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Gary L. Drill, 58 — Rites Pending
Former Norwell High School Principal Gary L. Drill, 58, of Bluffton, died at Carmel St. Vincent Hospital in Carmel Wednesday evening, Oct. 27. Arrangements are pending at Thoma-Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Elton Abenath, 68 — Rites Pending
A former resident of Bluffton, Elton Abenath, 68, died this morning at the Hospice Home of Indiana. Arrangements are pending at Goodwin Memorial Chapel.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Louis Pearl Welch Davis, 81
Louis Pearl Welch Davis, 81, Winchester, died at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 3:55 p.m.
Mrs. Davis was married
to Myron Davis for 58 years. He has many relatives living in this area.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Walker Funeral Home, Winchester, with calling at the funeral home 4-8 p.m. Friday.
Burial will be at New Liberty cemetery, Lynn.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Lana May Rolston, 60
Lana May Rolston, 60, of 1516 Sutton Circle, died at Bluffton Regional Medical Center at 9:52 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Born Nov. 19, 1943 in Peru to Raymond and Audrey Armstrong Flitcraft, she married
Paul Rolston Oct. 8, 1971 in Bluffton. He preceded her in death Sept. 12, 2002.
She retired from Bluffton Regional Medical Center in November of 2002 following a career in telecommunications. She was a 1962 Jackson Center High School graduate.
Survivors include five sons, Rick and Troy Rolston of Decatur, Dallas Martin of Richmond, Darren Martin of Portland, and Doug Martin of Iowa; daughter Taya Amstutz, Indianapolis; three brothers, Bill Flitcraft of Elkhart, and darrel Scelzo and Terry McCardy of Indiana; two sisters, Carol Smith of Kokomo and Betty White of Florida; and 10 grandchildren.
Services at 10 a.m. Saturday will be held at Goodwin Memorial Chapel. Pastor Scott Meier will officiate and burial will follow at the Decatur cemetery.
Calling hours will be 2-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Memorials are to the donor’s choice.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Ruby Mae Copeland, 78
A resident of 417 West Miller St., Ruby Mae Copeland, 78, died at her residence at 3:55 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27. She had been in failing health over the past year and death was attributed to cancer.
Born in Jellico Creek, Ky. Oct. 24, 1926 to to Walter A. and Rosie M. Melbina West, she married
Vernon “Yogi” Copeland in Harlan, Ky., Dec. 21, 1946. He survives.
She was a resident of Wells County since June 23, 1957. Prior to that, she lived in St. Charles, W. Va. She worked for several years at the Bliss Hotel Cafe when it was owned by Robert Bowman and was employed by Peanut and Mary Jane Harnish for 7 1/2 years. She also worked at Mettler’s Fish Stand at the Street Fair for 35 years.
Survivors include one son, Vernon Copeland Jr., Poneto; four brothers, Harold and Donald West, both of Bluffton, Charles West of Fort Wayne and Claude West of Decatur; four sisters, Stella Masterson and Mildred Ginter of Bluffton, and Pauline Rothgeb, and Bernice Wine, both of Fort Wayne; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
One brother preceded her in death, Raymond West, in 1969.
Services at noon Saturday will be at Thoma-Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home with Pastor Rick Fiechter officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview cemetery.
Calling will be 3-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and one hour prior to services Saturday.
Memorials may be made to family Hospice of Northeast Indiana.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Henry Wayne Flowers, 79
A City of Bluffton employee for 43 years, Henry Wayne Flowers, 79, of 426 West Horton St., died at 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 at Lutheran Hospital.
Mr. Flowers was a diesel operator at the city power plant, retiring in 1987 after 43 years of service. He was a past president of the Six Mile cemetery Association, serving in that post for over 10 years.
Born Feb. 19, 1925 in Wells County to Theodore R. and Pansy Moyer Flowers, his marriage on March 19, 1946 in Hartford City was to Martha M. Raber, who survives.
Also surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Thomas (Linda) Claussen of Del Tona, Fla.; two sisters, Mrs. Helen Ray of Decatur and Mrs. Hilbert “Skip” (Mary) Ross of Bluffton; three brothers, Roger Flowers and James Flowers of Bluffton and Donald Flowers of Berne; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by three sisters and two brothers.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Goodwin Memorial Chapel with Larry Sprinkle officiating and burial to follow in Six Mile cemetery.
Calling at the funeral home will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m.
Preferred memorials are to Lutheran Hospital Critical Care Unit or Parkview Hospital Oncology Department.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
George O. Halterman, 78
A resident of rural Poneto, George O. Halterman, 78, died at Parkview memorial Hospital at 11:50 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Born June 25, 1926 in Bement, Ill., to Joseph and Frances Schumard Halterman, he married
the former Joyce L. Wildman in bement April 17, 1948. She survives.
