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Friday, May 9, 2008

Dr. Robert A. Martin, 76
A relative of Wells County residents, Dr. Robert A. Martin, 76, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died May 7, 2008, after a long illness.
He was born to Raymond (Guy) Martin and Orlu (Lambert) Martin June 25, 1930, in Toledo, Ohio. During his childhood, he spent many summers in Poneto at the home of his grandparents, William and Leona (Brodt) Lambert, and visiting extended family, including his maternal aunts Lucille Dow and Kathryn Renner.
He graduated with a B.A. in drama from the University of Toledo, and then in 1965, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D in English. He was Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Michigan, where he taught American literature and drama, later teaching at Michigan State University. He published many articles and edited volumes on Arthur Miller, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others. He is best known for The Theatre Essays of Arthur Miller (1978).
Surviving relatives include two sons, John Martin of Watertown, Mass., and Douglas (Cheryl) Martin of Canton, Mich.; two daughters, Carolyn (Tom) Pauls and Christine (Jeff) Hyde of Denver, Colo.; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his mother on Dec. 21, 2007.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at noon at McCabe Funeral Home in Michigan. Visitation will be Friday from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Burial will be at Arborcrest Cemetery in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Preferred memorials are to the American Lung Association.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Dianne E. Stotlar, 62
Diane E. Stotlar, 62, of Uniondale, died at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at her residence.
Born in Jay County on May 13, 1945 to Virgil and Phyllis (Thorton) Knotts, she married H. Gene Stotlar in Ossian on Oct. 31, 1981; he survives.
A 1963 graduate of Pennville High School, Mrs. Stotlar was a homemaker who also worked as a secretary for Crosby’s in Fort Wayne and Peyton’s. She was also a member of the First Church of Christ.
Other surviving relatives include nine daughters, Shelly Rea of Memphis, Tenn., Angela (Blaine) Sprinkle of Huntington, Tera Stotlar of Lebanon, Donna Anderson of Bluffton, Robin (Kenny) Bolt of Batesville, Ark., Kimberly (Randy) Burns of Bluffton, Sheri Shane of Ossian, Sandy (Bobby) Martinez of Monroe and Jamie Stotlar of Wabash; three sons, Tim (Becky) Stotlar of Bluffton, Randy (Corinna) Stotlar of Montpelier and David Stotlar; one brother, Kenneth (Judy) Knotts of Bryant, 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, at the Goodwin Memorial Chapel in Bluffton with Larry Sprinkle officiating. Calling hours will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday and from noon till the time of the service on Saturday at the funeral home. Burial is at Elm Grove Cemetery, in Bluffton.

Timothy L. Bell, 29
Former Wells County resident Timothy L. Bell, 29, of Angola, died as a result of traffic accident Tuesday, May 6, 2008 on an I-69 ramp in Steuben County.
Born on June 7, 1978, in Angola, he married Shannon (Graham) Bell on Nov. 1, 2003, in Angola. She survives him.
He worked at R.R. Donnelly in Angola. He was a 1997 graduate of Norwell High school, where he participated in football and wrestling.
Other surviving relatives include his father and stepmother, Bobbie and Jan Bell of Geneva; his mother, Kay (Mocherman) Bell of Angola; one son, Lucas Alexander Bell of Angola; grandmother, Aileen Moore of Columbia, Ohio; step-grandmother, Norma Bell of Coldwater, Mich.; four brothers, David (Aimee) Bell of Edon, Ohio, Rodney (Cassie) Tucker of Ossian, Eric (Kelly) Tucker of Ossian, and Jeremy Tucker of Ossian and 10 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Weicht Funeral Home in Angola. Visitation will be Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Burial will be at Greenlawn Cemetery in Orland. Rev. Donald E. Meyers will officiate.
Preferred memorials are to the family c/o Shannon Bell for Lucas’s education.

