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Gaylord E. Lunsford
PLYMOUTH — Gaylord E. Lunsford, 710 E. LaPorte St., Plymouth, died of natural causes in
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth, at 3:49 a.m. on Jan. 21, 2007. Gaylord was 74
years old.
He was born in South Bend on Dec, 16, 1932, the son of Harry R. and Wilma L. Koch Lunsford.
A high school graduate, he had two years of trade school. In the United States Navy, he served
his country in the Korean War. In the service for four years, he was honorably discharge as an
MM3 on Jan. 14, 1957.
Later, Gaylord worked as a machine set-up mechanic for United Tech, retiring in 1982.
He is survived by his companion of 30 years, Nancy Mast, Plymouth, and her daughter, Carmen
Guericke and her child, Amanda, Milford, Indiana, and her son Brent and Becky Mast, Plymouth,
along with their children: Diana, Harlie and Laci Mast, all of Plymouth.
Friends will be welcomed to share memories of Gaylord’s life on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007,
from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.
Funeral services will be conducted by Darrell Cardwell, pastor of the North Salem Church of God
where Gaylord was a member, at 6 p.m., following visitation.
Burial will be in the Richland Center cemetery, Argos.
Memorial gifts in Gaylord’s memory may be made to the North Salem Church of God.
Kent L. Schmeltz
BREMEN — Kent L. Schmeltz, 49, of Bremen, passed away at Memorial Hospital in South Bend
on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007. He was born on Nov. 18, 1957 in Mishawaka to James L. and Ruth
(Hill) Schmeltz.
On Dec. 7, 1985, he married
Kimberly Grabowski. She survives.
A lifetime Bremen (St. Joseph County) resident, Kent was an electrician and a farmer. He
graduated from Penn High School in 1976 and attended the Community Gospel Church in
Bremen. Kent was a devoted father and loving husband. Everything he did, he did for his family.
He supported his children through years of 4-H, soccer, basketball and track meets, games and
practices, and all other endeavors. Nothing brought Kent more pleasure and pride than when he
was attending his children’s events.
Along with his support for athletics, he will be remembered for his special companionship with
his oldest son, Tyler. Kent will forever be remembered for his never-ending love for his family,
loyalty, work ethic and above all, his integrity.
Survivors include his wife, Kimberly of Bremen; children: Tyler J., Ellen M., Erica L., Elaine K.
and Stuart B., all at home; one brother, Gary (Wanda) Schmeltz of Bremen; one sister, Karen
(Bradley) Sutter, of Barrington, Ill.; six nieces and two nephews.
Services will be held Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at the Community Gospel Church,
68893 State Road 331, Bremen, with Pastor Wyn Laidig officiating. Burial will follow at
Resthaven cemetery in Wakarusa. Visitation was on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007, from 12 to 2
p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. at Community Gospel Church in Bremen.
Memorial contributions may be made to a college fund for the children of Kent Schmeltz.
Mishler Funeral Home in Bremen is assisting the family with arrangements.
Fred Banks
CULVER — Fred Banks, 91, of 625 College Ave., Culver, died at 9:50 a.m. on Jan. 22, 2007 at
Miller’s Merry Manor, Culver.
He was born in Inwood on Oct. 27, 1915 to Owen and Florence M. (Deacon) Banks who had just
moved near Culver in Union Township. On July 16, 1939 he married
Edith P. Hatten of Culver.
Mr. Banks was involved in all aspects of the dairy business from milk production through home
delivery. He started a milk route to the Silver Cup Bread Company in Nappanee in 1937 and
Banks’ Dairy in Winamac in 1939. In the 1940s he worked several years for Sealtest’s Detroit
Creamery in Michigan. In the 1950s he owned a dairy herd, and hauled can milk to Miller’s Dairy
in Culver and bulk milk to Reliable Dairy in South Bend. In the 1960s and early 1970s he
expanded his businesses to include many routes and a milk transfer station in Culver supplying
bulk milk to the Borden Company in Hammond, the Kroger Company in Indianapolis, Ray’s Dairy
in Logansport, Dixie Dairy in Michigan City, Hawthorn Melody Dairy in Plymouth and South Bend
the Dean Milk Company in Rochester, and United Dairy Farmers in Cincinnati, Ohio. He sold his
milk transport businesses in 1976.
