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Funeral Director -- Randall Danielson -- 574-936-2829
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 2 at the Plymouth Missionary Church,
1350 E. Jefferson St., Plymouth.
Burial will follow in Bremen cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church building fund.
Ronald G. 'Jack' Hutton
KNOX -- Ronald G. 'Jack' Hutton, 70, of Knox, died Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; children: Cindy Clarida of Valparaiso, Robert Hutton of Culver,
Helen Banek of St. John, Ind., Joe Banek of Cedar Lake, Ind., Ron Hutton of Knox, Chrissy
Bottorff of Koontz Lake, Tina Kuckson of LaPorte, and Tracy Geslak of Westville; and 15
grandchildren.
Graveside services will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 2 at Eagle Creek cemetery, Knox.
M.C. Smith Funeral Home, Knox, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Margaret Cripe
NAPPANEE -- Margaret Cripe, 79, of Nappanee, died at 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at
Miller’s Merry Manor in Wakarusa. She is survived by daughters, Colleen (Tom) Steiner of
Nappanee, and Brenda (Douglas) Chokey of Bloomington; five grandchildren; three great
grandchildren; brothers, Harold (Lois) Miller of Wakarusa, Jackie (Noma) Miller of Nappanee;
and brother-in-law, Farrell (Francis) Cripe.
Visitation will take place from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2 at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder
Funeral Home, Nappanee.
Funeral services will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Union Center cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Miller’s Merry Manor in Wakarusa.
Martha Ellen Gass
BREMEN -- Martha Ellen Gass, 90, formerly of South Bend, died March 30, 2011 at Miller’s
Merry Manor in Wakarusa.
She is survived by a nephew, Tom (Arlene) Dettbrenner of Bremen; a niece, Mary Sue (Dean)
Balsley of Bremen; seven great-nieces and great-nephews; and several great-great-nieces and
nephews.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 1 at Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen.
Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 2 at the Bremen cemetery Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hannah’s House, 518 W. 4th St., Mishawaka, IN, 46544.
Rachel Michelle Yoder
ELKHART -- Rachel was born in Elkhart, Ind. Oct. 4, 1980. She is the daughter of Robert Allen
and Troy Lynn Yoder. She left this world for her true home Wednesday, March 30, 2011.
Rachel graduated from Washington High School, Washington, Ind., in 2002. Rachel provided
her family with the spiritual inspiration to better understand the true loving nature of our God and
the salvation provided to us all through his son Jesus Christ. She truly was a miracle of our
Heavenly Father for she lived among us while maintaining a strong spiritual connection to Him,
which was shared with those who knew her. Rachel taught her family how to love unconditionally
and unselfishly, which will be her living legacy.
Rachel Michelle is survived by her parents; sister, Rebekah Marie (Chris) Breeden; nephew, Eli
Breeden; brothers, Benjamin Scott Yoder, Andrew Steven Yoder and future sister-in-law
Stephanie Holt; grandparents, Marian Yoder, and Tom and Terry Richmond.
Those that greeted her into heaven included her grandfather, Eugene Yoder; Chris and
Rebekah’s child; and great-grandparents, Clyde and Clara Stoller, Kenneth and Easter Yoder,
Devon and Hazel Richmond, and LeRoy and Doris Pippenger.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m., Saturday at Bremen cemetery Chapel. Pastor Neil
Wonnacott will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bremen where Rachel
was a member.
Arrangements are with Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee.
Robert Joseph Helms
PLYMOUTH -- Robert Joseph Helms passed away March 31, 2011. He was born Oct. 26, 1923
in Plymouth, Ind. To Mary Frances and William Flint Helms.
He is survived by his wife, Glenys (Polly) Helms; and two sisters, Eileen Helms of Plymouth, and
Marceline (Rol) Morken of Winfield, Ill. Other survivors include children, Sue (Steve) Noonan of
South Bend, Sally (PJ Lavelle) Helms of Carmel, and Scott (Nancy) Helms of South Bend;
grandchildren: Alexa (Robert) Calabro of San Francisco, Christopher Noonan of Chicago, Ashley
(Andrew) Nemeth of South Bend, Andrew Helms of South Bend; and one great-grandson,
Declan Nemeth. A brother, Arthur, of Cincinnati, passed away in 2002.
