Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992
Ersel V. Rhodes
Dec. 4, 1919 – July 16, 2003
Ersel V. Rhodes, 83, died Wednesday, July 16 at Hancock Memorial Hospital in Greenfield. A lifelong resident of Knightstown, he was born here on December 4, 1919, a son of the late Russell and Edna Brooks Rhodes.
Mr. Rhodes retired from Ford Motor Co. of Indianapolis in 1982 after 25 years of service as a toolmaker. He also worked at Rhodes Small Engine Repair in Knightstown. He was a member of the Knightstown Christian Church.
Survivors include one son, Bobby Gene Rhodes of Knightstown; three daughters, Sally Hamilton of Knightstown, Faye (husband David) Chandler of Rushville, and Starelaine (husband Bob) Barrows of Shelbyville; 18 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Lawana (husband John) Alford of Florida, Kay (husband Glenn) Wood of Rushville, and Betty Jane (husband Cecil) Richmond of Knightstown; and several nieces and nephews.
Ersel was preceded in death by his wife, to whom he’d been married for 52 years at the time of her death on May 3, 1988; one son, Donald Gene Rhodes in 1990; two daughters, Diana Day and Marlene Rhodes; five grandchildren; one brother, Robert Rhodes; and one sister, Ruth Earlywine.
Funeral services were held Monday, July 21 at the Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home~Estell Chapel~Shirley with Rev. Dennis Dewitt and Rev. Gene Bennett officiating. Burial was in Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown.
Visitation was Sunday, July 20 at the funeral home.
Margaret M. Molden
Feb. 21, 1917 – Aug. 10, 2003
Funeral services for Margaret M. Molden, 86, of Sebring, Fla. who died Sunday, August 10, were held Wednesday, August 13 in the Chapel of Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home in Sebring with Rev. Mike Adams officiating. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Mrs. Molden was born February 21, 1917 to Robert and Eva Goodnight McCarty in Hamilton County and moved from Anderson to Sebring in 1989. She was a clerk for General Motors in Anderson, retiring in 1974. She was of the Methodist faith.
She is survived by her husband, Joe Molden of Sebring, Fla.; one son, William Molden of Ione, Wash.; one daughter, Jo Ann Carter of Key Largo, Fla.; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Entombment was held immediately following the service at Lakeview Memorial Gardens, Avon Park, Fla.
Memorial contributions may be made to Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1843, Sebring, FL 33871-1843.
Christipher D. Harless
April 18, 1977 – Aug. 6, 2003
Christipher D. Harless, 26, a resident of Shirley, died Wednesday, August 6 at St. John’s Hospital in Anderson. He was born April 18, 1977 in Anderson.
Harless is a 1995 graduate of Shenandoah High School and was a self-employed carpenter and contractor.
Surviving are his wife, Holli (Walker) Harless of Shirley; six children, Alexis, Aaron, Andrew, Kain, Kewanne and Kailey Harless of Shirley; mother and step-father, William and Debbie Pine of Anderson; two brothers, Jason and Corey Moon of Shirley; one sister, Sarah Moon of Shirley; maternal grandparents, Robert and Laura Harless of Markleville; paternal grandparents, Jim and Carol Ecker of Florida; several aunts and uncles.
Funeral services were held Saturday, August 9 in the Condo & Son Funeral Home in Wilkinson. Burial was in McCray Cemetery.
Visitation was held at the funeral home Friday, August 8.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Christipher Harless Children’s Fund.
Lillian Madison
May 27, 1921 – Aug. 7, 2003
Lillian Madison, 82, a resident of Wilkinson, died Thursday, August 7 at the home of her daughter in Anderson. She was born May 27, 1921 in Kentucky, a daughter of the late William and Susan (Sheppard) Carter.
Mrs. Madison was a homemaker and a member of the Eden United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Sharon (Boggs) Cox of Anderson, Carolyn Spears of Anderson; five grandchildren, Shelly Harvey, Mitch Madison, Shawn Spears, Kelly Seybert and Shannon Boggs; five great-grandchildren, Dustin Moore, Amanda Moore, Casey Prine, Thomas Spears and Noah Boggs; five sisters, Maxine Neal of Richmond, Sue Johnson of North Vernon, Nina Hawley of North Carolina, Alice Harold of Louisville, Ky. and Kay Guerrero of North Carolina; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Madison on July 3, 1992; a son, Danny Madison in 1984; and five brothers, Fred, Homer, Clarence, Bernie and Jack Carter.
