Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992
Robert A. Willis
April 7, 1928 – June 24, 2004
Anderson resident, Robert A. Willis, 76, died Thursday, June 24 in Community Hospital in Anderson. He was born April 7, 1928 in Shirley, a son of the late Lester and Gladys (Thompson) Willis.
Mr. Willis retired after 37 years of service from Delco Remy in Anderson and had also worked for the New York Central Railroad. He was a member of the Shirley Masonic Lodge #531, Indianapolis Scottish Rite, Daybreak Wesleyan Church in Lapel, CB’R “The Golden Voice of White River Valley” and UAW 662.
Surviving are his wife Barbara (Smith) Willis of Anderson; one son, James (wife Diana) Willis of Anderson; two daughters, Karen (husband, Joe) Harris of Lawrence, and Laura (husband David) Cardwell of Anderson; eight grandchildren; six brothers, Joe Willis and Roy Willis, both of Markleville, Jerry Willis of Huber Heights, Ohio, Denzil Willis of Wilkinson, and David Willis and Jerome Willis, both of Florida; three sisters, Ruth Loar, Eleanor Rumler and Laura Willis, all of Indianapolis; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, twin siblings, first wife, Roberta Willis and one brother, Sam Willis.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 29 in the Condo & Son Funeral Home in Wilkinson with Rev. Robert Payey officiating. Burial was at Mechanicsburg Cemetery.
Visitation and Masonic services were held at the funeral home Monday, June 28.
Dr. Philip Parker
Mar. 12, 1922 – June 27, 2004
Dr. Philip “Ted” Parker, 82, a resident of Plainfield, died Sunday, June 27 in his residence. He was born March 12, 1922 in Knightstown, a son of the late Philip P. and Hilda Callahan Parker.
Dr. Parker was veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a veterinarian for several years, retiring in 1987. A graduate of Oklahoma State University school of veterinary science, he received a BS from Indiana University and a MS from IUPUI in Indianapolis. He was a member of the Plainfield United Methodist Church, the Plainfield Optimist Club, Toastmaster Club, Plainfield Elks Lodge #2186, Plainfield Eagles Lodge #3207, Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Murat Shrine, American Legion and Police Commissioner for Plainfield.
He married Jane O’Bannon on September 4, 1949 in Corydon and she survives. Also surviving are one daughter, Ann Parker and one brother, Dr. James C. Parker.
A son, Philip O’Bannon Parker and an infant daughter preceded him in death.
Services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, July 1 in Plainfield United Methodist with Dr. Ann Glass officiating. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30 in Hall-Baker Funeral Home in Plainfield.
Memorial contributions can be made to Plainfield United Methodist Church, 600 Simmons, Plainfield, IN 46168 or to the Phoenix Assistance Dogs, P.O. Box 81, Wyatt, IN 46595.
Kathleen Pierce
May 27, 1925 – June 27, 2004
Kathleen “Kathy” Pierce, 79 of New Castle died unexpectedly Sunday, June 27 at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. She was born May 27, 1925 in Rowen County, Ky., a daughter of the late Willard and Della (Bowen) McDonald.
Mrs. Pierce was employed at RCA in Indianapolis for 13 years. A 1945 graduate of Spiceland High School, she was a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Dunreith. She loved to sew, birdwatch, garden and drive the pilot car while her husband, a truck driver, moved mobile homes.
Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Homer G. Pierce of New Castle; three daughters, Leda Kay (husband David) Posey of Slocomb, Ala., Tamara Tucker of Osceola and Vickie L. (husband Thad) Richardson of Spiceland; three granddaughters, April (husband Richard) Sparks of Elkhart, Amy (husband Bill) Upchurch of New Castle and Megan (husband Robert) Chandler of Spiceland; seven great-grandchildren; two step-grandsons, Tim Richardson of Rushville and Travis (wife Danielle) Richardson of Indianapolis; two step-great-grandsons; one step-great-granddaughter; one sister, Marcella Walgamuth of New Castle; one brother, Herndon (wife Mayme) McDonald of Syracuse and two sisters-in-law, Ileta McDonald of Knightstown and Helen McDonald of Spiceland.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, James McDonald and Willard McDonald, Jr., and one sister, Ella Imogene Denney.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today (Wednesday, June 30) at Liberty Baptist Church in Dunreith with Rev. Tim Dice officiating. Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown.
