Forrest A. Pond, 80 -- Rites Pending
Forrest A. Pond, 80, died Monday in Fort Wayne. Born in Liberal, Kan., he was the owner and operator of Volume Auto Sales. Surviving, in addition to the daughter at Ossian, are a son, Dana A. of Fort Wayne; his mother, Leota L. Budd of Fort Wayne; a brother, Max L. of Fort Wayne; and a grandchild. Private family services with no calling hours. Arrangements are by D.O. McComb & Sons Lakeside Park Funeral Home, Fort Wayne.

Forrest A. Pond, 80
A member of the Warren Volunteer Fire Department for 26 years and its chief for 19 years, Forrest A. Pond, 80, born in Wells County Sept. 21, 1920 to Charles M. and Della Spaulding Pond. His marriage in Wells County on Oct. 7, 1944 was to Alice Crawford, who survives. Surviving also are a daughter, Mrs. Ted (Becky) Foreman of Bluffton; two sisters, Agnes Fordyce of Warren and Girthie McCoy of Mt. Etna; a brother, Frank Pond of New Haven; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A sister and a brother are deceased. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Glancy Funeral Homes, H. Brown & Son Chapel, in Warren, with Rev. Joe Haney officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Warren. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. Members of the Warren Fire Department will convene at the funeral home at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Memorials to the Warren Fire Department, P.O. Box 373, Warren, IN 46792.

Herbert ‘Paul’ Gearhart, 81
A former member of the Markle Fire Department and former member of the Town Board, Herbert “Paul” Gearhart, 81, born at Markle Aug. 31, 1919, a son of George William and Minnie Mae Barnheisel Gearhart. His marriage in Uniondale on Nov. 20, 1941 was to Martha Ake, who survives. Surviving also are a son, Gregg of Markle; a daughter, Cindy Stoffel of Roanoke; a sister, Wanda Schoeff of Tecumsch, Mich.; two brothers, Everett Gearhart of Lima, Ohio, and Roscoe Gearhart of Fort Wayne; and four grandchildren. Four brothers and three sisters are deceased. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Markle United Methodist Church with Rev. Tim Dilley officiating. Interment will be in the Markle Cemetery. Visitation hours at Myers Funeral Home Markle Chapel will be Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and at the church Saturday for one hour prior to services. Memorials to the church or to the North Eastern Family Hospice.

Mary Catherine Spangler, 79
Sister of Mrs. Thomas (Rosemary) Williams of Bluffton, Mary Catherine Spangler, 79, of Decatur, born in Adams County Jan. 19, 1921 to Peter J. and Mary C. Eiting Spangler. In addition to the sister in Bluffton, she is survived by three nieces and several nephews. A brother, Robert J. Spangler, is deceased. Services at 10 a.m. Monday will be at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church in Decatur with Fr. John Gillig officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery at Decatur. Visitation hours at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home in Decatur will be Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A Rosary service will be conducted at 4 p.m. Sunday and a prayer service at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials to St. Joseph Catholic School or to Masses.

Larry D. Stromberg, 51
Larry D. Stromberg, 51, a pharmacist/manager, born in Minot, N.D., June 19, 1949 to Douglas and Caryl M. Johnson Stromberg, both of whom survive and reside at Minot. His marriage at Gackle, N.D., on Sept. 2, 1972 was to Susan K. Mayer, who survives also. Other survivors are a son, Joshua S., at home; two daughters, Mrs. Tyler (Jodi S.) Blevins of Fort Wayne, and Jamie L. Stromberg of Bluffton; two brothers, Tom D. of Manhattan, Mont., and Danny D. of Minot; and three sisters, Cheryl A. Moore and Mrs. Randy (Iona Rae) Gowin, both of Bismark, N.D., and Mrs. Andy (Darla J.) Fimrite of Minot. Services at 11 a.m. Monday will be at the Calvary Lutheran Church with Rev. Otto Dorsch officiating. Burial will be in Six Mile Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Goodwin Memorial Chapel and Monday at the church for one hour prior to services. Memorials to the church.

Margie Blevins, 88
Former longtime co-owner and operator with her husband of the Pennville Northside Cafe in Pennville, Margie Blevins, 88, a resident of Millers Merry Manor Nursing Center at Dunkirk, Cemetery east of Pennville.

Gay Lynn Huffman, 55
Gay Lynn Huffman, 55, who resided in Wells County on a Huntington rural route, was injured fatally in an auto accident on St. Rd. 124 at 7:40 p.m. Saturday. She had been employed since 1982 in the pharmaceutical department of Peyton’s Northern Distribution Center west of Bluffton. Born in Fort Wayne, Mrs. Huffman had resided in Wells County all of her life. She was a member of Boehmer United Methodist Church. She was Cemetery at Liberty Center. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 1 to 9 p.m. Memorials to Boehmer United Methodist Church or to the American Diabetes Association.

