Shane A. Mettler, 31
A resident of rural Bluffton, Shane A. Mettler, 31, died Monday, June 21, at Bluffton Regional Medical Center. Born Jan. 25, 1908 in Fort Wayne to Frank and Kathryn E. Swihart Sellers, she was married to Herbert T. Jesse. He preceded her in death in 1986. A homemaker, she was a member of the Salem United Church of Christ, a 50-year member of the Waynedale Chapter of Order of Eastern Star, a 50-year member of the Fort Wayne Chapter of Rebecca Lodge and a 68-year member of the Marion County Homemakers. Survivors include two sons, William of Ossian, and David of Fort Wayne; nine children and 10 great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, two sons, Thomas and Herbert L. preceded her in death. Services at 11 a.m. Thursday under the direction of Rev. Scott Coulter will be at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home Ossian. Burial will be at Lindenwood Cemetery. Calling at the funeral home will be 2-8 p.m. Wednesday. Memorials may be made to Salem United Church of Christ or Family Hospice of Northeast Indiana.

Steven C. Tumbleson, 55
A sound system operator for a number of area Gospel groups for over 20 years, Steven C. Tumbleson, 55, Decatur, died at 5:27 a.m.Tuesday, June 22, 2004, at Adams County Memorial Hospital in Decatur. Born August 23, 1922, he was the son of Ernest and Verda Duff King. His marriage was on July 17, 1944, in Wells County to Jessie Stauffer, who survives. Mr. King’s employment was at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base at Dayton, Ohio. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Bluffton. Surviving in addition to his wife are one son, Mark King of Dayton, Ohio; one daughter, Joan Cribbs of Baker City, Oregon; one sister, Joyce Hunt of Fort Wayne, and two grandchildren. A sister, Wanda Emo, is deceased. Calling will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday for one hour prior to the services at Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home, with the services there to be at 10 a.m.Friday with Rev. Scott Meier officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery at Linn Grove. Memorials to Swiss Village and/or Adams County Community Foundation-Dementia.

Wava R. Jockisch, 83
Sister of Garth Welches of rural Markle, Wava Jockisch, 83, born May 31, 1921, in Markle to Harry L. and Alma Vollmar Welches. Her marriage was on Oct. 29, 1945, to Melvin Jockisch, who died May 23, 2004 in West Covina, Calif. Death was attributed to cancer. Born Dec. 19, 1950 to Everett L. and Ruthella Furnas Creek, she was a 1969 graduate of Bluffton High School. In 1977 she graduated from Ball State University and moved to Madison Wis., where, in 1980, she earned a masters degree in social work at Wisconsin University. She then moved to California and worked as an adoption case worker. A former member of the First United Methodist Church in Bluffton, she was a member of the Claremont United Methodist Church in Claremont, Calif. Survivors include three daughters, Alyssa and Audrey Easton of Crown Point and Emily Blake of Upland, Calif; two brothers, David E. Creek of Decatur and James L. Creek of Fort Wayne and a partner, Ken Easton. She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph, on July 21, 1992. Burial was at Rose Hills Memorial Park on May 28. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Bluffton, with Pastor Gary Lewis officiating. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church or Emily Blake.

June 25, 2004

Dennis Collins, 54
Dennis Lee Collins, 54, rural Bluffton, died at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 23 at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Born Nov. 23, 1925 to Carl and Electra Rose Ballinger Booher, he married June Brown on Dec. 27, 1974 in Wells County; she survives. A 1943 graduate of Jackson Center High School, he was a retired farmer. He and his wife also maintained a home at Waldron Lake the past 16 years, where he sold used cars. He attended Asbury United Methodist Church. Other survivors include two daughters, Brenda Howard of Cleves, Ohio and Sheila Moseley of Flower Mound, Texas; a son, Dennis Booher of Piketon, Ohio; three step sons, Gary Stoffer of Van Buren, Larrie Stoffer of Warren and Steven Stoffer of Hartford City; two stepdaughters, Cathy Shaffer of Marion and Lorrie Arnold of Bluffton; two sisters, Bonnie Avery of Plainfield and LaVonne Brown of Montpelier; a step brother, Harold Stinson of Florida; three step sisters, Hildred Foust of Montpelier, Virginia Leas of Hartford City and Doris Cline of Warren; 20 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Ralph Booher; two step brothers, Forrest and Roger Stinson; and a step sister, Esther Mann. Services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Asbury United Methodist Church with Rev. Eric Dubach and Pastor Steve Gray officiating. Calling hours are Saturday from 2 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Glancy Funeral Home, Walker Chapel in Montpelier, and from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service Sunday at the church. Burial will be in the Asbury Cemetery.

