Kenneth L. Ford
April 6, 1929-Jan. 20, 1998
NORTH JUDSON -- Kenneth L. Ford, 68, of 303 High St., died Tuesday in Porter Memorial Hospital, Valparaiso. Survivors include his wife, Patty (Wilson); five daughters, Diana Vermilyer, Vicki Sturgell and Linda Lewandowski, all of North Judson, Sandra Smith of Knox and Karen Minix of Denham, Ind.; two sons, Kenneth Jr. of Knox and Steve of North Judson; a sister, Phyllis Goodman of Galveston, Ind.; and a brother, William of Houston. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in O'Donnell Funeral Home, where friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today.
Walter Lechlitner
April 10, 1903-Jan. 21, 1998
WAKARUSA -- Walter Lechlitner, 94, of 306 High St., died Wednesday in Elkhart General Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Frances (Lindsey); and a daughter, Alice Culp of Fort Wayne. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Rieth, Rohrer, Ehret & Lienhart Funeral Home, where friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Billy E. Strombeck
Dec. 25, 1935-Jan. 21, 1998
NORTH WEBSTER -- Billy E. Strombeck, 62, of 4928 N. County Road 850 East, died at 8:48 a.m. Wednesday in Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, of an apparent heart attack. Survivors include three sons, Robert of North Webster, David of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Matthew of Murphysboro, Tenn.; his mother, Rachel Strombeck of North Webster; a sister, Patricia Loetz of North Webster; and a brother, Larry of Muncie, Ind. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Eastlund Funeral Home-Harris Chapel, where friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Howard E. Wareham
Nov. 12, 1946-Jan. 20, 1998
DONALDSON -- Howard Edward Wareham, 51, of 2714 W. Lincoln Highway, died Tuesday following an automobile and train accident at Muckshaw and Indiana 10. Survivors include a daughter, Renee L. Warren of Bourbon; a son, Kevin E. of Bourbon; his mother, Dorothy L. Brown Wareham of Holly, Mich.; two sisters, Susan G. Donovan of Clarkston, Mich., and Janet L. Schultz of Clearwater, Fla.; and four brothers, Larry B. of Roseville, Calif., Douglas C. of Garden City, Mich., Bill B. of Kansas City, Mo., and Jeff A. of California. Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday in Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, where friends may call two hours before services.
Mary M. Gazdick
March 5, 1916-Jan. 22, 1998
LAPORTE -- Mary M. Gazdick, 81, of 4672 County Road South 300 West, died at 2:25 a.m. Thursday in LaPorte Hospital. Survivors include a daughter, Marian Fleming of LaPorte; and a son, James of LaPorte. Services will be at noon Saturday in St. Joseph Catholic Church. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today and from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Essling Funeral Home.
Magdalene K. Geisler
Sept. 27, 1896-Jan. 21, 1998
LAPORTE -- Magdalene K. Geisler, 101, of Fountainview Terrace Nursing Home, died at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the nursing home. Survivors include three daughters, Lucille Jensen and Jean Vander Mel, both of LaPorte, and Irene Nowatzke of Michigan City; four sons, James of Donaldson, Robert of South Bend, Donald of Plant City, Fla., and Bernard of LaPorte; and a sister, Christine Koselke of Chesterton. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today and 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Essling Funeral Home, where a prayer service will be at 7 p.m. today.
Barbara A. Helgeson
Jan. 30, 1944-Jan. 22, 1998
ELKHART -- Barbara A. Helgeson, 53, of 51919 Northfield Drive, died Thursday in Elkhart General Hospital of natural causes. She is survived by a daughter, Christine Helgeson of Elkhart; a son, Daniel of Houston; her mother, Margaret O'Connor of Palos Hills, Ill.; and a brother, Michael O'Connor of Champaign, Ill. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday in Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home.
Ruth M. Johnson
March 21, 1924-Jan. 21, 1998
ELKHART -- Ruth M. Johnson, 73, of Windsong Drive, died at 9:05 p.m. Wednesday in Elkhart General Hospital. She is survived by a son, John A. of Romeoville, Ill. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill Funeral Home, Osceola, where friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today.
Mabel B. Kietzman
Feb. 1, 1910-Jan. 22, 1998
ROCHESTER -- Mabel B. Kietzman, 87, of Life Care Center, died Thursday in the center. Survivors include a daughter, Catherine Walters of Valparaiso; a son, William of Mexico, Ind.; two sisters, Evelyn Grauman of Rochester and Dorothy Lage of Gibson City, Ill.; and three brothers, Floyd Stroh and Warren Stroh, both of Denver, and Donald Stroh of Champaign, Ill. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in St. John's Lutheran Church. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today in Foster & Good Funeral Home, and one hour before services Saturday in the church.
Destiny Renee Perkins
Feb. 21, 1997-Jan. 21, 1998
PLYMOUTH -- Destiny Renee Perkins, 11-month-old daughter of Amy Perkins and Jeremy Lowe, of 610 1/2 E. Jefferson St., died Wednesday in St. Joseph's Hospital of Marshall County. The death is being investigated by Marshall County Coroner Dean Byers as a possible accidental death. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in Rannells Funeral Home, Koontz Lake Chapel, where friends may call one hour before services.
