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Marie E. Thompson, 81
Marie E. Thompson, 81, of Bluffton, died Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Meadowvale Health Care Center in Bluffton.
Born in Geneva, she resided formerly in Portland and Pennville. Her husband, Forrest E., died in 1982, and a son, Bobbie E., in 2001.
Surviving are four sons, Richard E., Robert E. and Lonnie W., all of Portland, and Donald L. of Middleton; four daughters, Betty A. Fancil, Mary C. Elliott, Mary L. Dailey and Kathy A. Sprunger, all of Berne; two brothers, John Duer and Virgil Duer, both of Ohio; 14 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home, Portland Chapel, where calling hours are today from 2 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in Center cemetery, west of Portland.
(Notice dated Dec. 6, 2002)
Ralph S. Sample, 92
Burial will be Sunday afternoon in Oak Lawn cemetery at Ossian for Ralph S. Sample, 92, of Hudson, who died Thursday, Dec. 5, at Sacred Heart Home in Avilla.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Johnson Funeral Home in Hudson, with visitation for two hours prior to the services.
Mr. Sample, born in Marvel, Ark., retired in 1972 from General Electric in Fort Wayne after 42 years.
His wife, Opal E., died earlier this year and a son, Ralph Jr., died in 2000.
Surviving are two grandchildren, Kathy Chambers of Muncie and Keith Sample of Fort Wayne; three great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
Memorials to Helmer United Methodist Church.
(Notice dated Dec. 6, 2002)
Josephine P. “Jo” Barnes, 90
A lifelong resident of Wells County, Josephine P. “Jo” Barnes, 90, died at 2:20 a.m. Friday at Christian Care Retirement Community.
Mrs. Barnes retired from K-Mart Distribution Center in 1972 after 20 years of service as an order clerk.
Prior to moving to Christian Care, she had lived in Petroleum for 55 years, in Bluffton for 14 years, and spent winter months in Osprey, Fla., for 25 years. She was a member of the Petroleum United Methodist Church.
Born Aug. 25, 1907 in Wells County to Charles Dennis and Stella Grove Markley, her marriage on Aug. 12, 1933, in Saratoga, Ind., was to Claude O. Barnes, who died Jan. 11, 1999.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. William (Betty) Mann of Bluffton; a son, Charles Ray Barnes of Fort Wayne; two sisters, Bernice Baker of Bluffton and Charleen Roberts of Marion; seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Victor Eugene Markley, who died in infancy, and Lewis Markley.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home, with Rev. Robert Heimach officiating. Burial will be in the Stahl cemetery.
Calling at the funeral home will be Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. and for one hour prior to services on Monday.
Preferred memorials are to Christian Care Retirement Center and Petroleum United Methodist Church.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Hubert V. Dowty, 90
A native of Wells County and retired township deputy assessor in Allen County, Hubert V. Dowty, 90, of Fort Wayne died at 2:35 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28, at Hospice Home of Northeast Indiana. He had been in declining health for some time and seriously ill for the past month.
Mr. Dowty retired in 1976 after 16 years as the deputy assessor for Wayne Township in Allen County. Earlier, he had worked for several years as a route driver for Coverall Rental Service.
He was born in Lancaster Township, Wells County, July 14, 1912, a son of James W. and Lena Carrosott Dowty. His marriage in Wells County on Oct. 17, 1933 was to Velma R. Van Anda, who died Oct. 24, 2001. The couple had lived in Ossian until moving in 1946 to Fort Wayne.
Mr. Dowty was a member of the Simpson United Methodist Church and the Wayne Masonic Lodge 25.
Surviving are a son, Don A. of Churubusco; a daughter, Mrs. Perry (Karen L.) Cross of Fort Wayne; a sister, Marjorie Sorg of Fort Wayne; eight grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren. Three brothers and four sisters are deceased.
There will be no public funeral service or calling hours.
Shields & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials to Hospice Home of Northeast Indiana, 5910 Homestead Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46804.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Russell A. Searles
A retired former employee of Wabash Magnetics of Huntington, Russell A. Searles, 73, of 312 East 11th St., Warren, died at 11:48 p.m. Thursday at his home.
He was an Army veteran of service during the Korean War and he served in Germany from 1951 to 1953.
Born Jan. 18, 1929, at Huntington, he was a son of Ernest and Edna L. Harriett Searles. Mr. Searles was a 1947 graduate of Warren High School.
His marriage was to Betty Buckland, who preceded him in death on Nov. 26, 1966.
Surviving are two sons, Russell Allen Searles of Huntington and Ken Searles of Warren; one daughter, Mrs. Bruce (Diana) Marcum of Huntington; one brother, Robert L. Searles of Angola; two sisters, Mrs. Claude (Mary) Williamson of Warren and Irene Books of Franklin, Pennsylvania; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Deceased, in addition to his wife and parents, are four brothers and four sisters.
Calling will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Glancy Funeral Homes-H. Brown & Son Chapel in Warren, where the funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday with Pastor Greg Stout officiating.
Burial will be in the Jones cemetery at Warren.
Military gravesite rites will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2689 of Huntington.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Viva Fayette Schott, 91
A woman who greeted people and served store business customers over a long career in the Bluffton downtown, Viva Fayette Schott, 91, of 1327 Kenwood Drive, Bluffton, died of sudden illness at 3:38 p.m. Friday at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.
