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Arlyne G. Eley
Arlyne G. Eley, formerly of Plymouth, died Feb. 21, 2009.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held Sunday, May 3 at the Argos United Methodist
Church at 2 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church Community Life Center.
Hattie M. Baldwin
ROCHESTER — Hattie M. Baldwin, 96, of Rochester, died Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at Life Care
Center of Rochester.
She is survived by her sons: Wayne Baldwin of Logansport, Junior Baldwin of Rochester, David
Baldwin of Merriam, Kan. and Gary Baldwin of Franklin; 13 grandchildren; two step grandchildren;
22 great-grandchildren; sisters: Agatha Marsh and Thelma Frettinger; and
brothers: Charles Moon, Donald Moon and William Moon.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2009 in the First Assembly of God, 1944
Sweetgum Rd., Rochester. Visitation is from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 15 in the Good Family
Funeral Home, 1200 W. 18th St., Rochester and one hour prior to the service in the church.
Interment will follow the services at Moon cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Assembly of God.
Emma Smith-Compton
GLASGOW, Ky. — Emma Smith-Compton, 85, of Glasgow, Ky., formerly of Bremen, died
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 in Glasgow, Ky.
She is survived by her husband, Ralph Compton of Glasgow, Ky.; son Robert “Bobby” Smith of
South Bend; and four grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11 at the Bremen cemetery Chapel. Burial
will be at the Bremen cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the organization of
one’s choice. Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen, is in charge of the arrangements.
Constance J. Hummel
Constance J Hummel, 62, passed away Thursday, March 5, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. Connie was
born in Bremen to Paul and Minnie Bennitt on June 13, 1946, and later married
Robert Hummel
on Aug. 9, 1969. They had two children, Brent and Sheila. Connie is survived by her husband
Robert, whom resides in St James, Mo.; Brent his wife Stacey and their children Robbie, Ryan,
and Alison residing in Bremen; and Sheila and Jake Bender residing in Chugiak, Alaska. Connie
is also survived by several brothers and sisters. Jack and Carolyn Bennitt from Bremen, Robert
and Judy Bennitt from Plymouth, Barb and Nick Kintzel from Warsaw, Pam and John Zieger
from Bremen and Karen and Joe Dillon from Bremen.
Connie was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Minnie Bennitt from Bremen; and her
brother, Kenny Bennitt from Kansas.
A celebration of Connie’s life will be held on March 19 at the Bremen Missionary Church on Elm
Road from 2 to 4 p.m.
Parker Funeral Service & Crematory, Columbia, Mo., is in charge of the arrangements.
Christopher B. Polk
PLYMOUTH — Chris was born and raised in San Jose, Calif. though recently resided in
Glenwood Springs, Colo. He enlisted in the Navy after high school and served in Operation
Desert Shield. Chris took up a passion for snowboarding which led him to teaching the sport. He
taught in Yosemite, Calif. and recently in Aspen, Colo. where he was in a fatal accident while
snowboarding.
He is survived by his parents, Mark and Jeanette Polk; sisters: Arlene and Jennie Polk; nephew,
Brent Ross, all of Plymouth; numerous cousins, relatives, and friends from San Jose, Calif.;
friends and coworkers from Buttermilk Resort in Aspen, Colo.
Chris is preceded in death and to be joined in heaven by his grandparents Evelyn and Eulie Polk,
Rolland and Jennie Castaneda, and his uncle Roland Castaneda, Jr.
There will be memorial services for him in Aspen, Colo. And San Jose, Calif.
Farnum Holt Funeral Home, Glenwood Springs, Colo., is in charge of the arrangements.
Buel A. Hoffer
NAPPANEE — Buel A. Hoffer, 89, of W. 900 N. Nappanee, died Friday, March 6, 2009 at 2:40
p.m. at Elkhart General Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Juanita Hoffer; sons Timothy Hoffer of Indianapolis and Mark (Bev)
Hoffer of Huntington, Ind.; a daughter, Susan (Tim) Herrli of Elkhart; six grandchildren; two step grandchildren
and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will take place Monday, March 9 from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to
funeral services Tuesday at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, 950 N. Main St., Nappanee.
Funeral services will take place Tuesday, March 10 at Mt. Tabor Church of God, Nappanee at 11 a.m.
Burial will follow at Stony Point cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Tabor Church of God.
