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Walter R. Hildebrand
Walter R. Hildebrand, 84, Decatur, died at 5:04 a.m. Saturday in the extended care unit of Adams County Memorial Hospital after a long illness.
He was born on September 29, 1912 in Adams County to Otto and Flora Bracht Hildebrand and married
Mildred C. Frank on November 28, 1935. She survives.
He was a retired Preble Township farmer and a lifelong active member of Salem United Church of Christ at Magley.
Other survivors are two sons, Robert L. Hildebrand, Decatur, and William G. Hildebrand, Reading, Pennsylvania; a brother, Carl Hildebrand, Decatur; two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Helen) Beery, Decatur, and Mrs. Jacob (Marie) Grether, Loveland, Colorado; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a sister, Irene Peck, and a grandson.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Salem United Church of Christ, with burial in the church cemetery. Visiting hours are until 5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. today in Zwick-Sefton and Jahn Funeral Home, Decatur, and 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the church.
Preferred memorials are to the church or to the American Diabetes Association.
(Notice dated April 28, 1997)
Donald F. Long
Donald F. Long, 78, Wauseon, Ohio, died Sunday in Fulton County Health Center.
Among survivors are his wife, Elizabeth; a son; two daughters, including Mrs. Robert (Linda) Benien, Decatur; three brothers; and two sisters.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday (Ohio time) in Walker Mortuary, Napoleon, Ohio, with burial in Forest Hill cemetery, Napoleon. Visiting hours are 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday (Ohio times).
(Notice dated April 28, 1997)
Lula A. Zell
Lula A. Zell, 81, New Haven, a native of Adams County, died April 24 in Harborside Care Center. Among survivors are a son and a daughter.
Funeral services were held this morning, with burial in Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne.
(Notice dated April 28, 1997)
James A. Cowens
James A. Cowens, 67, 1315 Canterbury Dr., a community leader in Decatur for many years, died at 5:30 a.m. today at home.
He was born on February 27, 1930 in Bluffton to Lloyd A. and Helen K. Fisher Cowens and married
Audrey V. Ross on June 30, 1951. She survives.
He was a retired insurance agent and income tax preparer. He was also a member of First United Methodist Church in Decatur, Decatur Masonic Lodge 571, Scottish Rite Valley of Fort Wayne, Adams County Scottish Rite Club, Adams County Shrine Club, Chapter 48 of the Order of the Eastern Star, Decatur Elks Lodge 993, Adams Post 43 of the American Legion, and Decatur Moose Lodge 1311.
He served on the North Adams School Board from 1966-74, was a Democratic precinct committeeman, and served as Adams County's first weights and measures inspector.
Mr. Cowens was a 32-year member of the Decatur Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter and was a member of the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters' Association.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1948-52.
He also was the founder in 1961 of the George Gilbert Award that is presented annually to a gradauting senior, first at Decatur High School and now at Bellmont High School.
Other survivors are a son, James L. Cowens, Fort Wayne; two daughters, Mrs. Dan (Judy) Miller, Decatur, and Mrs. Tom (Joyce) Oliver, Ohio City, Ohio; a sister, Joan Lueras, Hollywood, Florida; six grandchildren; and four stepgrandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in First United Methodist Church, with burial in Decatur cemetery. A graveside military service will be conducted by American Legion Post 43.
Visiting hours are 2-5 and 6-9 p.m. Tuesday in Haggard and Armes Funeral Home, Decatur. A firefighter's memorial service will be held there at 7 p.m. Tuesday and a Masonic memorial service at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Preferred memorials are to the American Cancer Society, The Jimmy V. Foundation, or the Decatur Fire Department.
(Notice dated April 28, 1997)
Robert F. Travelbee
Robert F. "Rod" Travelbee, 72, Columbia City, died Monday at home. Among survivors are his wife, Marcella; a son; two brothers; and three sisters, including Betty Sefcik, Berne.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Smith and Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City, with burial in South Whitley cemetery. Visiting hours are 5-8 p.m. Wednesday.
