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DeWayne E. O'Connor
PLYMOUTH — DeWayne E. O’Connor, 48, a Plymouth area resident most of his life, died at
1:34 p.m. Thursday, March 4, 2010 at his residence, under the loving care of his family and
hospice.
DeWayne was born Oct. 29, 1961 in Columbia City, Ind., the son of Lewis E. and Thelma Smith
O’Connor. Lewis died when DeWayne was two years old. Thelma later married
John Hensley,
who also preceded DeWayne in death.
He was a 1980 graduate of Argos High School. On Jan. 31, 1981, DeWayne married
the love of
his life and soul mate, Doreen L. Hill in The Church of Jesus Christ, Argos.
He had worked at R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Warsaw for 15 years, then was vice president and
treasurer of Double O, Inc. in Warsaw, until he became ill.
DeWayne was an avid Cubs baseball and Notre Dame Football fan, he enjoyed riding his Harley
and bass fishing and was happiest when working with kids, having coached t-ball and little
league football for 15 years.
He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ in Argos and the Plymouth Moose Lodge.
DeWayne is survived by Doreen, his wife of 29 years, two sons, Christopher O’Connor of
Huntington and Austin O’Connor of Plymouth; five grandchildren: Madysen, Chayse, Makenna,
Masen and Ava; and several other precious children who called him “PaPaw.”
Also surviving are his mother, Thelma Hensley of Argos; six sisters: Deborah O’Connor of
Rochester, Reva (Eric) Anglin of Warsaw, Peggy Bender of Plymouth, Pheby Hensley of
Rochester, Dawn O’Connor of Indianapolis and Susan (Jerry) Feasby of Monroeville; two
brothers, Steve Hensley and Mark Hensley, both of Argos; his maternal grandmother, Grace
Smith of Knox; his paternal grandmother, Julia Hart of Paulding, Ohio; his mother-in-law, Diane
(Tim) Sheehan of Plymouth; his sister-in-law, Renee L. Hill of North Judson and several nieces
and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, his stepfather and his father-in-law: Robert Hill.
Friends are invited to share memories of DeWayne with his family from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday,
March 8 in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.
Funeral services, officiated by the Rev. Lloyd Howard, pastor of The Church of Jesus Christ, will
be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 9 in the funeral home.
Burial will be in Leiters Ford cemetery, Leiters Ford, Indiana.
Memorial gifts in DeWayne’s memory may be made to the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Robert R. Sharpe
ROTONDA WEST, Fla. — Robert R.Sharpe, 89, passed away March 4, 2010, at his home in Rotonda West, Fla.
Bob was born July 13, 1920, in Columbia City, Ind. to Joe and Freda Decker Sharpe.
Throughout his life, Bob had a great appreciation and love of music.
He graduated from Columbia City High School in 1939, and as a result of his excellent trumpet
playing, he won several state and national high school awards, which resulted in a full
scholarship to Moorehead State College. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in music education
from Moorehead, where he was president of his sophomore class.
He earned a master’s degree at Colorado State. In 1942, Bob was drafted into the United States
Army Air Corps, and served three years in the 312th Bomb Group, nicknamed “The Grim
Reapers, ” a highly decorated unit. Bob’s claim to fame was having an opportunity to play trumpet
in Bob Hope’s band, when Hope toured various bases in New Guinea.
Bob’s specialty during the war was intelligence assessment. He would interpret bomber-run
photographs and interview crews to assess damages and to plan for future missions.
After the war, Bob married
Mary Josephine Robb in December of 1945. She preceded him in
death in 1980.
Bob finished college in 1946, and taught music at schools in Kentucky, Illinois, and his home
town of Columbia City. Eventually he was promoted to Music Supervisor at Goshen High School,
from which he retired in 1982, with 35 years teaching experience.
Bob and Annette Cox were married
March 26, 1981. They moved to Rotonda, Fla. from Plymouth in 2000.
He is survived by his wife, Annette; daughters, Sandy (Dennis) Caprarotta of Bradford, Penn.
and Cathy (Bruce) Kurtz of Syracuse; and sister, Jeanice (Norman) Graves of Columbia City.
Also, five grandchildren survive: Amy (Tim) Swisher, Ryan (Stephanie) Kurtz, Angela (Joe)
Shembeda, Kim (Reid) Kallman, and Kelly (Ryan) Pettit. Five great-grandchildren also survive:
Rachael and Jacob Swisher, Brayden and Addison Kurtz, and Abigail Pettit.
