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Edna Pearl Taylor, 82
A native of Wells County, Edna Pearl Taylor, 82, died at 8:25 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at Meadowvale Health & Rehabilitation Center.
Miss Taylor worked 13 years for Lincoln National Bank in Fort Wayne, retiring in 1983. She also was a beautician for many years and worked at Miller’s Ice Cream in Fort Wayne, where she lived from 1945 until 2001, when she moved to Capri Court in Bluffton. She had been a resident at Meadowvale since Aug. 6, 2002.
Born April 27, 1920 in Wells County to Charles E. and Eva L. Miller Taylor, she attended the First Christian Church in Fort Wayne. She enjoyed sports and hockey games.
Surviving are several nieces and nephews, including Ruth Sleppy of Keystone, Patricia A. Lewis of Fort Wayne, and Robert R. Graham, of Bluffton. She was preceded in death by seven brothers and two sisters.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home, where calling will be today from 2 to 8 p.m. and for one hour prior to services on Sunday.
Pastor Michele Isch will officiate at services and burial will be in Twin Hills cemetery in Pennville.
Preferred memorials are to the American Parkinson Disease Associatin.
(Notice dated Feb. 1, 2003)
Debra Ann Simpson, 39
Debra Ann Simpson, 39, of 1204 Echo Lane, Bluffton, died at 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31, at her residence.
Mrs. Simpson was manager of “A Different Light, ” a part of Bi-County Services, for four years.
She was a member of Life Community Church and its women’s group.
She was born in Carmi, Ill., Sept. 4, 1963, to Donald and Joan Warren Turner. Her marriage at Ottumwa, Iowa, on Feb. 14, 1986 was to G. Timothy Simpson, who survives.
Additional survivors are her father, Donald Turner, who resides in Norris City, Ill.; her mother and stepfather, Joan and Everett James of Carmi; four sons, Neil M. Simpson of U.S. Marine Base at Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., and Wesley A. Simpson, Tanner B. Simpson and Logan A. Simpson, all of Bluffton; a brother and sister-in-law, Clyde W. and Janet Turner of Mt. Carmel, Ill., and the maternal grandparents, Frank and Leona Warren of Norris City, Ill.
Services at 11 a.m. Monday will be at Life Community Church with Kent Ringger and Rick Fiechter as the officiants.
Calling hours at Goodwin Memorial Chapel in Bluffton will be Sunday from 12 noon to 7 p.m.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Ebenezer IOOF cemetery at Norris City, Ill.
Memorials to the Wells County Unit of the American Cancer Society.
(Notice dated Feb. 1, 2003)
Lavon L. Shane, 88
Retired since 1987 after 37 1/2 years with Fruehauf Trailer Company where he was a load man, Lavon L. Shane, 88, formerly of 1332 West Cherry St., Bluffton, died at 11:55 a.m. Friday at Markle Health Care. He had been in failing health for the past month.
Long very active in the Mulberry Street Wesleyan Church in Bluffton, he was a church youth leader for 30 years, song leader for 60 years, and he taught Sunday School over many years.
A special avocation was making candy, and he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
A lifelong Wells County resident, he was born Dec. 19, 1914, in Bluffton, to William and Ethel Grove Shane. His marriage was on Dec. 24, 1937 in Bluffton to Agnes Maddux, who survives.
Also surviving are one son, Don Eugene Shane of Bluffton, one daughter, Mrs. Jack (Karen) Barcus of Bluffton, and five grandchildren. he was preceded in death by one son, William Thomas Shane, and four brothers, Alton Miller, Robert Miller, Herman Shane and Ernie Shane.
Calling will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Thoma-Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home and one hour prior to services Monday at the church.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Mulberry Street Wesleyan Church with Rev. Donald Hosier and Rev. Jim Englehart officiating. Burial will be in Fairview cemetery.
Preferred memorials to the Mulberry Street Wesleyan Church.
(Notice dated Feb. 1, 2003)
Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Debels, 89
A native of Latvia, Elizabeth “Betty” Debels, 89, of Bluffton died at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Meadowvale Care Center.
Miss Debels was employed for 17 years, 1966 to 1983, as a medical transcriptionist at Caylor-Nickel Hospital and Clinic.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and she also attended the Presbyterian Church of Bluffton.
Miss Debels was born April 19, 1913 in Riga, Lativa, a daughter of Nikolajs and Emilija Liepins Debelis. Her birth name was “Betija Debelis.” She was the last of her family.
Miss Debels spent 10 years in a concentration camp during World War II. She came to America in 1951, first to Gettysburg, Ohio, and then to Bluffton through the Latvian Refugee Relocation Commission. She was one of the original residents of the Capri Apartments before entering the Meadowvale nursing facility.
She was preceded in death by a brother, sister and a nephew.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Goodwin Memorial Chapel with Rev. Robert Heimach officiating. Burial will be in Six Mile cemetery.
Visitation time will be Wednesday for one hour prior to services.
Memorials to Wells County Foundation, attention to the Animal Shelter Fund, Gideon’s International, or the Ray Petersime Chapel fund at Manchester College.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Daniel L. Pax, 50
A former farmer who worked later at Dunbar Furniture in Berne, Daniel L. Pax, 50, of Bluffton died at 9:25 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Chalet Village in Berne.
Mr. Pax was employed in the mill room department of Dunbar Furniture in Berne. He was a graduate of Northwestern Technical College at Archbold, Ohio, and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bluffton.
He was born in Coldwater, Ohio, Nov. 30, 1952 to Robert and Dorothy Timmerman Pax. His marriage on Sept. 20, 1975 at St. Peter, Ohio, was to Norma Jean Wellman, who survives.