Ray D. Manis
FRANKLIN — Ray D. Manis, 80, of Franklin, Ind., formerly of Culver, died Friday, March 6, 2009.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline (Hudkins) Manis; sons: Patrick (Dawn) Manis of Franklin
and Michael (Terry) Manis of Newland, N.C.; a daughter, Kathleen (Joe) Erickson of Franklin;
eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will take place at 10 a.m. (CDT) Tuesday, March 10, at M.C. Smith Funeral Home, Knox.
Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Crown Hill cemetery, Knox.
Memorials may be made to Franklin or Grace United Methodist Church.
Earl Owen “Hap” Nifong
ARGOS — Earl Owen “Hap” Nifong, 85, died at 1:20 a.m. Friday, March 6, 2009, in Miller’s
Merry Manor, Plymouth.
The “Hap” stood for "happy, " and Earl, a lifetime Marshall County resident, a dedicated farmer
and family man led a happy and full life. Born Feb. 19, 1924, in Green Township, Earl was the
son of Noble Leroy and Cora Alma Stone Nifong. He graduated from Argos High School.
On Dec. 10, 1944, Earl and Fern Opal Neidlinger were married
in the Church of the Brethren in
Plymouth. They started farming on shares at the old Lemert Sale Barn farm north of Plymouth,
and learned how to trap for muskrats at the ditch that ran through their farmland.
In 1955, they bought a farm east of Argos. Earl worked in several places: Bendix; Moriarity
Buildings; Lone Star Boat Co. of Bremen delivering Boats; Dunlap’s of Plymouth delivering
orange juice; Smith-Douglass Fertilizer Warehouse at Argos as manager and was a school bus
driver for Argos Community Schools from 1965 to 1977.
Earl was a member of the Church of the Brethren and an honorary member of the FFA. Earl is
survived by Fern, his beloved wife, Argos, and by their two daughters and two sons. They are
Reta Kaye and Charles Middaugh, Argos; Rose Marie and Tom Feeney, Indianapolis; Devon
Earl and Deb Nifong, Argos and Kenny Leroy and Linda Nifong, also of Argos.
Nine grandchildren and their families also survive: Andy (Mandy) Nifong and their children Bailey
J. and Owen; Sarah (Earl) Betz and their children Tyler, Payton and Braxton; Emily (Mike)
Fishburn and their children Douglas, Coleman, Beau and Stephen; Ryan Nifong and his son
Caden; Katie Nifong, all of Argos; Phil (Barb) Middaugh and their children Bailey A. and Rachel;
Cheryl Middaugh; John Feeney and Mary Feeney, all of Indianapolis, along with a brother, Burl
Nifong, Indianapolis and two sisters, Gladys Snyder and Betty Nolin, both of Argos.
His parents, Noble Leroy and Cora Alma (Stone) Nifong preceded Earl in death. An infant son,
Allen Leon; two brothers, Paul and Fred and three sisters: Dorothy Nifong, Wilma Stults and
Jennie June Voreis have also died.
Friends are invited to share their memories of Earl and visit with his family from 4 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009, and after 7 a.m. Wednesday, at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral
Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth and for one hour prior to the services at the Plymouth
Church of the Brethren on Wednesday.
Funeral services, officiated by the Rev. Ruth Yoder, pastor of the Plymouth Church of the
Brethren, will be held in the church, 1130 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, at 11 a.m. Wednesday,
March 11, 2009.
Memorial gifts in Hap’s memory may be made to the Plymouth Church of the Brethren.
Danny Lee Stahl
PLYMOUTH — Danny Lee Stahl, 45, a resident of Plymouth, died at 12:35 p.m. Friday, March 6,
2009 in Hospice House of St. Joseph County of natural causes.
He is survived by his wife Dana; his mother, Darlene Stahl of South Bend; his mother-in-law, Iris
Gildner of Plymouth; grandmother, Mary Moyer of Hammond, Ind., his step-grandfather,
Kenneth Iliff of Argos; sisters: April (Timothy) Davis and Rebecca N. Stahl; brothers: Earl
Edward Stahl and Jimmy Joe Stahl all of South Bend; Roberta and Michael Stahl, a half-sister
and brother of Chicago and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Visitation will be held Monday, March 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral
Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.
Funeral services will take place at the funeral home at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 10.
Burial will follow in the New Oakhill cemetery, Plymouth.
Preferred memorial gifts may be given to Danny’s family.
