USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
BAER
H. Jean Baer, 69, of Van Wert, died at 4:11 p.m. Friday, May 7, 2004, at St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima.
She was born August 5, 1934, in Monroe County, W.Va., the daughter of the late Clarence and Elizabeth (Harless) Steele. On January 28, 1956, she married Walter E. "Bud" Baer, who died February 15, 1989.
Mrs. Steele was a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for 27 years, retiring from Van Wert Manor nursing home in Va Wert. She was a member of local Fraternal Order of Eagles and Moose auxiliaries.
Survivors include two sons, Walter E. "Bud" (Cheri) Baer Jr. and Steve L. Baer, both of Van Wert; two daughters, Brenda K. (Mark) Brotherwood and Angie S. Fisher, both of Ohio City; three brothers, Doug Steele, Hermie (Jane) Steele and Larry (Cecilia) Steele, all of Defiance; four sisters, Pat Kitchenmaster and Wanda (Jim) Taylor, both of Defiance, Betty (Jim) Gremling of Oakwood and Bonnie Franks of Mt. Airy, Md.; 14 grandchildren; a stepgrandchild, and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two children, Donna Mohr and Johnny Steele, and three sisters, Erma Camp, Eva Steele and Mary Steele.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 12, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home in Van Wert, the Rev. Paul Miller officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.
Calling hours are 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 11, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Cancer Research Center in Lima.
FLICK
Margaret L. Flick, 83, of Delphos, died at noon Friday, May 7, 2004, at Vancrest Health Care Center in Delphos.
She was born April 6, 1921, in Piqua, the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Short) Userman. On April 6, 1945, she married Warren C. Flick, who survives in Delphos.
Mrs. Flick retired from Metropolitan Bank as a bank teller. She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Elida and was a 1939 graduate of Covington (Ohio) High School. She loved to sew, crochet and knit and to travel.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Larry (Janice) Flick of Gomer and Michael (Kathleen) Flick of Columbus; a sister, Marilyn J. Userman of Piqua; four grandchildren, Bryan Flick and Marty Flick, both of Columbus, Tisha (Rex) Crites of Germany and Brandon Flick of Hawaii, and a great-grandchild, Jayden Crites of Germany.
She was preceded in death by one brother, William J. Userman.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 15, at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Elida, the Rev. Larry Snyder officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery.
Calling hours are 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Harter & Son Funeral Home in Delphos.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Rita's Hospice or St. Paul United Methodist Church in Elida.
BEEKS
Herman Beeks, 82, of Rockford, died at 11:15 p.m. Sunday, November 14, 2004, at the Laurels of Shane Hill in Rockford, where he had been a patient.
He was born April 2, 1922, in Blackford County, Ind., the son of the late Clarence C. and Eva M. (Keller) Beeks. On December 23, 1945, he married Imogene Hickman, who preceded him in death on January 9, 2003.
Mr. Beeks was a truck driver for Mogul Corporation and retired in 1984. He was also a retired farmer. A veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps serving in World War II, he was also a member of New Horizon Church in Rockford and member of the American Legion in Columbus and a member of the 780th Bomb Squadron, 465th Bomb Group Association.
Survivors include four children, Yvonne Lautzenheiser of Fairfield, Robert (Richard) LePage of Rockford, Ralph H. (Vicki) Beeks of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Regina (Bill) Jenkins of Mesa, Ariz.; two sisters, Inez (Lewis) Hutchinson of Pennville, Ind., and Mary Alice Beger of St. Joseph, Mo.; two sisters-in-law, Albert Beeks and Sue Beeks; nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Harry, Virgil and Robert Beeks.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 18, at New Horizon Church, with Pastor Robert Loar officiating. Burial will be in Otterbein Cemetery in Rockford, with military graveside services provided by the Rockford American Legion post.
Calling hours are 3-8 p.m. Wednesday, November 17, at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home in Rockford and an hour prior to services Thursday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Horizon Church or State of the Heart Hospice in Coldwater.
KRAMER
Martha T. Kramer, 85, of Van Wert and formerly of Delphos, died at 8:45 a.m. Friday, November 12, 2004, at her son's residence in Van Wert.
She was born August 18, 1919, in Lima, the daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Rode) Fuerst.