(Notice dated April 29, 1997)
Michael D. Murphy
Michael D. Murphy, 32, Bluffton, died Saturday in Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. Among survivors are his parents; two sisters; and a brother, David L. Murphy, Decatur.
Funeral services were held this morning, with burial in Fairview cemetery, Bluffton.
(Notice dated April 29, 1997)
Edith R. Bowen
Edith R. Bowen, 86, Rockford, Ohio, a former resident of rural Willshire, Ohio, died at 8:40 p.m. Monday (Ohio time) in Shane Hill Nursing Home after a long illness.
She was born in Decatur on April 9, 1911 to Truman S. and Phoeba P. Jones Dudgeon and married
Laurel R. Bowen on March 28, 1934. He survives.
She was a homemaker who also taught school for 26 years, retiring in 1966. She taught for two years in a one-room school in Mercer County, Ohio, and 24 years at the Willshire School.
She was a lifetime member of the Ohio Retired Teachers' Association and attended Union United Methodist Church. She was a 1932 graduate of Bowling Green University, with a degree in elementary education.
Other survivors are a son, Roderick K. Bowen, Willshire; a sister, Nora Byer, Berne; two grandsons; and two great-grandchildren. A brother, Robert Dudgeon, is deceased, as are three sisters: Cecil Stephenson, Florine Carr, and Berneice Gase,
Funeral services will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Zwick-Sefton and Jahn Funeral Home, Decatur, with burial in Willshire cemetery. Visiting hours are 1-8 p.m. Wednesday.
Preferred memorials are to the church, Willshire Volunteer Fire Department, or the Willshire Emergency Medical Service unit.
(Notice dated April 29, 1997)
Frank M. Leistner
Frank M. Leistner, 78, Plant City, Florida, died April 21 in Plant City. Among survivors are three daughters and three brothers, including Forest Leistner, Berne.
Funeral services were held April 24 in Florida.
(Notice dated April 29, 1997)
Robert E. Franks Sr.
Robert E. Franks Sr., 75, rural Bryant, died Sunday at home after a long illness. Among survivors are his wife, Garnet; a son; three brothers; and two sisters, including Mrs. Clarence (Helen) Neuenschwander, Berne.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Baird-Freeman Funeral Home, Portland, with burial in Center cemetery, rural Portland. Visiting hours are until 8 p.m. today.
(Notice dated April 29, 1997)
Ralph E. Smith Sr.
Ralph E. Smith Sr., 92, Decatur, died at 12:40 p.m. Tuesday at the Chalet Village Health Care Center, Berne.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Haggard and Armes Funeral Home.
(Notice dated April 30, 1997)
Herbert C. Ratcliff
Herbert C. Ratcliff, 80, Decatur, died March 2 in Adams County Memorial Hospital.
He was born on July 17, 1916 in Ossian to Elmer and Edith Ratcliff.
He worked in the tool and die industry and as a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, and Scottish Rite. He lived in several communities in this area, and also spent some 20 years in Charles Town, West Virginia.
Surviving are a son, John D. Ratcliff, Bunker Hill, West Virginia; a daughter, Julie Sullivan, Martinsburg, West Virginia; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service was held in Charles Town Presbyterian Church on March 22. Memorial donations are to that church.
Local arrangements were through Zwick-Sefton and Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur, which announced that family members withheld the obituary notice in March, but have now decided to publish it.
(Notice dated April 30, 1997)
Donald R. Knepple
Donald R. "Charley" Knepple, 48, Fort Wayne, died Monday in Fort Wayne, one of two murder victims of a man who later committed suicide.
Among survivors are his wife, Linda; a son; a daughter; his mother; a sister; and two brothers, including David M. Knepple, Monroeville.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in D.O. McComb and Sons Foster Park Funeral Home, Fort Wayne, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Fort Wayne. Visiting hours are until 5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. today.
(Notice dated April 30, 1997)