A native of Wells County and a 1929 graduate of Bluffton High School, she worked from 1948 to 1958 as a meat cutter at Schott’s Meat Market in downtown Bluffton, the business of her husband, Terrell W. “Bud” Schott.
She also worked as a clerk for three years at the P.N. Hirsch Company store at Market and Johnson Streets in the downtown, and then as a clerk at the G.C. Murphy on West Market Street in the Bluffton business district before her retirement in 1973.
She was born Sept. 30, 1911, to Harry and Blanche Page Chalfant. Her marriage to Terrell W. “Bud” Schott was in Bluffton on Oct. 24, 1932. He died May 30, 1981.
Mrs. Schott was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bluffton and Crescent Chapter #48 of Eastern Star, Paradise Rebekah Lodge #83, and was the treasurer of Capri II Friends from 1981 to 1996.
For the past six years, she lived at the home of Sam and Margaret McAfee at the Kenwood Drive address. Margaret McAfee was a granddaughter.
Surviving is a brother, J. C. Chalfant of North Hollywood, California; five grandchildren, Amanda (Schott) Brown, Margaret (Schott) McAfee, Zachary Schott, Victor Schott and John Douglas Schott, all of Bluffton, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, John Terry Schott, and a brother, Senior Chalfant.
Calling will be from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to the funeral service Monday at the Thoma-Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home. Eastern Star services will be at 7 p.m. Sunday by Crescent Chapter #48. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home with Rev. Bud Abrams officiating.
Burial will be in Alberson cemetery in Adams County. Preferred memorials are to the First Baptist Church.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Dorothy M. Songer, 75
Retired since August of 1982 from the Guide Division of General Motors after 33 years of service in production, Dorothy M. Songer, 75, of 801 Huntington Ave., Warren, died at 6:38 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Memorial Home at Warren.
Formerly of Anderson, she had entered the United Methodist Memorial Home at Warren in 2000. Mrs. Songer enjoyed reading and singing in the church choir through her active years. She was a member of the 5th Street United Methodist Church in Anderson.
A native of Anderson, she was born Jan. 17, 1927, to Earl and Marie Stroup Keesling. She was a 1945 graduate of Anderson High School
Her marriage was on June 26, 1947, at Anderson to Robert N. Songer. who survives at Anderson
Also surviving are one son, Steve W. Songer of Terre Haute; one brother, James Keesling of Warren; three sisters, Mary Keesling and Mrs. Lloyd (Jean) Bault, both of Warren, and Olive Egan of Las Vegas, Nevada, and three grandsons at Terre Haute. Two brothers and a sister are deceased.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Anderson Memorial Park cemetery Chapel with Rev. Paul Wohlford officiating. Burial will be in the Anderson Memorial Park cemetery. There will be no calling at the cemetery.
Memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 4204, South Bend, Indiana 46634.
Glancy Funeral Homes-H. Brown & Son Chapel in Warren, is in charge of arrangements.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Ruth Pratt, 89 — Rites Pending
Formerly of Andrews, Ruth Pratt, 89, a resident of the United Methodist Memorial Home in Warren, died at 10:08 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28 at the Bluffton Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at the Myers Funeral Home Huntington Chapel.
(Notice dated Nov. 30, 2002)
Jack A. Thornburgh, 75 — Rites Pending
A resident of Keystone, Jack A. Thornburgh, 75, died at 4:40 a.m. today, Feb. 4, at Bluffton Regional Medical Center. Rites are pending at Glancy Funeral Homes, Walker Chapel in Montpelier.
(Notice dated Feb. 4, 2003)
Nora M. Gilliom, 86
Nora M. Gilliom, 86, who formerly resided at 421 East South St., died at 11:11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.
Miss Gilliom retired in 1980 from Kitco Inc. and had worked for Steury Bottling Co. for 15 years.
She was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church North.
She was born in Adams County Oct. 17, 1916 to Orel and Elizabeth Gerber Gilliom.
Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Roger (Violet) Isch of Bluffton, and several nieces and nephews. Three brothers, two sisters, four stepbrothers and two stepsisters are deceased.
Services at 10 a.m. Thursday will be at the Apostolic Christian Church North with ministers of the church officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation times at the Goodwin Memorial Chapel will be Wednesday from 1 to 8 p.m. and at the church Thursday for one hour prior to services.
(Notice dated Feb. 4, 2003)
Ruth Ellen Bowman, 64
Ruth Ellen Bowman, 64, died Sunday, Feb. 2, at her rural Yoder residence.
Mrs. Bowman was a payroll coordinator for 20 years for Lutheran Health Network.
She was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church.
She was born in Fort Wayne Jan. 2, 1939, a daughter of William and Garnett Newhard Sorg, who are deceased, as is a sister.
Surviving are her husband, Kenneth L.; two daughters, Rosemary Shipman of Fort Wayne and Robin Bowman of Chicago; three sons, John K. of Peachtree City, Ga., and Joseph C. and James W., both of Indianapolis; two sisters, Anna Catherine Smith and Cheryl White, both of Yoder; two brothers, William J. Sorg Jr. of Yoder and Peter C. Sorg of Fort Wayne; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 14623 Bluffton Rd., and burial will be in the church cemetery.
Calling hours at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals, 6810 Old Trail Rd., Fort Wayne, will be Wednesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Rosary will be recited at the funeral chapel at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and a prayer service will be held at 10:15 a.m. Thursday prior to going to the church.
Memorials to Parkview Hospice or to the church’s building fund.
(Notice dated Feb. 4, 2003)