Esther E. Young
MONTICELLO — Esther E. Young, 93, of Monticello, formerly of Monon, died Saturday, March
7, 2009 at Monticello Assisted Living Center and Health Care.
Survivors include daughter, Dorla Dumpert of Monon; son, Jerry (Diane) Young of Bremen;
brother, Jimmie Berg of Hamlet; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
A graveside service will be Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 1:30 (Eastern Time) at Fletcher
cemetery in Hamlet. Visitation is Saturday from 12 to 1 p.m. EST at Rannells Funeral Home,
Hamlet Chapel. Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude’s Hospital.
Barbara Jean Walker
PLYMOUTH – Barbara Jean Walker, 77, a resident of 711 Magnetic Parkway, Plymouth, passed
away peacefully the morning of Wednesday, March 18, 2009 in the Catherine Kasper Life Center
following complications from surgery.
Barbara was born the daughter of Hollis “Holly” Ford Falconbury and Helen Byers (Lepper)
Falconbury in Plymouth on Oct. 19, 1931. She was a lifetime resident of Plymouth having
graduated from Plymouth High School in 1950.
She married
James Paul Walker in South Bend on Feb. 7, 1951, he preceded her in death on
April 24, 2005.
Barbara was a devoted Catholic and her faith in God was all encompassing as a member of St.
Michael’s Parish in Plymouth.
Her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She was a devoted, loving and caring wife,
mother and grandmother who enjoyed a rousing game of Scrabble.
Survivors include her four children: JoAnn Morrow and Ted Luniewski of Pittsburgh, Pa., Jeanne
S. Walker and Alan Ehrich of Chicago, Ill., James W. Walker and John H. Walker both of
Plymouth. Two grandchildren; Schuyler Mitchell and Ian Pope, both of Chicago, survive as well.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James; her parents; and a daughter, Janet L.
Walker.
Friends are invited to share their memories of Barbara with her family at the Johnson-Danielson
Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2009. A
rosary will be prayed at 7:30 p.m. Calling will continue after 7 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2009, in St. Michael’s
Catholic Church, 613 N. Center St., Plymouth. The Rev. Father William Kummer will officiate.
Burial will be in Oakhill cemetery, Plymouth.
Memorial gifts in Barbara’s name may be made to St. Michael’s School Playground Fund.
Clifford Leiter
March 9, 2009
BOURBON — Clifford Jay Leiter, 73, of Shaffer Road, Bourbon, Ind. Died Monday, March 9 at
Banner Baywood Heart Hospital, Mesa, Ariz. Due to complications from heart surgery.
He was born July 27, 1935 to Elmer E. Leiter and Ruth I. (Sarber) Leiter who both preceded him
in death. He was married
to Evelyn L. Haas Dec. 27, 1955. She survives.
Cliff spent his adult life as a resident of Bourbon. He worked for 33 years as a United States
Postal employee. He then restored and rented houses in the area.
Cliff was devoted to his community. He was active in the Bourbon Jaycees and coached little
league. He helped found the Bourbon Investment Club. He was a volunteer probation officer and
was active with the Boy Scouts.
He spent several years as an EMT. He served for several years on advisory committees for the
Bourbon Library and the Triton School Corporation. Recently he served as president of the
Bourbon Alumni, was on the Missions Moments Committee of the First United Methodist
Church where he attended, and was a current member of the Bourbon Lions Club.
After his retirement, Cliff and Evelyn were able to travel extensively and have spent their last
several winters in Apache Junction, Ariz. Cliff also hiked the Appalachian Trail.
Cliff was a devoted family man, active with his children and then his grandchildren, attending all
of their activities and programs. He loved watching sports, reading, investing, and golfing and
fishing with friends. He also enjoyed his daily visits to the coffee shop. Cliff was muched loved
and will be missed.
Surviving are his wife Evelyn; a brother, Dale L. Leiter and wife Suzanne; a son, Michael Jay and
wife Karol (Hemig) Leiter; a daughter, Terri Lynne (Leiter) Klotz and husband Lynn and four
grandchildren: Adam Michael Klotz, Cameron Jay (CJ) Leiter, Travis Riley Klotz and Ethan
Joseph Leiter.
Visitation will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at Deaton-Clemens
Funeral Home. 115 S. Main St., Bourbon. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday,
March 19 at the First United Methodist Church, Bourbon.
Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