Additional survivors are the parents in St. Henry, Ohio; two sons, Gerald “Jerry” of Bluffton and Kevin of Kokomo; a daughter, Melissa Pax of Bluffton; three brothers, Fred of Denver, Colo., and Richard and Andrew, both of Fort Recovery, Ohio; and a sister, Mrs. David (Nancy) Brown of Redkey. A brother, Timothy, is deceased.
Services at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday will be at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bluffton with Father Larry Kramer and Father Joseph Pax as the officiants. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic cemetery at Geneva.
Calling hours at Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home in Berne will be Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 to 9 a.m. and at the church for one-half hour prior to services. A prayer vigil will be observed at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials to the family, to Chalet Village or to the American Muscular Dystrophy Association.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Helen M. Redding, 82
Helen M. Redding, 82, of rural Decatur, died Sunday, Feb. 2, at Adams County Memorial Hospital in Decatur.
Mrs. Redding, a homemaker, was a member of Salem United Church of Christ and its Ladies Aid, Adams County Heart Club, Country Friends, Kirkland Ladies Club and Women of the Moose.
She was born in Adams County Feb. 9, 1920, a daughter of Ernest and Pearl Frauhiger Longenberger. Her marriage on April 23, 1941 was to Marvin P. Redding, who died Oct. 16, 1986.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Virgil (Janell) Bowers Jr., of Decatur and Mrs. Richard (Joan) McDougall of Paulding, Ohio; four brothers, Harry Longenberger of Monroe, and William, Roger and Richard Longenberger, all of Bluffton; a sister, Lucille Bucher of Preble; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Two daughters, Judy and Joyce Redding, and a sister are deceased.
Services at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday with Rev. Jean Carmean officiating. Burial will be in Oak Lawn cemetery at Ossian.
Calling at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday until time of service.
Memorials to the Salem United Church of Christ Ladies Aid or to the Adams County Heart Club.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Keith R. Reed, 89
Father of Mark Reed of Bluffton, Keith R. Reed, 89, a lifelong resident of Hagerstown, died Saturday, Feb. 1, at Swiss Village in Berne, where he had lived the past several months.
Mr. Reed was a retired employee of Perfect Circle/Dana in Hagerstown and a member of the First United Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge 49, both at Hagerstown.
He was born at Hagerstown May 9, 1913, a son of Skaife and Effie Plessinger Reed.
Surviving are his wife, Louise Reed; a daughter, Bonnie Weiler of Fort Wayne; two other sons, David and Kurt, both of Albuquerque, N.M.; a brother, Paul; a sister, Marge Murfin; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Culberson Funeral Home in Hagerstown with Pastor Herschel Murray officiating. Burial will be in West Lawn cemetery.
Visitation hours at the funeral home will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. with a Masonic memorial service at 7:30 p.m.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Burnetta Ann Buzzard, 77
A former secretary, Burnetta Ann “Blondie”
Buzzard, 77, died at 10:25 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at her residence at 1126W-700S, Warren, in Jefferson Township, Huntington County.
Mrs. Buzzard was retired as a secretary from the Farm Bureau Insurance agency in Huntington.
She was a 1943 graduate of Andrews High School and a member of the First Baptist Church at Warren.
She was born at Andrews June 1, 1925 to Frank and Dorothy Aldridge Huston. Her marriage to Dale Eugene Buzzard, who survives, took place at Warren on Jan. 19, 1945.
Surviving, in addition to her husband, are three daughters, Kathy Buzzard of Warren, Mrs. Gregg (Konnie) Stevenson of Danville and Mrs. Jim (Doris) Croy of Kendallville; two sons, Charlie and Robert Buzzard, both of Warren; two brothers, Marvin Huston of Huntington and Alvin Huston of Apache Junction, Ariz.; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A son, Donald, three brothers and three sisters are deceased.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren with Rev. Bill Fisher officiating. Burial will be in Gardens of Memory at Marion.
Visitation hours at the Warren chapel will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Memorials to the American Lung Association.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Ruby E. Koby, 81
Ruby E. Koby, 81, of Mentone, a native of Huntington, died at 8:10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in Kosciusko Community Hospital in Warsaw.
Mrs. Koby retired from RCA in Marion after many years of service.
She was born in Huntington Jan. 28, 2922 to Albert “Burr” and Eva Case Knight. Her marriage at Huntington on July 16, 1941 was to James H. Koby, who died May 31, 1990.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Harold (Betty) Runkle of Wolcottville; a son, Jimmy Dean Koby of Mentone; three sisters, Madelene Long and Wanda Chopson, both of Warren, and Wilma Slater of Fort Wayne; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Deceased are three brothers, three sisters and one great-grandchild.
Services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren, with Pastor Charles Dye Jr. in charge. Burial will be in Masonic cemetery at Warren.
Calling times at the funeral chapel will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Memorials to the Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
Ruth D. Metcalfe, 89
A private funeral service was held for Ruth D. Metcalfe, a former resident of Marion and Bradenton, Fla., who died Thursday, Jan. 30, at the United Methodist Memorial Home at Warren, where she had resided since 1982.
Mrs. Metcalfe was a high school graduate and a member of the Southern Baptist Association. She formerly lived and worked in Marion and moved from Florida into the Warren home.
She was born in Guion, Ind., Aug. 21, 1913 to Joseph Thomas and Brilla Phelps Delp. Deceased are her first husband, Frederick E. Fuller, in 1973; her second husband, Robert Metcalfe, in 1974, and also two sisters and a stepson.
Surviving are a sister, Alice Cray of Warren; a stepson, Stephen Metcalfe of Winter Park, Fla.; a great-niece and a stepdaughter.
A private burial service was in Spring Hill cemetery at Warren with Rev. John Ballante officiating.
Memorials to the United Methodist Memorial Home.
(Notice dated Feb. 3, 2003)