Bob was the son of William Flint and Mary Frances Helms of Plymouth.
He attended grade school at St. Michael in Plymouth, and graduated from Lincoln High School in
Plymouth. During his youth he was an altar boy at St. Michael’s Church, and served for the late
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen when he would visit Plymouth.
After high school, he enrolled at Indiana University, Bloomington. During his sophomore year
during World War II, he enlisted into the Army. At Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis he was
assigned to the ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program) and was transferred to Camp
Wolters, Texas for basic training. Following basic training, he was relocated to Michigan State
Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti. This is where he met Glenys
(Polly) Heininger, his wife to be.
Several months later he was transferred to Michigan State University in Lansing for more
specialized training. After several months in Lansing, the ASTP program was terminated, and his
group was assigned to the 76th Infantry Division then stationed at Camp McCoy, Wis., where he
was assigned to C Company, 304th Infantry Regiment, light machine gun squad. His Regiment
would eventually become a part of General Patton’s Third Army during the Battle of the Bulge
where he spent 100 days on the front line.
During this time he received three Bronze Star Medals. One medal was awarded for his
discovery and removal of explosives that were attached to the underside of a bridge in Zeitz,
Germany. This bridge was instrumental for American transport. Other than a shrapnel wound,
his family would be forever grateful that he returned home safely.
After the war ended, he was Honorably Discharged, and returned to civilian life to finish his
education with an MBA at Indiana University and was a member of the ATO Fraternity. In June
of 1946 he was married
to Glenys Heininger in Ann Arbor, Mich. He and his new bride settled in
South Bend, Ind. Where they raised three children. Bob worked for Ball Band (Uniroyal) in
Mishawaka, Ind. And retired after 37 years of employment. He also taught marketing part time at
Indiana University of South Bend.
For the past 25 years, he and his wife spent their winters in Naples, Fla. He was an avid fan of
I.U. and Notre Dame football and basketball, and was a member of Saint Matthews Cathedral in
South Bend.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 9, 2011 in the Cathedral
of St. Matthew, 1701 Miami, South Bend. The Rev. Monsignor Michael Heintz will officiate.
Military services and burial will follow at Southlawn cemetery, South Bend. The family will
receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S.
Michigan St., South Bend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box #4777, New York, N.Y.,
10163.
John E. Kellar
GRANGER -- John E. Kellar, 81, of Granger, Indiana, passed away at 5:25 p.m. on Thursday,
March 31, 2011 in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, after an illness.
He was born in Plymouth December 3, 1929 to James Earl and Lena Marie (Harley) Kellar, both
of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his brother James Harley
Kellar and sister; Charlotte Kellar Rhoade.
Survivors are his good friend and life companion William H. Hendrix, son Shane Earl Kellar of
South Bend, several nieces and nephews, and an aunt, Dorothea Kane of Chula Vista, Calif.
He graduated from Plymouth Lincoln High School in the Class of 1949.
John served in the Army during the Korean War. He retired from Nipsco after 26 years of service.
He enjoyed a long and active retirement collecting vintage radios, cars and other antiques.
Burial with military honors will take place in Oakhill cemetery following family services. There will
be no visitation.
Funeral Director - Randall L. Danielson
Paul R. Minix
CULVER -- Paul R. Minix, 56, of Culver, died at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2011 at his
home, surrounded by his family.
He was born Feb. 26, 1955 in Winamac to Mitchell and Katherine (Bailey) Minix.
On July 14, 1973, in Knox, he married
Donna J. Harness.
She survives, along with one son: Matthew W. (Debra) Minix of Culver; two daughters: Sarah L.
(Curtis) Minix of Rochester; Rhonda L. (Jesse) Bitterling of Star City; and nine grandchildren.
Also surviving are two brothers: Mark Minix and Larry Minix, both of Rochester; and four sisters:
Pam Minix of Rochester, Eleanor Frakes of Winamac, Patty Minix of Rochester and Joan Minix
of Culver.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one grandson, Levi Minix, and a brother-in-law, Kelly
Frakes.