Naomi L. Ringger, 90
Naomi L. Ringger, 90, born in Wells County Oct. 14, 1910, a daughter of Samuel and Nettie Neuenschwander Gerber. He marriage at Bluffton on Aug. 28, 1938 was to Orville W. Ringger, who survives. Other survivors are a son, Kent of Bluffton; a daughter, Mrs. Ned (Dixie) Kipfer of Bluffton; a brother, Arthur Gerber of Berne; three sisters, Mrs. Sylvia Frauhiger, Mrs. Raymond (Viola) Ringger and Mrs. Freida Steffen, all of Bluffton; nine grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. A daughter, Diane Eisamann, is deceased. Services at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday will be at the Apostolic Christian Church East with ministers of the church officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation hours at Goodwin Memorial Chapel in Bluffton are today from 1 to 8 p.m. and at the church Tuesday for one hour prior to services. Memorials to Christian Care Center or to Family Hospice of Northeast Indiana.

James H. Nussbaum, 73
Retired Adams County farmer James H. Nussbaum, 73, Cemetery at Monroe. Memorials to Monroe United Methodist Youth Mission Project or to College and Career Bible Fellowship.

Robert F. Kiser, 65
Robert F. Kiser, 65, of Decatur, born in Adams County Aug. 11, 1935 to Kenneth L. and Clara L. Urick Kiser. His marriage at Decatur on June 25, 1960 was to Lorraine Haugk, who survives. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Timothy A. of Goose Creek, S.C., and Todd A. of Decatur; two daughters, Mrs. John (Tina A.) Bodner of Ossian and Teresa A. Kiser, at home; three brothers, Kenneth D. of Fort Wayne, Vernon L. of Ukiah, Calif., and Richard P. of Bluffton; two sisters, Mrs. Alfred Louis (Norma J.) Dellinger of Fort Wayne and Mrs. John “Monty” (Phyllis A.) Heller of Decatur; and three grandchildren. A sister is deceased. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur, where visitation hours will be Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. Rev. John Fuchs will officiate and burial will be in Decatur Cemetery, where Adams Post 43 color guard will perform graveside military rites. Memorials to Decatur Little League or to donor’s choice.

Vilaf F. Starkey, 75 -- Rites Pending
Vilaf F. Starkey, 75, died Friday at Vencor South in Greenwood. He was a teacher and basketball coach at Pinnell High School in Lebanon, Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Warren Central High School and Southport High School. He also was the assistant principal at Southport High School until 1983. Mr. Braden was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as a director and was serving as director emeritus. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Surviving are his wife, Barbara J.; two sons, Barton Kemp of Indianapolis and Bradford Carl of Baltimore; a brother, Harold of Fort Wayne; and two grandchildren. Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Forest Lawn-Wilson Street Pierre Funeral Home in Greenwood, where calling will be for two hours prior to services. Entombment will be in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Greenwood. Memorials to the Indiana Basketball Hame of Fame in New Castle.

Clifton E. Ross, 54
Clifton E. Ross, 54, stepfather of John L. Ebright of Bluffton, Cemetery at Geneva. Memorials to Family Hospice.

Vilas F. Starkey, 75
Vilas F. Starkey, 75, who resided at 734 McArthur Dr., born in Richland County, Wis., May 4, 1925, a son of Faye and Lenore Hannewell Starkey. His marriage in Vernon County, Wis., on Nov. 22, 1950, was to Avis J. Zitzner, who survives. Surviving also are three sons, Rick Groom of Prairie Duchien, Wis., Philip Starkey of Bluffton and Paul Starkey of Ossian; three daughters, Mrs. James (Debra) Keller of Mercer, Wis., Mrs. Mark (Donna) Steinke and Mrs. Chris (Edna) Dodge, both of Janesville, Wis.; two brothers, Garland and Carl Starkey, both residing in Wisconsin; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Services will be at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Goodwin Memorial Chapel with Rev. Stan Hoover officiating. Visitation hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 6 p.m. until time for services.

Melville C. Blumenhorst, 84 -- Rites Pending
Melville C. Blumenhorst, 84, died at 9:10 a.m. Saturday at Swiss Village in Berne. She was a former employee at Berco Co., at Swiss Village and also served as a volunteer at Swiss Village. Her hobbies included quilting and reading. She was died Nov. 1, 1999. Surviving are three sons, Fred of Fort Wayne, William of Huntington and Don of Berne; three daughters, Mrs. Norman (Elizabeth) Koons of Decatur, Mrs. Philip (Sue) Wulliman of Berne and Mrs. Roger (Gretchen) Lautzenheiser of Terre Haute; a sister, Mary Ellen Bauman of Geneva; 16 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Three sisters and two grandchildren are deceased. Services were at 10:30 a.m. today at the Swiss Village Chapel with Rev. Craig Maven and Chaplain Anita Rediger officiating. Burial was to be in MRE Cemetery at Berne. Memorials to Swiss Village Endowment Fund of to First Mennonite Church Missions.

William W. Maddox Sr., 95
Father of Jean Riggs of Poneto, William “Bill” W. Maddox, 95, of Hartford City, died in 1979. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Keplinger Funeral Home in Hartford City, where calling hours will be Wednesday from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday starting at 8 a.m. Burial will be in Hartford City Cemetery. Memorials to Indiana Ronald McDonald House or to Riley Hospital Research for Children, both in Indianapolis.