Hope Colbert, 89
Hope M. Colbert, 89, a native and life long resident of Keystone, died July 3, 1979. A graduate of Chester Center High School, she worked for Kitco and Franklin Electric in Bluffton, as well as the tomato factories in Bluffton and Hartford City. She was a member of the Keystone United Methodist Church. Survivors include two daughters, Phyllis Briles and Donna Lugar, both of Keystone; two sons, Rex Ramseyer of Cathedral City, Calif. and Dexter Falk of Bluffton; a brother, Jim Tuttle of Battle Creek, Mich.; and several grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Charlotte Herring; four sisters, Lenora Thompson, Alpha McClelland, Mary Wagner and Ruby Sanford; and two brothers, Bud Tuttle and George Tuttle. Calling hours are this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Glancy Funeral Home, Walker Chapel in Montpelier, with services there Saturday at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Historic Woodlawn Cemetery in Montpelier.

Arvilla Strahm, 85
A native of Bluffton, Arvilla V. Strahm, 85, Cemetery in Bluffton.

Melvin Randen, 73
The father of a rural Ossian woman, Melvin Randen, 73, Decatur, died unexpectedly at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at her home. Born in Liberty Center on May 3, 1941 to Emmett D. and Edna Wilson Liberatore Hupp, she was formerly married to Ronald L. Oliver, who died Saturday, June 26 at his home. Born in Niles, Mich., to George and Annabelle Betz and a former Bluffton resident, he was a truck driver for Super Valu Foods for 35 years, retiring in 1995. A 1951 graduate of Bluffton High School, he was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Army, and was a member of the American Legion Post 111 in Bluffton. Survivors include his wife, Doretta; two sons, Steve and Jerry, both of Fort Wayne, two step daughters, Debbie McMullin and Dawn Parker, both of Nashville, Tenn.; four step sons, Doug and David Garrison of Nashville, Tenn., and Dan and Damon Garrison, both of Huntington; five brothers, Fred “Pete” Betz of Bluffton, James R. Betz of Poneto, Robert E. Betz of Bluffton, Homer T. Betz of Frankton and Joseph L. Betz of Decatur; seven sisters, Blanche Willette, Carolyn Johnson and Linda Stinson, all of Bluffton; Helen Gentis of Fort Wayne; Esther Clements and Laura Zent, both of Huntington, and Wilma O’Hern of Hartford City; three grandchildren; and 14 step grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Martha Rose Betz, and a sister, Mary Ann Betz. Calling hours are today from 1 to 8 p.m. at D.O. McComb & Sons Pine Valley Park Funeral Home, with services set for Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Grace Point Church of the Nazarene. Preferred memorials to the church or to the Parkview Hospital Home Health & Hospice.

June 30, 2004

Tim B. Baller, 50
A resident of Bluffton, Tim B. Baller,50, died Wednesday, June 30 at Meadowvale Health and Rehabilitation in Bluffton. Born May 26, 1922 in Fort Wayne to James and Ethel Green Montgomery, she was a homemaker. Surviving are two sons, John and Jerry Woods. She was preceded in death by a sister, Rudy Montgomery. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home in Ossian, with calling for one hour prior to services. Burial will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery in Ossian.