During his career, Mr. Sharpe was president of the Northern Indiana Music Contest Association,
president of Goshen Teacher’s Association, selected for the Silver Band Master Association,
president of Indiana’s Phi Beta Mu, president of Indiana Band Master Association, and a
member of the American School Band Master Association. He also was elected to Who’s Who
in American Colleges and Universities.
He was a member of Rotonda American Legion Post 113, where he served on the Board of
Directors, and was a life member of Rotonda VFW Post 10476. Although he was not an Indiana
University graduate, he was a devoted follower of IU sports, rarely missing a game on TV or
radio.
July 13, 2010, a Celebration of Life will be held in Plymouth, on what would have been Bob’s
90th birthday.
Another Celebration of Life will be held in December at the American Legion Post 113, Rotonda,
Fla. with interment at Sarasota, Florida’s Veterans Administration National cemetery.
Contributions in Bob’s memory may be made to the Rotonda, Fla. American Legion Post 113;
the Englewood, Fla. TideWell Hospice; the Marshall County Indiana Humane Society; or the
Rotonda, Fla. VFW Post 10476.
Arrangements are by Neptune Society, Fort Myers and the Van Gilder Funeral Home, 300 W.
Madison St., Plymouth, IN, 46563.
Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book and share memories with Bob’s family at
Lillian R. Chiapetta
BREMEN — Lillian R. Chiapetta, 99, of Bremen, died Friday, March 5, 2010, at the Bremen
Health Care Center.
She is survived by daughters: Lillian Hill of Coral Gables, Fla., Mary Lou Hinkle of Seymore,
Tenn. and Donna (Mark) Foote of Bremen; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will take place from 10 a.m. Thursday, March 11 at St. Dominic Catholic Church,
Bremen.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church.
Burial will follow at Bremen cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Marshall County Right to Life.
Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen, was entrusted with local arrangements.
Leah M. Richer
BOURBON — Leah M. Richer, 90, of Bourbon, died at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, March 6, 2010 in her
home.
Leah was born Sept. 30, 1919, the daughter of Walter and Molly Holler Harper in Kokomo.
She had been a resident of Bourbon most of her life. She was a 1937 graduate of Kokomo High
School and furthered her education at Indiana University and St. Francis College with a master’s
degree in Reading Education.
She retired as a special education teacher from the Rochester Community School Corporation.
Leah was a faithful member of the First United Church of Christ and the Retired Teachers
Association. She worked as a volunteer at Kosciusko Community Hospital and enjoyed reading,
plays, being with her friends and her work as a volunteer.
Leah married
Nicholas M. Richer in 1953; he passed away in 1978. She is survived by her
daughter, Stacy Richer of Bourbon; and her son Nathan and his wife Tamara Richer of Garland,
Texas. She was also blessed with two grandchildren, Kelsey and Nicholas Richer, and two step grandchildren,
Paul and Paige Ives.
She was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, Charles E. and Audrey Harper.
The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until time of services Wednesday, March 10 at the
First United Church of Christ, Bourbon.
A memorial service of celebration will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the church, with the
Rev. Linda Sue Hewitt officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Foundation in her memory.
Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home was entrusted with local arrangements.
Verda P. Wise
MILFORD — Verda P. Wise, 88, of Milford, formerly of Nappanee, died Saturday, March 6, 2010
at Lakeland Health Center after an extended illness.
She is survived by a son, Merl (Diane) Wise of Nappanee; daughters: Janice (Steve) Biller of
Warsaw, Barb (John) Kindig of Goshen and Betty (Dave) Hahn of Nappanee; nine
grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; brothers, Lowell (Evelyn) Mikel of Nappanee and Donald
Mikel of Orlando, Fla.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder
Funeral Home, 950N. Main St., Nappanee and one hour prior to the funeral services
Wednesday at Nappanee United Methodist Church.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 10 at the church.
Burial will follow at Union Center cemetery, Nappanee.
Ralph D. VanBush
KOONTZ LAKE — Ralph D. VanBush, 83, died Sunday, March 7, 2010 in St. Joseph Regional
Medical Center, Plymouth.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; sons, Jeffery VanBush and James (Mary Kay) VanBush, all of
Chicago; daughters: Mary Sue (David) Flynn of Chicago, Evelyn Moceri of Worth, Ill., Kathleen
(Richard) Haggart of Alsip, Ill., James (Mary Kay) VanBush of Chicago, Ill. and Marea Paszek of
Koontz Lake; six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. (CT) Wednesday, March 10 and from 10 to 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, March 11 at Rannells Funeral Home, Koontz Lake Chapel.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick Church of Walkerton.