After his wife Edith’s retirement in 1986, the couple moved to Port Richey, Fla., where they lived
several years, returning to their Culver home each summer. Mr Banks sold the Florida properties
and moved back to Culver in 2002.
Survivors include four children: Arthur Lamoin (Jean) Banks of Reston, Va., Randel E. (Gloria)
Banks of Culver, Alan J. (Joan) Banks of Elkhart and Karen S. (Gregory) Easterday of Culver;
one sibling, Lloyd (Theresa) Banks of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 12 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Edith; a son, Richard D. Banks; and three
brothers: Morris D Banks, Louis C. Banks and Harold O. Banks. He is also preceded in death by
one grandson, Robert Evan Easterday, and twin great-grandchildren, Devin and Elizabeth Day.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 at the Bonine-Odom Funeral
Home in Culver. The funeral service will be held at the Grace United Church of Christ at 11 a.m.
on Friday, Jan. 26, 2007 with the Rev. Robin Keating officiating. Interment will take place in Zion
cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Center for Hospice &
Palliative Care or Grace United Church of Christ.
Bonine-Odom Funeral Home, Culver, is in charge of arrangements.
Wayne B. "Junior", Jr. Delong
BRYAN, Ohio — Wayne B. "Junior" DeLong, Jr., 64, of Bryan, Ohio, died Monday, January 22,
2007 at Community Hospitals & Wellness Centers, Bryan, Ohio. Born in Fort Wayne, he worked
in construction for more than 41 years, working for the former Indiana Construction Co.,
Buesching Brothers Construction and Mason Engineering all of Fort Wayne. He was a member
of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Bryan, Ohio and Carpenters Local #372 of Lima, Ohio.
He is the husband of Kathleen M. “Katie” (Whitsel) DeLong, of Bryan; who he married
on April
16, 1966 in Bremen; father of two daughters, Coleen DeLong of Fort Wayne and Caren (Jack)
Neal of Corpus Christi, Texas; three sons: Wayne (Lisa) DeLong, III of Buford, Ga., Willard
(Doris) DeLong of Bryan, Ohio and 1st Lt. Walter (Erin) DeLong, U.S. Army of El Paso, Texasa;
five grandchildren; one brother, Jerry DeLong of Coldwater, Mich.; three sisters: Christine
(Richard) Miller of Defiance, Ohio, Jacqualine (Tom) Herrington of Ney, Ohio and Kathleen
Shepherd of Kendallville.
There will be no visitation or services. Private burial Brown cemetery, Bryan, Ohio.
Memorials may be made to Community Hospitals & Wellness Centers - Hospice Care, Bryan,
Ohio.
James A. Jardine
CULVER — James A. Jardine, 77, of Latonka Trail, Culver, died at 4:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan.
22, 2007, in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth. Jim had been an area resident
since 1974, coming from West Chicago, Ill.
Born on June 30, 1929 in Madison Wis., Jim was a 1947 graduate of Madison West High School
and went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin with a Degree in Agricultural
Engineering.
On Oct. 15, 1949, Jim and Sally Reif were married
in Dubuque, Iowa. Sally preceded Jim in
death on Sept. 1, 1984.
Jim worked as plant manager for Del Monte Foods for many years, retiring in 1989.
An excellent woodworker, Jim had a complete workshop at his house. He also enjoyed fishing,
hunting, golfing and bowling,
Jim is survived by a son, James (Jeanne) Jardine of Oswego, Ill.; and five daughters: Laura
(James) Wascher of Joliet, Ill., Sarah Drzemala of Monument, Colo.; Susan Hamman, Nancy
(Gene) Wainscott and Jamie Jardine, all of Plymouth.
Also surviving are 13 grandchildren, a great-granddaughter and a sister, Muriel (Ron) Von
Hatten of Texas.
Friends will be welcomed by the family to celebrate Jim’s life on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007, from 5
to 8 p.m. and after 7 a.m. on Friday in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan
St., Plymouth.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, 2007 in Johnson-Danielson Funeral
Home. The Rev. Charles Krieg of the Salem United Methodist Church, Bremen, will officiate.
Burial will follow in New Oakhill cemetery, Plymouth.
Memorial gifts may be made to the family for a Memorial Tree to be planted in Jim’s name.