Viola W. Schwarz, 84
Ossian native Viola W. Schwarz, 84, of Fort Wayne died Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at Lutheran Hospital.
Born to Victor and Alvina (Roembke) Werling on April 5, 1924, in Ossian, she married William T. Schwarz. He preceded her in death on Nov. 6, 1993.
Mrs. Schwarz did clerical and bookkeeping work for many years for numerous companies and individuals. She was a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians, American Institute of Parliamentarians, Marine Corp. League Auxiliary, American Legion Post #296 Auxiliary, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and Peace Lutheran Church. She was also a past department president of American Legion Auxiliary. She was named a Sagamore of the Wabash.
Surviving relatives include five sons, Stephen W. (Karen) Schwarz of Fort Wayne, Thomas V. (Kathy) Schwarz of Clifton Park, N.Y., Richard A. (Sue) Schwarz of Fort Wayne, Robert M. (Lisa) Schwarz of Fort Wayne, and Daniel J. (Lori) Schwarz of Fort Wayne; two daughters, Barbara L. Schwarz of Laurel, Md., and Marilyn J. Schwarz of Fort Wayne; one brother, Norman V. (Nancy) Werling of Atlanta, Ga.; 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Juanita W. Springer and Bernadine Scherer.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne. Visitation will be Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Elzey Patterson Rodak Home for Funerals in Fort Wayne and at the church one hour prior to service. Burial will be at Concordia Gardens.
Preferred memorials are to Peace Lutheran Church Women’s Guild and Hoosier Girls State.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Audrey D. Smith, 85
Audrey D. Smith, 85, of Huntington died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at 2:03 a.m. at Norwood Nursing Center in Huntington.
Born to Ernest I. and Virginia C. (Fluke) Reed on Sept. 17, 1922, in Markle, she married Richard M. Smith on Sept. 5, 1941, in Huntington. He preceded her in death on Jan. 10, 1998.
A 1940 graduate of Huntington Township High School, she worked at Wabash Technologies for 28 years, retiring in 1983. She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene since 1959.
Surviving relatives include two daughters, Linda (James) McDonald of Oxford, Mich., and Lynette R. Simmons of Noblesville; one brother, Maurice F. Reed of Huntington; two sisters, Velma Willour of Huntington and Golden Hale of Wabash; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by three brothers, George Reed, Max Reed and Harold Reed; and one sister, Bonnie Waltz. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at First Church of the Nazarene. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Myers Funeral Home Huntington Chapel and one hour prior to service at the church. Burial will be at the Star of Hope Cemetery in Huntington County. Preferred memorials are to the Lou Gerig’s Foundation or to the Diabetes Association.

Diane Stotlar, 62 — Rites pending
Funeral rites are pending at Goodwin Memorial Chapel for Diane Stotlar, 62, of Uniondale, who died at 9:30 a.m. this morning at her residence.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Michelle K. Harris, 48
Michelle K. Harris, 48, of Bluffton, died at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Born in Bluffton on Sept. 24, 1959 to Kenneth and Anna Lee (Hunt) Zoll, she was a homemaker and attended Life Community Church.
Surviving relatives include her mother, of Greencastle; one son, Eric Gerber of Bluffton; two daughters, Cheyenne Harris and Sarah (Adam) Heckber, both of Ossian; her grandmother, Doris Zoll of Bluffton; two brothers, Mitchell (MaryLou) Zoll of Muncie and Marshall (Lora) Zoll of Greencastle; one sister, Sherry Zoll of Bluffton; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, at the Goodwin Memorial Chapel in Bluffton, with Pastor Kent Ringger officiating. Calling hours will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Goodwin Memorial Chapel in Bluffton. Burial is at Six Mile Cemetery, in Bluffton.
Preferred memorials are to the family.

Eunice Irene Bienz, 77
The mother of a Bluffton resident, Eunice Irene Bienz, 77, of Fort Wayne, died Sunday, May 4, 2008.
Born in New Haven to Carl and Alvina Heine, she married Gilbert Bienz; he preceded her in death in 1985.
Mrs. Bienz was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Soest) in Fort Wayne.
Surviving relatives include two daughters, Kay (Michael) Schumm of Bluffton and Tamara (Steve) Inniger of Hoagland; two sons, Michael (Angie) Bienz of Decatur, and Richard (Denise) Bienz of Hoagland; two sisters, Marcella (Ted) Paschka of Fort Wayne and Phyllis (Harold) Schamerloh of Decatur; one brother, Gaylord (Gertrude) Heine of New Haven; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Soest). Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the E. Harper & Son Funeral Home in New Haven and from one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial is at Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery (Soest), in Fort Wayne.
Preferred memorials are to the church or “Worship for Shut-ins”.

