USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
LANTZ
Jeff S. Lantz, 41, of Van Wert, died Thursday morning, January 13, 2005, at his residence.
He was born December 26, 1963, in Syracuse, N.Y., the son of John Lantz and Jackie (Jessup) Lantz, both of whom survive in Auburn, Ind. On June 28, 2000, he married Robin Grieshop, who was formerly of Mendon, and she also survives.
Mr. Lantz was special projects manager and computer specialist for Interstate Cold Storage in New Haven, Ind. He was an alumnus of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
In addition to his parents and wife, he is survived by a daughter, Nichole (Bill) McCoy of Convoy; one son, Nicholas Shaw of Las Vegas, Nev.; two brothers, Todd (Pam) Lantz of Leo, Ind., and Greg Lantz of Auburn; two grandchildren, Allison and Avery McCoy; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charles and Jan Grieshop of Mendon; nine nephews and nieces, and two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law and their spouses.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Andrea Lantz, who died in infancy.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, January 16, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home in Van Wert, with the Rev. Timothy Burden officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.
Calling hours are 2-5 and 6-8 p.m. Saturday, January 15, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Van Wert Area Visiting Nurses-Hospice.
HILL
Larry Wayne Hill, 54, of 340 N. Tyler St., died at 8:52 a.m. Friday, January 14, 2005, at Van Wert County Hospital in Van Wert.
He was born March 5, 1950, in Middlesboro, Ky., the son of the late Henry Paul and Dana D. (Maness) Hill.
Mr. Hill was previously employed by Federal-Mogul Corporation in Van Wert. He was a member of the Church of the Pentecost in Van Wert.
Survivors include two sisters, Sherry D. (Paul) Colter and Janet G. (Kenneth) Bell, both of Van Wert; one nephew, Stuart (Amanda) Bell of St. Louis, Mo.; a niece, Rebecca (Aaron) White of Lima, and a great-nephew, Ethan White of Lima.
Private services will be held at the convenience of the family on Monday, January 17. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.
There will be no public calling hours.
Arrangements were handled by Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert.
BUECKER
Agnes E. Buecker, 88, of Delphos, died at 6:33 p.m. Sunday, January 16, 2005, at Vancrest Health Care Center in Delphos.
She was born February 6, 1916, in Delphos, the daughter of the late Frank and Laura (Bonifas) Buecker.
Ms. Buecker retired after 35 years of service at the cigar factory in Delphos. She also worked at Westinghouse Corporation and for the telephone company. She had also been a ship's cook in the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and American Legion Post 268, both in Delphos. She was a graduate of Delphos St. John's High School and Lima School of Cosmetology.
Survivors include a son, David (Rebecca) Buecker of Bellefontaine; one sister, Helen (Tom) Bendele of Delphos; two stepgrandchildren, Cherie (Jeff) Miller and Christine (Keith) Brown, and four stepgreat-grandchildren, Matthew Miller and Briana, Brandon and Alexis Brown.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Lewis Buecker, and a grandson, Danny Buecker.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 20, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Delphos, with Father Randy Giesige officiating. Burial will be in St. John Catholic Cemetery in Delphos.
Calling hours are 2-8 p.m. Wednesday, January 19, at Harter & Schier Memorial Chapel in Delphos.
Memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society.
VANDEMARK
Wilbur D. Vandemark, 86, of Elida, died at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 16, 2005, at Vancrest Health Care Center in Delphos.
He was born April 14, 1918, in Putnam County, the son of the late Raymond Clair and Elsie (Holt) Vandemark. On February 22, 1941, he married Annabelle Ross, who survives in Elida.
Mr. Vandemark was a lifelong dairy farmer and worked in maintenance at Lima Memorial Hospital. He was a member of Immanuel United Methodist Church in Elida, a member of the Allen County Dairy Board, served on the Allen County Soil Conservation Board and was a member of the Sugar Creek Grange. He earned honorary American Farmer and honorary state FFA degrees and had the highest-producing dairy herd in Ohio at the time he sold his herd. He graduated from Gomer High School in 1937, where he was an all-star basketball player for two years. He loved farming, milking cows and deer hunting. He was very proud of his children and grandchildren and loved to reminisce about his dairy farm, his farm life and his basketball days. He was proud to see his heritage and his love of farming passed on to his family.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Keaton Dean (Janie) Vandemark of Springhope, N.C., and Larry Keith (Sharon) Vandemark of Elida; two daughters, Debra Kay (Craig) Salhoff of Indianapolis, Ind., and Marsha Ann Vandemark of Williston; three sisters, Louise (Charles) Altstaetter of Cairo, Dorothy Larimore of Gomer and Jane (Tom) Miller of Elida; eight grandchildren, Beth (Rick) Hamman, Jill Salhoff, Trevor (Angie) Vandemark, Tyler (Boots) Vandemark, Dean Vandemark, Shawn (Wendy) Vandemark, Jared Vandemark and Jeffrey Vandemark, and three great-grandchildren, Lydia Vandemark, Collin Vandemark and Caleb Vandemark.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Homer Keith Vandemark.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 19, at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Elida, with the Rev. Gary Rode officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Elida.