Visitation was held Tuesday, June 29 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle.
Memorial contributions may be given to Liberty Baptist Church with envelopes available at the funeral home.
Luther A. Pidgeon
Feb. 22, 1918 - July 5, 2004
The president of Draper, Inc., Luther A. Pidgeon died at the age of 86 on Monday, July 5 at his residence in Spiceland after a long illness. He was born February 22, 1918, a son of the late Elma and Jessie Pidgeon.
The third president of the company, founded by his grandfather Luther O. Draper in 1902, worked for the corporation from 1940 until a few months before his death and had been its president since 1960. In 1957, Mr. Pidgeon decided to add projection screens to the company’s product line, and today Draper is the second largest manufacturer of projection screens in the world. The company also manufactures window shades and gymnasium equipment.
A native of Spiceland and former resident of Knightstown, he received a BS in economics from Purdue University and was a lifelong supporter of the school. He served in the Army from 1941 to 1945, attaining the rank of major. During that time, he was a classified communications officer in the Pentagon and was awarded the War Department Citation by Gen. George C. Marshall for actions, which resulted in saving the lives of U.S. troops. He also served as an aide to the U.S. delegation at the Second Quebec Conference in 1944.
Mr. Pidgeon served as an elder of Bethel Presbyterian Church, on the school board of the Charles A. Beard Memorial School Corp., on the Henry County Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and on the Henry County United Fund board of Directors. He was a member of the Henry County School Reorganization Committee from 1959 to 1962. In addition, he was active in the Republican Party at the county and state levels for many years. He was a kind man and a strong leader and gave generously to this community.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Wilson Pidgeon; one son John D. (wife Jane) Pidgeon of New Castle; a daughter, Sara P. (Peggy) Pechous of Carmel; a sister, Mary P. Broome of New Castle; one grandson, Matthew D. Pechous of Carmel; two granddaughters, Anna W. (husband Nicholas) Brown of Chicago, and Ellen J. Wight of Santa Monica, Calif.; a cousin, Joanne (husband Walt) McCormack of Spiceland; four nephews, Mike (wife Susie) Broome and Chris (wife Jill) Broome of Greenfield (who worked with him at Draper), Jeff (wife Kristin) Broome and Dr. James Broome of Nashville, Tenn. Other survivors include, brother-in-law, Dr. Richard L. Silver of Indianapolis; sister-in-law, Martha Clawson of New Castle; five step-children, Bob Wilson and Wendy Wilson of New Castle, Joan White of Bloomington, Garry Sharp of Galveston, Texas and Jim Sharp of Indianapolis; four additional nieces and nephews; and 15 step-grandchildren.
Two wives, Marian Silver Pidgeon and Edith Sharp Pidgeon and his parents preceded him in death.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 8 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle with Sid Martin officiating. Burial will follow in Glen Cove Cemetery with military rites provided by the American Legion.
Friends may call from 3-8 p.m. today (Wednesday, July 7) at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Luther and Mary Pidgeon Fund, c/o Henry County Community Foundation, the Henry County Memorial Hospital Foundation or the American Diabetes Association.
Betsy Steele
Oct. 27, 1942 – July 4, 2004
Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Steele, 61, died Sunday, July 4 at Carondelet Hospice in Tucson, Ariz., following a series of illnesses. She was born October 27, 1942 in Indianapolis, the daughter of Elizabeth (Betty) Mai (Kalleen) Steele and the late Richard Monticue Steele of Knightstown.
Betsy graduated in 1960 from Knightstown High School and in 1965 from Butler University with a degree in English. At Butler, she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She then embarked on a varied and interesting journey through life.
After a short stint as a welfare worker in Indianapolis, she became a Vista volunteer, serving Native Americans in Winnebago, Neb. She was hired by the Methodist Church to work with other Native Americans in North Carolina and Oklahoma. She was also sent to help survivors of the Buffalo Creek, W.V. flood disaster.