Funeral services were held Monday, August 11 in the Condo & Son Funeral Home in Wilkinson with Pastor Richard Gregg officiating. Burial was in South Mound Cemetery in New Castle.
Visitation was held at the funeral home on Sunday, August 10. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Myrtle Chew
Dec. 19, 1918 – Aug. 6, 2003
Former Knightstown resident Myrtle Chew, 84, of Nokomis, Fla., died Wednesday, August 6 in Venice. She was born December 19, 1918 in New Castle and moved to the Nokomis, Fla. are about five years ago.
Mrs. Chew had worked for the telephone company for over 30 years. She was a member of the Tri Kappa Sorority and Bethel Presbyterian Church, both in Knightstown. Myrtle was also a member of the Audubon Society and loved to quilt.
Survivors include a son, Pete (wife Paula) Chew of Nokomis, four grandchildren, Mark Chew of Venice, Fla., Ted Chew of Boston, Mass., Rusty Chew of Knightstown and Chris Batt of Portland and six great-grandchildren. Her husband, Joe Chew preceded her in death in 1963.
Graveside services were held Saturday, August at Indian Springs Cemetery in Punta Gorda with Pastor Scott Young officiating. The family requests that donations be made to the American Lung Association, 1436 Royal Palm Square Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33919.
Kays-Ponger Royal Palm Funeral Home, Pt. Charlotte Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Lora Ella Lee Padgett
May 28, 1920 – Aug. 16, 2003
Lora Ella Lee Padgett, 83, New Castle, died Saturday, August 16 at Hickory Creek of New Castle following a long illness.
She was born May 28, 1920 in Pickett County, Tenn., a daughter of John Thomas and Lou Smith Lee. Except for a brief period during the 1930s, she had been a resident of New Castle since 1925.
Mrs. Padgett was employed by Kumfy Togs, later Huntington Industries, for 44 years. She was a charter member of the company’s International Ladies Garment negotiations committee from its organization until the company closed in 1980. At the time of closing, she had more seniority than any other employee.
She was also an active original member of the Chrysler High School Band Boosters in the late 1960s and was for several years part of the organization committee for the former Old Time Friends Reunion. She attended First Church of the Nazarene from 1925 until illness prevented her participation.
She is survived by a son, Jeffrey L. Padgett of New Castle; one sister, Pollie (husband Jesse) Catron; one brother, Walter Max (wife Georgia) Lee of New Castle; three aunts, Alma Stockton and Mary Evelyn Lee, Raysville, and Willie Thompson of Knightstown; an uncle, Reed (wife Oradean) Lee, Ogden; four nieces, three nephews; four nephews-by marriage; cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death in 1991 by her husband, Frank Padgett, whom she married on March 25, 1946; an infant sister, Lois Ellen Lee; and special friend, Howard Rust.
There will be no public calling and funeral services will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the New Castle Scholarship Fund at Henry County Community Foundation.
Macer-Hall Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dennie Junior Norfleet
Oct. 14, 1931 – Aug. 18, 2003
Dennie Junior Norfleet, 71, of Carthage, died Monday, August 18 in Hancock Memorial Hospital in Greenfield.
He was born October 14, 1931 in Kentucky, a son of the late Denny and Alma Norfleet. Mr. Norfleet worked at Container Corp. in Carthage for 35 years. He enjoyed Beagle dog hunting.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, the former Barbara Roy; six children, Cheryl (husband John) Wright of Shirley, Wayne Norfleet of Carthage, Todd Norfleet of Spiceland, Jo (husband Phil) Henry of Columbus, Shelly Norfleet of Shirley, and Darin Norfleet of Carthage; mother-in-law, Lola Roy of New Castle; grandchildren, Jessica, Carmen, Korey, Kasey, Damon and Bobby; great-grandchild, Weston; brothers, Ezra, Edward, Roger and Weldon Norfleet; sisters, Lucille, Imalene, Grace, Ina and Tina; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and one sister.
Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 21 at Marcum-Troxell Community Funeral Home in New Castle with Rev. Bobby Slagle officiating. Burial will follow in Harlan Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. today, (Wednesday, August 20) at the funeral home.
