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Leon Burke
PLYMOUTH — Leon Burke, 72, of 312 Alexander Street, Plymouth died Tuesday Jan. 22, 2008
at 9: 43 am in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka.
Leon was born June 21, 1935 in Philadelphia, Penn. To Raymond and Mary (Muldoughney) Burke.
Fifty-one years ago, he and Mary P. Ready were married
Dec. 7, 1956 in Maryland, Penn.
After graduating high school, Leon joined the Navy, he served during the Korean War; he was
also a Merchant Marine. After serving his country he pursued a career as a police officer, he
was on a K-9 unit with his partner Baron (his dog). After being on the K-9 unit he became an
under cover officer often disguised as a priest. Upon retirement, Leon drove a school bus for a
year and then worked as an assistant supervisor for the Frankfort Hospital in Philadelphia.
Leon enjoyed woodworking, fishing, and traveling around to different campgrounds to go camping.
He is survived by his wife Mary; three daughters: Marylee Burke and Joan T. Burke, both of
Plymouth, and Deborah A. (Virgil) Payton, Mobile, Ala.; one son: Leon Burke, Philadelphia,
Penn.; five grandchildren: Nicole and Leon of Philadelphia, Penn., and Debbie, Joseph and
William of Plymouth.
One sister: Pat (Edward) Polinski of North Carolina and a niece: Rosemond (Bob) Smith, of
Morton, Penn. Survives as well.
Leon was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers: Joseph and Raymond, and two
sisters: Margaret and Tootsie.
A time of sharing with family and friends will be held Wednesday Jan. 30, from 10 to 11 a.m. in
St. Michael Church. A funeral liturgy officiated by Father William Kummer will directly follow at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be given to the charity of the donor’s choice.
PLYMOUTH — Leon Burke, 72, of Plymouth, died Tuesday, Jan. 22 at Saint Joseph Regional
Medical Center, Mishawaka.
He is survived by his wife, Mary P. Burke of Plymouth; daughters: Marylee Burke of Plymouth,
Joan T. Burke of Plymouth and Deborah A. (Virgil) Payton of Mobile, Ala.; son, Leon Burke of
Philadelphia, Pa.; and a sister, Pat (Edward) Polinkski of North Carolina.
Visitation is Wednesday, Jan. 30 from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church, Plymouth.
Funeral services are Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. at the church.
Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, Plymouth, is in charge of the arrangements.
Steve Hall
ETNA GREEN — Steve Hall, 57, of Etna Green, died Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 4: 56 p.m. at
Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Hall of Etna Green; daughter, Tracie Renee Hall of Etna
Green; parents, John and Patricia Mullins of Etna Green; sisters: Deborah (Mike) Flenar of
Warsaw, Cynthia Brown of Etna Green, Joyce (Harold) Wright of Argos and Angela (Spencer)
Standley of Bourbon; and brothers: Terry (Linda) Hall of Leesburg and Jerry (Nancy) Mullins of
Menominee, Mich.
Visitation is Friday, Jan. 25 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225
Argonne Rd., Warsaw. Funeral services are Saturday, Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. at the funeral
home.Burial will be at the Etna Green cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 601 W. Edison Rd., Mishawaka, IN 46545-8822.
Stella K. Riffel
ARGOS - Stella Kathleen Riffel, 54, an Argos resident for the past 14 years, died at 7: 12 a.m.
from injuries sustained in an automobile accident on U.S. 31 at 19th Road on Tuesday morning, Jan. 22, 2008.
Born in Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, on Nov. 19, 1953, Stella was the daughter of Fred and Doris Ford Younker.
She graduated from high school in Canada and then attended the Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada.
On July 10, 1976, in Alberta, she became the bride of Terry Riffel.
Stella worked in the Wal-Mart Pharmacy in Plymouth.
Her interests were centered around the Bible and her family.
She was a member of the Grace Baptist Church.
In addition to Terry, her husband of 31 years, Stella is survived by five sons and daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
They are: Leigh and Angela Riffel and their children, Luke and Emily, all of Pensacola, Fla.:
David and Sarai Riffel, Conyers, Ga.: Stephen and Charity Riffel and their children, Michael and
KatieLynn Riffel, all of Pensacola, Fla.: Matthew and Stephanie Riffel and their son, Aiden Riffel,
all of Plymouth, and Michael and April Riffel, also of Plymouth.
Doris Younker, Stella’s mother, living in Alberta, Canada, also survives, together with three
sisters and four brothers. They are: Lillian and Allain Dumas, Quebec: Dorothy and Ron
Brassington: Janet and Don McKimmon: George and Lloy Younker, Harvey and Val Younker,
Francis Younker, and Gordon and Linda Younker, all of Alberta, Canada.
Many nieces and nephews also survive.
Stella was preceded in death by her father, Fred Younker, and her sister-in-law, Fran Younker.