An employee of the Wabash Railroad in Bement for 14 years, he moved to Wells County in 1957 and was a dairy farmer until 1975. He worked for G&H Fertilizer in Bluffton, Kaiser Fertilizer in Bluffton and Helena Chemical Co. in Vera Cruz. He was employed by the Wells County Highway Department from 1976 to 1978. He served with the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947.
Survivors include a son, Robert L. Halterman, Poneto; a sister, Ann Lust of Bement, and three grandchildren.
he was preceded in death by a son, terry Halterman, in 1968, and a sister, Bessie Vinson.
Services at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Thoma-Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home will be under the direction of Rev. Gene Betts. Burial will be at Elm Grove cemetery.
Calling will be at the funeral home from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Memorials may be made to the Wells County Animal Shelter.
(Notice dated October 28, 2004)
Dale Rinehart, 77
Dale Rinehart, 77, a resident of Yoder for more than 50 years, died at 2:53 p.m. Tuesday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
He retired in 1981 after more than 30 years as an employee of Dana Corp. in Fort Wayne.
Mr. Rinehart was a veteran of service with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of Living Faith Missionary Church.
He was born in Allen County June 8, 1923 to William Walter and Florence Scott Rinehart. His marriage at Yoder on July 25, 1942, was to Evelyn M. Phillips, who survives.
Surviving also are three daughters, Mrs. Terry (LaRita) Donaghy of Bluffton, Mrs. James (Cheryl) Grimm of Markle and Mrs. Gary (Dalene) Ingle of Charlotte, N.C.; two sons, Keith of Ossian and Neil of Yoder; four sisters, Betty Sizemore and Donna Johnson, both of Yoder, and Carol Henry and Norma Hughes, both of Fort Wayne; 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Living Faith Missionary Church, rural Yoder, St. Rd. 1, with Rev. Floyd Vieth officiating. Burial will be in Oak Lawn cemetery at Ossian.
Calling hours will be at Elzey & Haggard Funeral Home, Ossian Chapel, Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and at the church Friday for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to the church.
(Notice dated Aug. 9, 2000)
Opal May Borror, 97
Opal May Borror, 97, former Bluffton grocery store owner, died at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday at Meadowvale Care Center in Bluffton. She had been in failing health since January.
Mrs. Borror was retired from ownership of the former West Market Grocery.
She was a member and active in the Bible Holiness Church and served as a Sunday school teacher and member of the administrative board and as a trustee.
Mrs. Borror was known as an avid gardener and sold produce from her garden and used the money to support charities.
She was born at Hamilton, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1903 to Robert and Ina Bell Higgs Johns. A first marriage was to Huston Armstrong, who died in an auto accident; her second marriage in 1930 was to A. Ross Borror, who died in 1978.
Surviving are a son, Charles R. Armstrong of Indianapolis; a brother, Lyle Johns of Fort Wayne; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Saturday will be at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home with Rev. Arnold Quinton officiating. Burial will be in Gravel Hill cemetery at Bryant.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. and Saturday after 9 a.m.
Memorials to the Bible Holiness Church.Jean A. Lau - Rites Pending
Jean A. Lau died this morning at her home in Warren. Funeral services are pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren.
(Notice dated Aug. 9, 2000)
John Koons Melching, 86 - Rites Pending
John Koons Melching, 86, of rural Ossian, founder and former owner of Melching Machine Inc. of Ossian, died at 9:05 p.m. Tuesday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Arrangements are pending at Elzey & Haggard Funeral Home, Ossian Chapel.
(Notice dated Aug. 9, 2000)
Caroline J. Gowen, 71
Caroline J. Gowen, 71, of Fort Wayne, died Monday at Byron Health Care Center in Fort Wayne.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, she was a homemaker and a member of Christ United Methodist Church.
Surviving are two sons, Donald H. and Douglas M., both of Columbia City; two daughters, Dorothy M. Gause and Donna S. Crutchfield, both of Columbia City; two sisters; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Charles, died in 1995. A sister also is deceased.
Services at 11 a.m. Friday will be at D.O. McComb & Sons Lakeside Park Funeral Home, 1140 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne. Burial will be in Lindenwood cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to American Diabetes Association.
(Notice dated Aug. 9, 2000)
Herbert W. Kiser, 80
Father of Vance Kiser of Bluffton, Herbert W. Kiser, 80, of Fremont, died Monday at Carlin Park Nursing Home in Angola.
Born in Battle Creek, Mich., he was a glass cutter at Pomfretts Glass in Coldwater, Mich. He also worked at Eaton Springs Trout Club in Fremont.
Mr. Kiser was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was a past commander of Fremont American Legion Post 257.
His wife, Dorothy Violet, died in 1996.
Surviving, in addition to the son in Bluffton, are a daughter, Veronica Y. Brown of Fremont; four sisters, Viola Baker and Frances Ice, both of Homer, Mich., Elizabeth Anderson of Marshall, Mich., and Beverly Yeck of Battle Creek; a brother, William of Kansas City, Kan.; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Beams Funeral Home in Fremont. Military rites will be performed by the American Legion
(Notice dated Aug. 9, 2000)