Betsy returned to school in 1977, graduating with a master’s degree in counseling from Arizona State University in 1979. She began her counseling career in Tucson at New Directions for Young Women, working with teenagers. When that agency was absorbed by Family Counseling Agency, she stayed with the group and marked her 20th anniversary on July 1. She contributed to the agency in many capacities: as an individual, couples and group counselor, as a member of the Domestic Violence Program team, as the elected staff representative to mediate internal conflicts and finally, as the Coordinator of all Counseling services at the agency.
She was certified as a Professional Counselor by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health and by the National Professional Counselors Commission. She was a member of the American Counseling Assoc., the Arizona Counseling Assoc., the American Psychological Assoc., American Personnel and Guidance Associations and the National Association of Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors.
Her volunteer activities included counseling for the Tucson AIDS Project, participating in the HIV/AIDS Therapists’ Networking Group and serving as a volunteer at the University Medical Center, the teaching hospital associated with the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine.
Betsy is survived by her mother, Betty Steele of Knightstown; her brother and sister-in-law, David and Diane Steele, all of Knightstown; niece and nephew, Kalleen of the U.S. Air Force and Drew of St. Louis, Mo.; and one aunt, Betty Kalleen of Fishers. She also leaves loved ones, Sue and Laura Moran of Tucson; cousins, Julie Bubul, Oracle, Ariz, Rick Steele of Springfield, Va., Jenny Brown of Oak Harbor, Wash., Steve Bubul of St. Paul, Minn., Bob Russell of Geneva, Ill., Jim Russell of Rosswell, Ga., Chip Kalleen of Indianapolis, Cheryl Beerbower of Fishers, Bob Wilcox of Sherman Oaks, Calif., plus their spouses and cihldren.
Her father, Richard Steele and several aunts and uncles, preceded her in death.
All services will be held July 10. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. at the Todd Funeral Home Butcher Chapel in Knightstown, followed by the funeral at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown.
Memorial contributions may be made in the name of Betsy Steele to the Knightstown Public Library, the American Diabetes Association, or the Tucson Center for Women and Children, 2555 E. Adams, Tucson, AZ 86716.
Family and out-of-town guests will be served a luncheon at the Knightstown United Methodist Church following the service.
Joseph Ryan Ours
Aug. 16, 1983 – July 1, 2004
Joseph Ryan Ours, 20, a resident of Knightstown, died Thursday, July 1 at his residence. He was born August 16, 1983 in Indianapolis, a son of Richard and Patricia (Hynes) Ours of Knightstown.
Ours was a 2002 graduate of Knightstown High School and was a student of Indiana University in Bloomington. His hobby was playing the bass guitar and creative writing.
Surviving are his parents; a brother, Charlie Ours of Knightstown; and paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Ours of Knightstown.
He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Carl and Josephine Hynes and paternal grandfather, Earnest Ours.
Graveside services were held Tuesday, July 6 at Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown. Arrangements were handled by the Condo & Son Funeral Home in Wilkinson.
Mary Jean Ware
May 17, 1934 – June 30, 2004
Shirley resident, Mary Jean Ware, 70, died Wednesday, June 30 at Hancock Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, following an extended illness. She was born May 17, 1934 in Shirley, a daughter of the late Harry Eugene and Harriet Marie (Scarff) Johnson.
Mrs. Ware lived all of her life in Shirley and was a 1952 graduate of Wilkinson High School. She had been employed at Mallory’s in Frankfort. She was a member of the Shirley Christian Church and a member of the Women’s Aid Society at the church. She was a member of the Red Hat Society, Shirley Historical Society and the Shirley Senior Citizens.
Survivors include one aunt, Mary E. Johnson of Knightstown; one uncle, Everett Scarff of Crescent City, Fla., and four cousins.
Besides her parents, two infant sons preceded her in death.
Funeral services were held Saturday, July 3 at Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home ~ Estell Chapel in Shirley with Pastors Jim Hill and Jim Jackson officiating. Burial was in Mechanicsburg Cemetery.
Visitation was held at the funeral home prior to the service on Saturday.
