
She is survived by sons: Don (Karla) Fore of Porter, Jerry (Barbara) Fore of McAllen, Texas,
Jack Fore of Pine Bush, N.Y. and Dennis Fore or Grand Rapids, Mich.; five grandchildren and
10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Mishler Funeral Home, 2030
S.R. 331, Bremen.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Bremen cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Bernice M. Gedeon
ROCHESTER — Bernice M. Gedeon, 97, of Rochester, died at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21,
2010 at Hickory Creek, Rochester.
She is survived by a brother, Clyde (Helen) Bick of Plymouth and a niece.
Private family services took place at Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 W. 18th St., Rochester.
Dorothy M. Mester
CULVER — Dorothy M. Mester, 82, of Culver, died at 8:10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 at Saint
Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth.
She is survived by her husband Joseph; sons: David (Marjorie) Mester of Middlebury, Paul
(Jennifer) Mester of Walkerton and Steven Mester; two grandchildren; three step-grandchildren;
two step-great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
There will be no visitation.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 330
Academy Road, Culver.
Burial will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, 330 Academy Road,
Culver, IN, 46511.
The Odom Funeral Home, Culver, was entrusted with arrangements.
Christopher A. Whickcar
VALPARAISO — Christopher A. Whickcar, 24, of Valparaiso, died Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 in St.
Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth.
He is survived by his parents, Steve and Debbie Whickcar of Valparaiso; brother, Cory Whickcar
of Valparaiso; grandparents: Ronald and Madgie Whickcar of Walkerton, David Phillips of
Michigan City, Carol and Bob Scott of Columbus, Ohio and great-grandmother, Hazel Dodson of
Manchester, Tenn.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. (Central Time) Wednesday, Jan. 27 at Rannells
Funeral Home, Koontz Lake Chapel, and Thursday one hour prior to services.
Funeral services will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be given to the family.
Billie Jo Buzbee
MENTONE — Billie Jo “B.J.” Buzbee 52, 10719 W. 600 South, Mentone, passed away at 9 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 at her residence.
She was born Nov. 24, 1957 in Troy, N.C., the daughter of Gary and Laura (Harris) MacDonald.
She was a 1976 graduate of Triton High School, Bourbon. After high school, she received an
Associate Degree from Michigan Christian College in 1977 and graduated from South Bend
Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1984.
On August 10, 1985, in Logansport, Indiana, she married
David W. Buzbee and he survives.
Mrs. Buzbee had worked as a Registered Nurse at Hospitals in Plymouth, Peru, and Logansport,
Ind. She had also been a school teacher at Village Christian School in Pleasant Plain, Ohio and
had been a Foster Parent at Midwestern Children’s Home in Pleasant Plain, Ohio.
Mrs. Buzbee was a member of the Rochester Church of Christ, Rochester; had been a cub
scout leader for many years and in 2005 completed her Bachelor of Science degree from
Southern Christian University. Over the years she was active in Church Youth Programs and had
been on numerous medical mission trips to Haiti.
Survivors include her husband, David Buzbee, Mentone; children: Jonathan and wife Angela
Buzbee of Houlton, Maine, Naomi Buzbee of Mentone, Mary Buzbee of Mentone, and Shelton
Carpenter of Mentone; parents Gary and Laura MacDonald of Houlton, Maine; sisters, Lisa and
husband Ken Hooley of Tippecanoe and Laurie and Ray Hedington of Plymouth; father-in-law
and mother-in-law, Billy and Louisa Buzbee of Logansport; and several nieces, nephews, and
extended family members. She was preceded in death by her brother, Michael MacDonald, and
her grandparents.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home,
Rochester, and one hour prior to services Thursday at the church.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 at the Rochester Church of
Christ with the Rev. Jim Dillinger officiating. Internment will be at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hope for Haiti’s Children, P.O. Box 936 Sugar Land,
Texas, or info@hfhcministries.org.
Dorothy Ann (Keilman) Carter
PLYMOUTH — Dorothy Ann (Keilman) Carter, 83, a resident of Plymouth since 1976, coming
from Portage, Ind. has died.
Her passing came Sunday morning, Jan. 24 of natural causes in the Pilgrim Manor Nursing
Home where she has been a patient the past two weeks. Dorothy has made her home at the
Neidlinger Garden Court apartments in Plymouth the past six years.
Always cheerful, there, she enjoy many wonderful times with her neighbors singing together and
playing card games.
Dorothy was born at home in Merrillville, Dec. 1, 1926, the daughter Henry M. and Anna (Labb)
Keilman. She graduated from Merrillville High School in 1944.
On May 30, 1950 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Merrillville she became the bride of
George A. Carter. He preceded in death Aug. 13, 1994.
She had worked as a secretary at Lew Wallace High School in Gary and then became devoted
to being a homemaker and mother. Dorothy loved time spent with family, especially her many
grand and great-grandchildren with their various activities.
She also enjoyed reading. Devoted to her Roman Catholic Faith, she was a member of St.
Michael Church in Plymouth and its seniors group – Harvest House. She volunteered in the gift
shops of the church and St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth.
Dorothy’s children include: Marianne T. Brown of South Haven, Mich., Colleen F. (Stephen)
Lindsey and Dennis M. (Mary) Carter of Plymouth, John A. (Kathleen) Carter of North Liberty,
Josephine A. Taylor of Rochester and Andrew G. (Sue) Carter of Dayton, Ohio.