Bobby Joe Hollar, 76
Bobby Joe Hollar, 76, of Montpelier, died at 7:10 p.m. Saturday, May 3, 2008, at his residence.
Born in Nappanee on Feb. 19, 1932, he was the son of Donald and Marjorie I. (Hollar) Sours, he married Beverly “Sue” Michael; she survives, living in Fiat.
A 1949 graduate of Nappanee High School, Mr. Hollar served in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 to 1956. He worked for the civil service and the Naval Air Facility in Litchfield, Ariz., and was a supervisor at Westec Manufacturing in Phoenix before moving to Montpelier in 1994. He was a member of the Nappanee Church of the Brethren and the National Rifle Association.
Other surviving relatives include two sons, Philip L. (Adrian) Hollar of Montpelier and Stanley J. (Delores “Dee”) Hollar of Chandler, Ariz.; and two grandsons.
Funeral services will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, at the Glancy Funeral Homes Walker Chapel in Montpelier with the Rev. Bill Smith officiating. Calling hours will be from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials are to the Alzheimer’s Association in South Bend.

Bryan W. Paxson, 38
Bryan W. Paxson, 38, of rural Montpelier, died at 9:15 a.m. Monday, May 5, 2008, at Muncie Health Care and Rehabilitation as a result of injuries sustained in a 1987 automobile accident in Blackford County.
Born in Bluffton on Feb. 4, 1970 to Hilda E. (Markin) Paxson, he was a graduate of Blackford High School and was about to attend ITT at the time of his accident. He had been an active baseball manager, and was a member of BADD and the Blackford Band. He was also a member of Grace Community Church in Montpelier.
Surviving relatives include an uncle, Francis Graves of southern Wells County.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, at the Glancy Funeral Homes Walker Chapel in Montpelier with Dennis Clouse officiating. Calling hours will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial is at Woodlawn Cemetery, in Montpelier.
Preferred memorials are to the Gamma Nu Sorority or the Montpelier Fire Department.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Henrietta L. Caylor, 85
The widow of Dr. Harold Caylor, Henrietta L. Caylor, 85, died at River Terrace Estates at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2008.
Born in White County, Ind., to Carleton and Geneva (Hess) Noe on June 6, 1922, she marred Dr. Caylor on January 17, 1972 in Honolulu, Hawaii; he died June 16, 1986.
After receiving her nurses training at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Mrs. Caylor furthered her education at Ball Memorial Hospital in anesthesia. She worked at the Caylor-Nickel Medical Center for 34 1/2 years, 29 of those as a registered nurse anesthetist, retiring in 1990.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church where she was active in the Women’s Mission Society and served on the board of trustees and the board of deacons. She was also active in Psi Iota Xi, the Business Professional Women, and volunteered many hours at the medical center after her retirement.
She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Carol (Hasan) Gucluyildiz of Basking Ridge, N.J.; a sister, Evelyn Langdon of Hartford City; and a brother, John Noe of North Carolina.
Services will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Thoma/Rich, Chaney & Lemler Funeral Home with Pastor Bud Abrams officiating. Calling hours at the funereal home are Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. and for one hour prior to the services Wednesday. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.
Preferred memorials are to the church or the Caylor-Nickel Foundation.

Ruth Ann Hollingsworth, 72
Ruth Ann Hollingsworth, 72, Poneto, died at 3:59 a.m. Sunday, May 4, 2008 at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.
Born in Wells County on May 10, 1935 to John and Ruby (Shannon) Adams, she married Russell E. Hollingsworth on January 19, 1951 in Craigville; he died Sept. 19, 2005. She attended Bluffton High School and was a full time homemaker. She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene.
Survivors include eight children, Danny C. Hollingsworth of Arab, Ala.; Weslie A. Hollingsworth and Lucinda M. Barton, both of Bluffton, Russell E. Hollingsworth II and Brian L. (Mellanie) Hollingsworth, both of Poneto, Jon M. (Sharon) Hollingsworth of Lapel, Lori Farmer (Doug Ginger) of Keystone, and Chad W. (Jennifer Gettinger) Hollingsworth of Dunkirk; three brothers, Howard Adams of Florida, Bill (Pat) Adams of Bluffton and Bob Adams of Cowan; three sisters, Betty Johns of Keystone, Jody (Herman) Satterfield and Elanda (Dave) Poff, both of Bluffton; 28 grandchildren; and 23 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Richard Adams.
Services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene in Bluffton with Pastor Dan White officiating. Calling hours are Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Thoma/Rich, Chaney & Lemler Funeral Home and Thursday for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Burial will be in Stahl Cemetery. Preferred memorials are to The Dream Team.