Ms. Kramer was a homemaker and a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Delphos. She loved meeting with friends for coffee and enjoyed Bingo.
Survivors include three sons, Robert (Pat) Kramer of Delphos and Donald (Dawn) Kramer and Larry (Deb) Kramer, both of Van Wert; a daughter, Joyce (Craig) Mumaw of Delphos; one brother, Eugene Fuerst of Lima; 14 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Thomas and Charles Kramer, and two brothers, Richard Conrad Fuerst and Norbert Fuerst.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, November 15, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Delphos, with Father Thomas Gorman officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Calling hours are from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, November 13, and 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, November 14, at Harter & Schier Funeral Home in Delphos, where a parish wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Health Professionals-Hospice in Van Wert.
GEPHART
Victoria Agnes Gephart, 87, of Rockford, died at 8:03 p.m. Monday, November 15, 2004, at Adams County Memorial Hospital in Decatur, Ind.
She was born May 7, 1917, in Decatur, the daughter of the late Mable Springer. On October 15, 1936, she married Robert L. Gephart, who preceded her in death on March 24, 1989.
Mrs. Gephart was a homemaker and also had worked at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company plant in St. Marys and Smith Brothers in Berne, Ind. She was a member of Rockford United Methodist Church and its Methodist Women group.
Survivors include three sons, Robert (Carol) Gephart of Portland, Tenn., Richard (Jean) Gephart of Union City, Tenn., and Randy (Christina) Gephart of Rockford; four daughters, Norma Jean (Roger) Hawkins of Decatur, Sharon (Carl) Gangwer and Fran (Rolland) Miller, both of Rockford, and Karen Ward of Columbus; 24 grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren, and 10 stepgreat-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter; one grandson; two stepgranddaughters and a great-granddaughter.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 19, at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home in Rockford, the Rev. Mike Berne officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.
Calling hours are from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, November 18, and an hour prior to services Friday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rockford Recreation Program.
STEMEN
Gaylord H. Stemen, 87, of Van Wert and formerly of Fort Wayne, Ind., died at 2:25 p.m. Thursday, November 18, 2004, at Van Wert Manor nursing home in Van Wert.
He was born March 5, 1917, in Allen County, Ohio, the son of the late Isaac and Maggie (Pierce) Stemen.
Mr. Stemen retired after 20-plus years work as a machinist at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, Ind. He attended the Crescent Avenue United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne and was a member of the Van Wert and Fort Wayne Moose lodges and the Fort Wayne Eagles lodge.
Survivors include two sons, Greg Stemen and Gary Stemen, both of Van Wert; a brother, Wilbur (Ruth) Stemen of Cairo; three sisters, Leota Barcus of Portland, Ind., Mary Fiock of Van Wert and Evelyn Hoverman-Jones of Venedocia, and one grandchild.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 22, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home in Van Wert. Burial will be in Ridge Cemetery in Ridge Township.
Calling hours are 2-5 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, November 21, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of donor's choice.
VANCLEAVE
Louise Marie VanCleave, 89, of 880-F N. Washington St., Van Wert, died at 1:10 a.m. Friday, November 19, 2004, at her residence.
She was born March 21, 1915, in Mattoon, Ill., the daughter of the late Charles and Mabel Ann (Tabor) Kirkling. On December 24, 1934, she married James D. VanCleave, who survives at home.
Mrs. VanCleave was a retail clerk and homemaker. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Van Wert.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Judith A. (William R. "Dick") Knodel of Van Wert; one brother, John R. "Jack" (Pat) Patrick, of Alamogordo, N.M.; two daughters-in-law, Linda VanCleave of Kensington and Connie VanCleave of Urbana; eight grandchildren, William Bradley Knodel, Tanya Carlton, James E. VanCleave, Randy VanCleave, Laura Ratterman, Shawna Marquez, Sean VanCleave and Sanje Agrilla; 14 great-grandchildren; one niece, and two nephews.
She was preceded in death by son sons, James Charles VanCleave, who died July 16, 1996, and Stephen W. VanCleave.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, November 22, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert, the Rev. Douglas Stockton officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.
Calling hours are 2-7 p.m. Sunday, November 21, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Health Professionals-Hospice or Wesley United Methodist Church.