Helen "Marie" Johanning
PLYMOUTH — Helen “Marie” Johanning, 81, passed away Monday, Jan. 22, 2007 at 4:25 p.m.
in Miller’s Merry Manor. Marie was born Jan. 15, 1926 in Benwood, W. Va. to Lyle S. and Mary
Ellen (O’Connell) Morgan. Marie graduated from Central Catholic High School, Wheeling, W. Va.
with the class of 1944.
She and her sister Geraldine Wendel, of Plymouth, were the two girls in a family with seven
brothers. Four of Marie’s siblings survive her, including her sister, “Gerry”, and three brothers:
Bob (Rita) Morgan, Paul Morgan, and Leo (Linda) Morgan who reside in Wheeling, W. Va. along
with several nieces and nephews.
On Oct. 4, 1947 in Wheeling, Marie became the bride of James F. Johanning and shared 48
wonderful years together. Jim preceded in death on Sept. 15, 1995. Surviving are their four
daughters and families: Mary Kay Davis and husband, Jack of Plymouth and children: J. Eric,
Matthew, Krysta, Nate, Elizabeth and Kyle; Carol Buchanan and husband, Tom, of Plymouth and
children: Megan and Shannon; Judy Vinall and husband, Jim, of Plymouth and son Adrian
James; and Cindy Shivers and husband, Bruce, of Mason, Ohio and children: Morgan, Andy and
MacKenzie. Sixteen great-grandchildren complete their loving family including Michael Noel
Magee who also preceded in death.
Marie and Jim Johanning moved their family from West Virginia to Plymouth in 1963, and began
finding new friends, starting new traditions, while celebrating all the old as well. At the heart of
Marie’s life was her family, and while she worked many interesting jobs in her lifetime including a
favorite at The Divine Heart Seminary, her role as wife, mother, grandmother and friend is what
defined her. Beginning their adventure in Plymouth, Marie and Jim met many friends through
their daughters’ friends and through membership in St. Michael Roman Catholic church, where
she became involved in the Altar Rosary Society. They loved a good time with family and friends,
starting traditions like “Gourmet Club” with five other couples, where once a month one couple
hosted dinner or the annual Morgan reunion in Wheeling, W. Va that still continues today — 36
years later! She did her best to give her family the best, whether it was watching a sick child
home from school for a day or watching a toddler everyday so her daughter could finish her
nursing degree. Marie passed this strong connection to family all the way to her great-grandchildren,
who still celebrate her traditions with their extended cousins and great aunts and
uncles. It is for these things Marie will be remembered most, and no Irish game will pass without
a glass raised, and cheers to the woman who taught us the legacy of NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL!
Friends are invited to join the family in remembering the life of Marie on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007
from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St. Plymouth, where
a Rosary will be said at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 29 in St. Michael Catholic
Church, 613 N. Center St. Plymouth. The Rev. William Kummer, pastor will officiate. Burial will
follow in the New Oakhill cemetery, Plymouth.
In lieu of flowers, Marie’s family would like donations to either St. Michael’s Church or the Center
for Hospice and Palliative Care, 112 S. Center St., Plymouth, IN 46563. The family extends a
sincere thank you to these community groups for their supportive role in Marie’s life.
Robert E. Kompare
PLYMOUTH — Robert E. “Bob” Kompare, 55, of Plymouth, died on Monday, Jan. 22 at Saint
Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth.
He is survived by his wife, Ann M. Kompare of Plymouth; sons: Ryan E. Kompare of Koontz
Lake and Daniel J. Kompare of Greenwood; sister, Deborah (Robert) Hillegonds of Monroe, Ga.;
brother, John Kompare of Dubuque, Iowa; and one granddaughter.
Services will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the Marshall County Humane Society.
Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, Plymouth, is in charge of the arrangements.
Verna Christina Miller
BREMEN — Verna Christina Miller, 85, of Bremen, died on Monday, Jan. 22 at Bremen Health
Care Center.
She is survived by a son, Edward (Mia) Miller of Bremen; daughter, Barbara Voss of Jenison,
Mich.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation is Thursday, Jan. 25 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen.
Funeral services are Friday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Burial will be at the Bremen cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bethesda Homes or the charity of one’s choice.