Burial will follow at the Grovertown cemetery, Grovertown
Joyce A. Wagle Hays
ROACHDALE, Ind. — Joyce A. Wagle Hays, 72, of Roachdale, died at 10:15 p.m. Monday, March 8, 2010.
She is survived by a son, Les (Karyn) McFarland of Bourbon; daughter, Kathy (Randy) Asher of
Roachdale; step-daughter, Lori Tomey of Zionsville; three grandchildren; two step-grandchildren;
a brother, Gilbert Wagle of Greencastle; and sister, June (Rich) Wagle Sanders of Tolono, Ill.
Visitation will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 11 at Servies & Morgan Funeral
Home, 102 E. Washington St., Roachdale, Ind.
Funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Boone-Hutchinson cemetery, Greencastle.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association at 6100 W. 96th St.,
Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN. 46278-6005.
Annabelle Rathfon
Annabelle Rathfon, 96, of 701 W. Main St., Mentone, died at 12:50 p.m. Monday at The Cedars
Retirement Home and Heath Care, Leo.
Annabelle was born Aug. 19, 1913, in Warsaw, to Lloyd and Mae (Boyer) Hunter. She was
married
March 15, 1936, in Fulton County to E. Everett Rathfon, who passed away July 27, 1988.
Annabelle was a resident for many years on a farm between Mentone and Rochester and later
moved into Mentone. She moved to the area from Peru after marriage. She was a homemaker
spending most of her life on the farm and helping to do all the daily chores.
Annabelle graduated from Peru High School. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of
Mentone. Annabelle taught Sunday school and sang in the choir that her husband directed for
many years. She and her husband were the former owners of the land on which the activity
center of the First Baptist Church is currently located. She was also a former DAR member. She
was always a great cook as well as a wonderful seamstress.
Survivors include a daughter, Yvonne Johnson, Fort Wayne; a sister, Carolyn and husband
Harold "Bud" Fivecoat, Mentone. Three brothers, Lloyd Jr. and wife Doris Hunter, St. Joseph,
Mich.; Charles and wife Lois Hunter, Mentone; and Deverle Hunter, Nashville, Tenn. A grandson,
Jeffrey and wife Jenna Johnson, Hershey, Pa.; a granddaughter Jennifer and Nate Peterman,
Bloomington; and five great-grandchildren, Sullivan, Lia and Evie Johnson and Deacon and
Hudson Peterman.
She was preceded in death by one daughter, Marilyn Lee Rathfon; two infant sons; two sisters,
Juanita Ziegler and Irene O'Degard; and two brothers, Delbert and Robert Hunter.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at King Memorial Home, 101 N. Tucker St., Mentone, with the
Rev. Russell Ebersole and the Rev. Michael Wilhite officiating. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7
p.m. Thursday at King Memorial Home. Burial will be in Sycamore cemetery, Mentone.
Memorial contributions may be made to an organization of the donor's choice.
Mary E. Adams
COLUMBIA CITY — Mary E. Adams, 91, of Sebring, Fla., died Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at Hope
Hospice Care.
She was born Jan. 26, 1919 in Marshall County, the daughter of Frank and Freda Zartman
Martin, and graduated from Tyner High School in 1937.
She and her husband Robert recently celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. Prior to
retirement they operated a farm in Whitley County, Ind. for 30 years where she was an active
member in Happy Homemakers Extension Club, Thorncreek Township NEO and the E.U.B. and
Methodist churches in Columbia City and she worked in the Whitley County Hospital cafeteria.
In retirement Mary was an avid shuffler, a member of the Sebring Recreational Club and attained
State Pro status. She also painted landscapes, quilted, enjoyed doing crafts and helped her
husband with his woodworking projects.
Mary is survived by her husband Robert; children Don (Barbara) Adams of Fort Wayne and
Sebring, Fla., Pat (Richard) Farmer of Sebring, Fla., Ruth (Rick) Peairs of Atascadero, Calif.,
Bob (Nancy) Adams of Union Ky.; 16 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; a great-great granddaughter;
brothers: Keith Martin of South Bend, and Glen and Cecil Martin, both of
Plymouth; and sisters, Marcella Fender of Independence, Mo. and Ann O’blenis of Sebring, Fla.
She was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, six brothers and a sister.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 12 and one hour prior to services
Saturday at Smith and Sons Funeral Home, 207 N. Main St., Columbia City.
Funeral services will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 13 at the funeral home with Rev.
Gene Rohrer officiating. Burial will follow at South Park cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.