July 2, 2004

Walter Frederick, Jr. 58 — Rites Pending
Arrangements are pending at Myers Funeral Home, Markle Chapel for Walter E. Frederick, Jr. , 58, Markle, who died at 4:54 a.m. Friday, July 2 at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. Born July 19, 1936 to Wolford B. and Camilla Kriegbaum Schoeff, she graduated from South Side High School in Fort Wayne in 1955. She worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Fort Wayne in housekeeping for five years then worked for almost 30 years in housekeeping at Bluffton Regional Medical Center (Caylor-Nickel). She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene, where she sang in the choir, and was an avid Cubs fan. She is survived by a brother, Kendall E. Schoeff and a cousin. Calling at the funeral home will be from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday and for one hour prior to service on Monday. Rev. Walter Graeflin will officiate and burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens in Fort Wayne. Preferred memorials are to the Lydia Murray Fund at National City Bank in Bluffton.

Michael A. McKinney, 60
A native of Bluffton, Michael Allen McKinney, 60, of Roann, Cemetery in North Manchester. Calling at the Grandstaff-Hentgen Bender Chapel in North Manchester will be today from 2 to 8 p.m. Preferred memorials are to the American Diabetes Association.

July 5, 2004

Earl E. Kummer, 88
A lifelong resident of Wells County, Earl E. Kummer, 88, of Bluffton died at 4:34 a.m. Saturday, July 3 at his residence. Mr. Glancy had worked for Indiana Box in Montpelier for the past 25 years. He was a lifelong resident of Blackford and Delaware Counties and spent his early years in the Montpelier and Hartford City area where he attended Roll and Montpelier schools and graduated from Blackford High School in 1973. He was a past president of the United Steel Workers of America Local 12213. He was died at 2 a.m. Saturday, July 3 at Norwood Nursing Center in Huntington. She was died in September of 1998. Mrs. Benjamin worked in the payroll department at Studebaker Company in South Bend then worked as an accountant for Sears Roebuck Company in Niles, Mich., for 40 years. She was a 1939 graduate of Liberty Center High School and attended Ball State Business College. Surviving is a brother, Roger E. Buckner of Mt. Etna. She was preceded in death by a brother, Ralph Buckner and a sister, Ruby Buckner. Calling will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home in Huntington. Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Mt. Etna Cemetery with Rev. Tom Defries officiating.

July 6, 2004

Karen S. Sommers, 53
A lifelong resident of Wells County, Karen S. Sommers, 53, died Sunday, July 4 at her rural Huntington home. She was Cemetery in southern Huntington County. Calling at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Preferred memorials are to Calvary United Methodist Church.Roy E. Holley, 76 — Rites Pending Roy E. Holley, 76, of Bluffton died Monday, July 5 at Covington Manor Nursing Home. A native of Huntington, she was died Monday, July 5 at Hospice Home in Fort Wayne after an extended illness. A 1962 graduate of Geneva High School, she was the co-owner of W.M. Manufacturing, Inc., Pier Mac Plastics Inc. and Accelerated Curing Inc., all of Portland. She also was a member of the Fairview United Methodist Church and had formerly attended First United Methodist Church in Geneva. She was a philanthropist to the Portland Foundation, Portland Arts in the Parks, Portland Boys Club and the Jay County Fairgrounds. Born Dec. 25, 1943 in Detroit, Mich., to Howard and Dorothy Kindell McCabe, her marriage on May 24, 1969 in Detroit was to Jerry Ray Pierce, who preceded her in death on Sept. 24, 2001. Survivors include the mother in Geneva and a brother, Robert McCabe of Berne. She was preceded in death by a son, Douglas Robert Pierce. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church in Geneva with Pastor Darrell Borders and Pastor Judy Fuller officiating. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery in Geneva. Calling will be Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Downing & Glancy Funeral Home in Geneva and at the church for one hour prior to the services Thursday. Preferred memorials are to Fort Wayne Hospice Home or the First United Methodist Church of Geneva.