Joseph W. Hensley, 91
The father of two Montpelier residents, Joseph W. Hensley, 91, Upland, died at 12:14 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2008 at Heritage Pointe in Warren.
Survivors include Wanda (Tom) Jones and Marilyn (Kevin) Lavanchy, both of Montpelier.
Services will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Jones-Smith Funeral Home in Upland. Calling hours there are today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Burial at Gardens of Memory in Muncie. Preferred memorials are to Heritage Pointe or Family Hospice of Northeast Indiana.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Jane Hofstetter, 82

The mother of Bluffton residents, Jane Hofstetter, 82, of Berne, died at 10:23 p.m. Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur.

Born in Pennville on May 30, 1925 to Beryl and Phyllis (Perry) Denney Sr., she married Keith Hofstetter in Decatur on April 24, 1943; he survives.

A 1943 graduate of Bryant High School, Mrs. Hofstetter was a homemaker and a member of the Canasta Card Club and the B-Y Club in Geneva.

Other surviving relatives include two sons, Kevin (Rhonda) Hofstetter of Bluffton and Rod (Tammy) Hofstetter of Tipton; one daughter, Karen Burke of Bluffton; one brother, Beryl “Bud” Denney of Bryant; two sisters, Arlene Godwin of Celina, Ohio and Sue Shirk of Portland; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Hofstetter was preceded in death by one daughter, Connie Lingo and one brother, Robert Denney.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, at the Swiss Village Retirement Center Village in Berne. Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Swiss Village. Burial is at West Lawn Cemetery, in Geneva.

Downing and Glancy Funeral Home in Geneva is in charge of arrangements.

Roy L. Havens, 88

Roy L. Havens, 88, of Dunkirk, died at 8:35 p.m. Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Blackford Community Hospital in Hartford City.

Born in Jay County on Oct. 20, 1919 to James Marion and Ocie (Coleman) Havens, he married Bernice Alene (Doty) Havens in Blackford County on Oct. 3, 1969; she survives.

Mr. Havens attended Trenton & Montpelier schools, and retired from Sheller-Globe Corporation in Montpelier. He was a member of Blackford Baptist Temple.

Other surviving relatives include one son, Jim Havens of Fairmount; one sister, Mary Ruth Godfrey of Portland; two grandsons and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Havens was also preceded in death by two brothers, Francis and Ralph Havens.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, at the Glancy Funeral Homes Walker Chapel in Montpelier. Calling hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial is at I.O.O.F. Cemetery, in Montpelier.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Mary Catherine Keesling, 92
Mary Catherine Keesling, 92, of Warren, died at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Heritage Pointe in Warren.
Born in North Vernon on Dec. 18, 1915 to Earl L. and Evelyn Marie (Stroup) Keesling, she was a 1933 graduate of Anderson High School, and also graduated from Ball State University.
Miss Keesling was a teacher in the Marion school system for 39 years, retiring in 1977. She was a member of the Indiana Retired Teachers’ Association.
Surviving relatives include one sister, Olive Eagan of Alhambra, Calif.; and nine nieces and nephews.
Miss Keesling was preceded in death by two brothers, James and Earl Keesling, and two sisters, Jean Bault and Dorothy Songer.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, at Heritage Pointe with the Rev. Herbert Edwards officiating. Calling hours will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday at the Glancy Funeral Homes H. Brown & Son Chapel in Warren. Burial is at Anderson Park Memorial Cemetery, in Anderson.
Preferred memorials are to Heritage Pointe.