Friends are invited to share memories and celebrate the life of Stella Riffel at the Grace Baptist
Church, 1830 N. Michigan St., Plymouth on Friday, Jan. 25, 2008, from 1 to 3 p.m. and on
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, for one hour prior to the funeral services at the church at 2 p.m. Rev. Matt Elliott, pastor of the church, will officiate.
Interment will be in the Jordon cemetery, Argos.
The Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Memorial gifts in Stella’s name may be made to the Grace Baptist Church.
Lydia Mae Hochstetler
NAPPANEE — Lydia Mae Hochstetler, 91, of Nappanee, died Wednesday, Jan. 23 at LuAnn Nursing Home, Nappanee.
She is survived by daughters: Sharon Sue Borkholder of Hamilton, Mont., Kathryn (Raymond)
Schmucker of McClure, Pa., Inez Marie (Olen Jr.) Christner of Shipshewana, Barbara Ann
(Harvey) Kemp of Goshen, Rosetta (Floyd) Helmuth of Nappanee and Mary Lynn (Ronald) Miller
of Bremen; son, Homer (Connie) Hochstetler of Crete, Ill.; brothers: William (Mary) Chupp of
Bremen and Edward (Alta) Chupp of Nappanee; sister, Edna Schwartz of Nappanee; 45
grandchildren; and 64 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was after 3 a.m. Thursday and all day Friday, Jan. 25 at the Ronald Miller residence,
1184 E. 3rd Rd., Bremen.
Funeral services are Saturday, Jan. 26 at 9: 30 a.m. at the Miller residence.
Burial will be at Weldy cemetery.
Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee, is in charge of the arrangements.
Gilbert R. Beem
KNOX — Gilbert R. Beem, 70, formerly of Hamlet, died, Friday, Jan. 25 in Starke Memorial Hospital, Knox.
Survivors include: a daughter, Laura Beem of Knox; sons: Jerry and Gilbert Jr., both of Hamlet;
stepdaughter, Dena Combs of LaPorte; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sister, Shirley
Wireman of Knox; brother, Arnold Beem of Waco, Texas; and special friend, Patty Beem of
Knox. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. CST at Rannells Funeral Home, Hamlet
Chapel. Visitation was Monday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday after 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Grovertown cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to the family.
Edward Miller
ROCHESTER — Edward Miller, 92, of Monterey, died Jan. 25, 2008 at the Life Care Center in Rochester.
He is survived by three sons: Marvin Miller of Knox, Lloyd Miller of Kingsford Heights and Jerry
Miller of Monterey; four brothers: Henry Miller, Robert Miller, Richard Miller and Fred Miller all of
Warsaw; seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Visitation services took place at Braman & Son Memorial Chapel, Knox, on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 4 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services were Monday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. with burial following at Bass Lake cemetery, Knox.
Diane Wright
NORTH JUDSON — Diane Wright, 46, of North Judson, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2008 in Valparaiso.
She is survived by a husband: “Jack” John Alan Wright; three daughters: Marjorie Lynn
Robinson, Jessica Anna Marie Gibson and Tiffany Ella Wright of North Judson; father: Willard
Minix of Knox; three sisters, two brothers and four grandchildren.
Visitation is Tuesday, Jan. 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the O'Donnell Funeral Home Inc., North
Judson. Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30 and burial will follow
at Highland cemetery, North Judson.
Ronald Wayne Flynn
LAPAZ — Ronald Wayne Flynn, 54, of LaPaz, died at 11: 55 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 27 in Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis.
He is survived by daughters: Melissa, Trisha and Kala Flynn and eight grandchildren, all of
Mishawaka; sister, Carol Weston of LaPaz; brothers: Billy (Willie) Flynn, Lonzo (Melinda) Flynn,
Mike (Denise) Flynn, all of Lancaster, S.C. and Scott (Karla) Flynn of Bremen; and sister-in-law,
Marcia Flynn of Lancaster, S.C.
Private services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 29 in the Palmer Funeral Home, Lakeville.
Cremation will follow.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald Flynn Memorial Fund, c/o Palmer Funeral
Home, P.O. Box 33, Lakeville, IN 46536.
Kevin Borkholder
ETNA GREEN — Kevin Borkholder, 38, of Etna Green, died at 11: 15 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Hospice House, South Bend.
He is survived by his son, Loren Borkholder of Argos; friend, Kendra Whitaker of Argos; mother
and stepfather, Martha and Jerry VanDenBerg of Niles, Mich.; father, Perry Borkholder of Etna
Green; brothers: Randy Borkholder of Etna Green and Larry Borkholder of Pierceton; sister,
Retha Peterson of Nappanee; stepbrother, Jeff VanDenBerg of Niles, Mich.; and stepsister,
Rachael VanDenBerg of Niles, Mich.
Visitation is Thursday, Jan. 31 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Thompson-Lengacher &
Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee, and one hour prior to services at the church Friday. Funeral
services are Friday, Feb. 1 at 10: 30 a.m. at First Brethren Church. Burial will be at the Bethel
Conservation Mennonite Church cemetery, Nappanee.