Her 18 grandchildren are: Heather Summers, Geoffrey Whitaker, Robert Brown, Michael Brown,
Emily Carter, Lindsey Carter, Jonathon Carter, Mary Jane Wojcik, Ryan Wojcik, Matthew Wojcik,
Jeffery Wojcik, Elizabeth Wojcik, Bradley Carter, Johnny Carter, Michael Carter, Caroline Carter,
Michael Shepard and Sarah Shepard along with seven great-grandchildren.
Also surviving are two sisters, Mary Margaret Antczak of Crown Point and Ruth Kacmar of
Portage, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Dorothy was preceded in death by grandchildren, Katie Carter and Joseph Brown; great
grandson, Jeffrey Whitaker; son-in-law, Scott Shepard; sisters, Helen Mattes and Rita Mann;
and brothers, Jerome, Thomas and John Keilman.
Friends and family will gather at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St.,
Plymouth from 4 to 7 p.m.(EDT) Wednesday, Jan. 27 where a Rosary will be said at 7 p.m.
Calling will continue with prayers Thursday after 10 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial will be
held in the St. Michael Catholic Church, 613 N. Center St., Plymouth at 11 a.m. The Rev. Fr.
William Kummer will be the celebrant.
Burial will follow in the Oakhill cemetery, Plymouth.
Memorial gifts may be made in her memory to the Marshall County Right to Life c/o the funeral
home.
Connie Smith Godlevski
MIDLAND, Texas — Connie Smith Godlevski passed from this life Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 at
Midland Memorial Hospital.
She was born May 5, 1938 to Ben N. and Nellie Davenport Smith on the family farm near
Teagarden. She graduated from Tyner High School in 1955 and went to Manchester College that
fall. It was there she met Donald Edward Godlevski.
They married
a year later, Aug. 18, 1956. They moved to Texas in August 1962 where Connie
continued her education at Odessa College. She taught Kindergarten for five years at Midland
Lutheran School.
In 1969 they moved to Odessa where she began teaching at St. John’s Episcopal School. She
was a certified Carden teacher, having received her training on four separate occasions from
Miss. Mae Carden. She taught Kindergarten at St John’s Episcopal School for 24 years.
She was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry, teaching the Bethel
Bible Series, a longtime CommuniKate volunteer in the church office, and a member of the
Tuesday morning breakfast group. She was a member of the board of the Interfaith Service
Council for 40 years as well as a volunteer sewing teacher.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Nellie Smith; her step-father Jay Holland; a
sister, Delores Hope Aker Matz; a brother, Wayne Smith Sr.; nephews: John, Wayne Jr. and Jim
Smith.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years; one daughter, Amelia Godlevski Clark and her
husband Dale; their children, Brianne Kaylee Godlevski and Megan Christine Clark; a son,
Anthony Earl Godlevski; brothers Earl Dale Smith and his wife Ella and Ben Smith Jr. and his
wife Margaret of Plymouth; a sister, Edith Smith Walter and her husband Chet of Bremen; and
one sister-in-law, Margret Morgan Smith widow of Wayne of North Liberty; and many nieces and
nephews.
The family wishes to extend many thanks to all who cared for Connie during her illness at
Medical Center, HealthSouth, Hospice of Midland and the wonderful staff at Texas Oncology.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mary Collier at West Texas Cancer Center for
Hope House in Odessa, Hospice of Midland and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
A service of Holy Eucharist will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1412 W. Illinois,
Midland, Texas at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 under the direction of Rev. Mary Ann Garrett
and Rev. Layne Smith.
Services were entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.
Mildred Miller
PEKIN, Ill. — Mildred Miller, 78, of Pekin, Ill., formerly of Argos, passed away at 10:33 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Ill.
Born September 26, 1931 in Marion, to Henry Ward and Helen (Henning) James, she married
Marion Eugene Miller April 10, 1949 in Rochester.
He died May 14, 2006 in Pekin, Ill. She was also preceded in death by her parents; a grandson,
Jason McCoige; an infant sister, Marjorie James; and four brothers: Robert, Joe, Larry, and
infant Jack James.
Surviving are a daughter, Shirley (Bruce) McCoige of Pekin, Ill; a son, Ronald Miller of
Clearwater, Fla.; a granddaughter, Kellie (Nathan) Ash of Pekin, Ill.; great-granddaughters,
Ericka Ash and Anicka Ash; a brother, Jim (Shirley) James of Kewanna; and sisters: Deloris
Sollars of Monticello, Martha Steele of Monon and Lula Ousley of Kewanna.
Mildred worked at United Technologies in Plymouth for many years, retiring Oct. 1, 1996. She
was a longtime member of the Calvary Lutheran Church in Plymouth.
Mildred enjoyed working in her yard, her many plants and flowers, and her precious
grandchildren.
Her funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the Preston-Hanley Funeral Home,
Pekin Chapel, where visitation will be one hour before the funeral. The Rev. Mark Miller will
officiate.
Burial will be in Sand Prairie cemetery in rural Green Valley, Ill.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Calvary Lutheran Church, 1314 N. Michigan St.,
Plymouth, IN, 46563.