Calling hours are 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 18, at Harter & Schier Memorial Chapel in Delphos and an hour prior to services Wednesday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lutheran Home of Mercy in Williston, where Mr. Vandemark's daughter, Marsha, resides.
DUTTON
Vesta A. Dutton, 97, of Convoy, died at 6 a.m. Saturday, January 15, 2005, at Convoy Care Center.
She was born October 30, 1907, in Van Wert County, the daughter of the late Arthur and Enola (Lee) Crow. On January 26, 1927, she married Guy Dutton, who died in 1984.
Mrs. Dutton formerly worked at Downtown Drug Store, National Seal Corporation and Continental Can Company, all of Van Wert; She also operated her own beauty shop in Convoy from 1952 until 1975. She was a member of Convoy United Methodist Church and was a former member of the church's United Methodist Women.
Survivors include a son, Robert (Luella) Dutton of Convoy; one half-sister, Alica Ann Shaw of Van Wert; three children, Paul Dutton and Karen (Wayne) Kemler, both of Van Wert, and Cheryl Young of Convoy, and six great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Paul and Car Crow; two half-brothers, Donald and Gene Crow; a sister, Cecile Goedert, and a great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 19, at Gearhart, Mack & Jurczyk Funeral Home in Convoy, with the Rev. Greg Leigh officiating. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery in Convoy.
Calling hours are 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 18, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Convoy EMS Squad or the Convoy Care Center Activities Fund.
ASHMAN
Lucile H. Ashman, 93, of Van Wert and formerly of Delaware, Ohio, went home to be with her Lord and Savior at 5:50 a.m. Saturday, January 15, 2005, at Van Wert Manor nursing home.
She was born December 28, 1911, in Plains, Mont., the daughter of the late John Kenton and Anna (McMillan) Hester. On August 15, 1936, she married George C. Ashman Jr., who preceded her in death.
Mrs. Ashman was in the nursing profession for more than 40 years. She graduated from the Methodist School of Nursing in Peoria, Ill., in 1932, fro Bradley University in Peoria in 1934 and was a charter member of the Bradley University Honor Society of Nursing. She was a member of Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Delaware.
Survivors include three sons, George C. (Ruth) Ashman III of Forest Park, Ill., John S. (Mary Ellen) Ashman of Euclid and Robert L. (Alice) Ashman of Norcross, Ga.; a daughter, Jane A. (Loren) Keske of Van Wert; six grandchildren, Catherine Keske-Handley, Theresa Keske, Carol Ashman, Laura Brown, Brian Ashman and Joyce Ashman, and two great-grandchildren, Maverick and Braedon Handley.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Weston and John Hester; two half-brothers, Ewart and Clinton Hester; a sister, Ruth McAdams, and a grandchild.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 18, at Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Delaware, with Pastor John Quist officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware.
Calling hours are 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements.
KELLY
Dr. William Arthur Kelly, 81, of 1254 S. Shannon St., having laid up more treasures in heaven than he ever amassed on Earth, went home to receive his reward on Saturday, January 15, 2005, at Van Wert County Hospital in Van Wert.
He was born November 29, 1923, in Anderson, Ind., the son of the late V.F. and Sarah (Penniston) Kelly. He was married to Erma Sears for 32 years and she preceded him in death. He then married Margaret Kerns, who died after 10 years of marriage.
Dr. Kelly was a retired elder of the Church of the Nazarene, having served as senior pastor or as minister of religious education at churches in Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio and directing a number of building projects for churches he served. He valued education and was a lifelong learner, with five college degrees. He was a World War II veteran and was a recipient of the Bronze Star medal. He used his skills on a number of missions trips and worked extensively with Friends Disaster Services rebuilding homes and churches over the past 10 years. He loved life and lived it to the fullest, enjoyed entertaining, relished a lively discussion and a good laugh, enjoyed fishing and woodworking and built finely-crafted, custom-made furniture for family, friends and churches.
Survivors include a daughter, Suetta Kelly (Dennis) Freeman; three brothers, the Rev. Alva B. (Evelyn) Kelly of Van Wert, Keith (Sarah) Kelly of Muncie, Ind., and Richard (Lois) Kelly of Anderson; two sisters, Agnes (Ray) Cain of Anderson and Grace (Richard) Bollenbacher of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a grandson, Mark (Michelle) Freeman of Flushing, Mich.; one granddaughter, Janae, also of Flushing, and a host of friends, including very special friends Eldon and Carolyn Habegger and Marlene Broyles.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Kirby, Charles, Leroy and James Kelly, and a sister, Francis Gascho.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 18, at Calvary Evangelical Church in Van Wert, with Pastors John Perkins and W. Clark Williman officiating. A second service will take place at noon Wednesday, January 19, at Kankakee First Church of the Nazarene in Kankakee, Ill., with Rev. Allen Dace officiating. Burial will follow this service in Kankakee Memorial Gardens.
Calling hours are 4-8 p.m. Monday, January 17, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert, noon-2 p.m. Tuesday at the Van Wert church and an hour prior to the Kankakee service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family for the furtherance of Janae's education and to establish an adoption fund for Mark and Michelle, concerns dear to Dr. Kelly's heart.