Memorials may be made to the Kevin Borkholder Memorial Fund for his son.
Ross McNay Howell
LAKE OF THE WOODS — Ross McNay Howell, 65, of Lake of the Woods, Bremen, died Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008, at 10: 16 p.m.
He is survived by his wife, Dixie Kertai Howell of Bremen; daughters: Tamara of Rockville and
Jennifer of Hammond; sons: Donald of Nashville, Tenn. And James of Hammond; stepsons:
Emery (Shannon) Kertai of Nappanee, Wade (Tracy) Kertai of Bremen, Bradley (Danielle) Kertai
of LaPaz and Shawn (Tracie) Kertai of Bremen; 13 grandchildren; brother, Donnie Howell of
Bend, Ore.; sisters: Betsy (Al) Ojeda of Mesa, Ariz. And Mary Ellen (Tom) Elmore of Hammond;
and half sisters and stepsisters: Carolyn (Don) MacCortny of Highland, Nancy (Butch) Palolella
of Chandler, Ariz., Star (Loren) Mennsing and Rose Ann Howell of Hammond.
Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bremen.
Visitation is from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1 at the Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen, and two hours
before the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at Bremen cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Howell/Kertai Fund (1st Source Bank, Nappanee).
Kayleigh Ann Parker
ROCHESTER — Kayleigh Ann Parker, 14, of Rochester, died Tuesday, Jan. 29 at home.
She is survived by her parents, Thomas and Patricia Parker; brother, Scottie Whittenberger of
Atwood; sister, Angela Parker of Burbank, Calif.; grandparents: Nancy (Bob) Dell of Rochester
and Sharon Viedma-Aguilar of Los Angeles, Calif.; and great-grandmother, Reba Honkomp of Nyona Lake.
Visitation is Saturday, Feb. 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Good Family Funeral Home, Rochester.
Funeral services are Saturday, Feb. 2 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Private family burial will be
held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the family.
Homer R. Personette
KNOX — Homer R. Personette, 69, of Knox, died at 11: 10 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2008 at Miller's
Merry Manor, Plymouth, surrounded by family and friends.
Homer was born Sept 28, 1938, one of eight children born to Homer A. and Dorothy (Croy)
Personette. He had an eighth grade education.
Homer is survived by his sons: Richard Personette of Wanatah, Scott Personette of Sebring,
Fla. And Sonny (Carey) Personette of Argos; daughters: Janice (Paul) Broeker of Culver, Susan
Personette of Mesa, Ariz. And Peggy (Frank) Ahlenius of Monterey; 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren;
sisters: Mariola Morrison, Barbara (Harold) Peters, Belle Neidlinger, Jeanne
(Gary) Hillabrand, Kay (Tom) Langdon and Bonnie (Harold) Smith; and brother-in-law Harold Henderson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister - Virginia Henderson, and grandson - Charles Personette.
Visitation with the family will be held at the Bonine-Odom Funeral Home, Culver, on Thursday,
Jan. 31, 2008 from 4 to 8 p.m. EST. Rev. Jim Irwin will officiate funeral services on Friday, Feb.
1, 2008 at 11 a.m. EST at the funeral home. Interment will follow at the New Oak Hill cemetery, Plymouth.
Memorials may be given to the Hospice of Marshall County.
Delores J. Jensen
PLYMOUTH — Delores J. Jensen, 75, of Plymouth, formerly of Grovertown, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008 in Miller’s Merry Manor, Walkerton.
She is survived by a son, Neil (Ruth) Jensen of Grovertown.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Feb. 2 at 11 a.m. CST at Rannells Funeral Home, Koontz
Lake Chapel. Friends may call Friday, Feb. 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. CST and Saturday after 10 a.m.
until the time of services at the funeral home.
Burial will take place in the Grovertown cemetery at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be given to Marshall County Hospice, 112 S. Center St., Plymouth, IN 46563
Nelson Ray Voorhees
ROCHESTER — Nelson Ray Voorhees, 47, of Rochester, died at 10: 57 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30 at home.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Voorhees; daughters: Julie Yanke of Riceville, Wis., Kristy
Sears of Rochester and Amanda Sears of Larwill; sons: Justin Ray Voorhees and Derrick
Wayne Voorhees, both of Rochester; three grandchildren; sisters: Vicki (Jack) Rudd of
Galveston, Krista Rae Pearson of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Ramona Rae (Michael)
Anderson of Lehi, Utah; brother, Randy Lee (Krista) Voorhees of Evansville; mother, Maria
“Marie” Fries of Colorado Springs, Colo.; stepmother, Nita Voorhees of Indianapolis; and stepsister, Becky.
Visitation is Friday, Feb. 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service Saturday at the
Good Family Funeral Home, Rochester. A Masonic service will be at 7: 30 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.
Funeral services are Saturday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