Paul was employed for over 20 years with Conrail as a mechanic, machine operator and hydro
spiker. He was a member and past president of the pool league, member of ABATE of Starke
County and a member of Brothers of the Third Wheel.
Cremation will take place and a memorial dinner will be held at a later date. Please contact the
family for date and time. Elkhart Cremation Services has been entrusted with arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be given to the family.
Sierra Lahoma McCracken
GRAY COUNT, S.C. -- Sierra Lahoma McCracken, 17, of Gray Count, S.C., passed away April
1, 2011 at the Laurens County Hospital in S.C.
Sierra was born Jan. 16, 1994 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Jason James Lowe and Kimberly
McCracken-Creigbaum.
A brother, Gage Arkangel of Niles, Mich.; grandparents, Harold and Mary Ann McCracken of
Elkhart, Robert and Vivian Lowe of Sapula, Okla. And Nancy McCracken of Argos, survive
Sierra. Also surviving is a great aunt, Olga Fuller of South Bend, and Uncle Richard and Aunt
Irene Kidder of Elkhart.
Sierra enjoyed listening to music, singing and dancing and playing pool. Sierra attended Owings
Baptist Church in Owings, S.C.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 6, 2011 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Bubb Funeral
Chapel, 3910 N. Main St. Mishawaka.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 7, 2011 at the Adamsville cemetery in
Edwardsburg Mich.
Mary Milner Osborne
PLYMOUTH -- Mary Milner Osborne, 83, died Friday, April 1, 2011 at Saint Joseph Regional
Medical Center, Mishawaka.
Survivors include sons, Dan (Sherrie) Milner of Plymouth and David (Beth) Milner of Romeoville,
Ill.; sisters, Eilene Hammond of Okeechobee, Fla., and Nadeane Dodson of Plymouth; and a
brother, Vernon (Jean) Snoke of Georgia.
Visitation will be from 12 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 at Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100
N. Michigan St., Plymouth.
Services will follow at 2 p.m., officiated by Chaplain for Hospice Tom Padberg.
Entombment will be in New Oakhill Mausoleum.
Memorial gifts may be made in Mary’s name to the charity of the donor’s choice.
William 'Bill' Fisher
ROCHESTER -- Mr. William 'Bill' Fisher died at 3:32 p.m. Saturday, April 2 at Memorial
Hospital of South Bend.
Survivors include his parents: Roy and Violet Fisher of Rochester; one brother: John Fisher (and
wife Lee Ann) of Rochester; and neice Wendy Merrill and nephew Nathan Flory.
A celebration of the life of Mr. William 'Bill' Fisher will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Good
Family Funeral Home, 1200 W. 18th St., Rochester with Chaplain Jason See officiating.
Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Funeral Home and one hour prior to services.
Burial will be at Rochester’s IOOF cemetery.
Joan Cashen
PLYMOUTH -- Joan Cashen, age 78, of Plymouth, Ind., passed away at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 3,
2011 in Pilgrim Manor, Plymouth.
Joan was born Sept. 16, 1932 in LaPaz, Ind. To the late John and Edith (Wingett) Swartz and
has lived in this area most all of her life. Nov. 18, 1950 in LaPaz, she married
Thomas A.
Cashen.
Along with her husband of 61 years; survivors include two daughters, Rebecca L. Pontius of
Niles, Mich. And Susan J. (Charles) Smith of Simpsonville, Ky.; two sons, Thomas A. (Carol)
Cashen Jr. of Fort Wayne, Ind. And Daniel C. (Beth) Cashen of Leesburg, Ind.; 10
grandchildren: Heather Cortebeeck, Joel, Aaron, Clayton, Patrick Cashen, Andrea Moore,
Matthew Youdbulis, Emily Kestner and Elizabeth Grayson, Michael Cashen; and 15 great grandchildren.
Joan was preceded in death by a sister, Phyllis Molnar and a brother, John Swartz.
Private visitation and funeral services will be held at Palmer Funeral Home, Lakeville. Mr.
Thomas A. Cashen Jr. will officiate.
Burial will follow at Bremen cemetery, Bremen, Ind.
Contributions in memory of Joan Cashen may be made to The Center for Hospice, 112 S.
Center St. Suite C. Plymouth, IN, 46563.
