Esther L. Banakes
Chandler resident Esther L. Banakes died Thursday, Dec. 19 at Woodmont. She was 73.
Esther was a member of St. Clements Catholic Church in Boonville. She was preceded in death by her husband of 16 years, Sam Banakes, in 1998.
Esther is survived by three brothers, Ralph Schmitt, Victor Schmitt, and Eugene Schmitt, all of Newburgh; two sisters, Mary Lou Stephens of Yankeetown, and Alla Mae Schwab of Gunnison, Colo.; and several nieces and nephews.
Mass was held Dec. 23 at St. Clements Catholic Church in Boonville, with Father Lowell Will officiating. Burial was at St. John's Catholic Church Cemetery in Newburgh. Arrangements were handled by Alexander Newburgh Chapel.
Lavon Schoultz
Newburgh resident Lavon Shoultz died March 7 at her residence. He was 85.
Lavon was preceded in death by her mother and father, one sister, three brothers, and a grandson, Shawn Sutton.
Lavon was born and raised in Gibson County, then later moved to the Newburgh area with her husband. Lavon was a loving mother and house wife. She was also the secretary and treasurer for her husband's construction company until they both retired.
She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church for 50 years and was a member of the Lady's Quilting Circle.
Lavon loved traveling the USA and Europe, which included several trips to Alaska and Hawaii to see her grandchildren. Her best enjoyment out of life was taking care of her family.
Lavon was survived by her husband, Gresham W. Shoultz; son, Leroy, and his wife Rita Jo Shoultz, of Homer, Alas.; daughter Donna Shoultz and her husband Sam Lerche, of Newburgh; daughter Sherry Shoultz and her husband Fred Garner, of Newburgh; son Greg and his wife Joye Shoultz, of Newburgh; daughter: Neena Shoultz and her husband, Chuck McCullough, of Newburgh; 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren; sister Phoebe Bilderback, of Princeton; many nieces and nephews.
Services were held March 10 at Alexander Newburgh Chapel, officiated by Reverend Compton and Reverend Weller. Burial was at Shilo Cemetery, in Princeton. Memorial contributions may be made to Epworth Methodist Church or Vista Care Hospice.
Myrtle B. Smith
Boonville resident Myrtle B. (Rusher) Smith died Tuesday, April 15 at the Baker's Rest Haven Nursing Home in Boonville. She was 97.
Myrtle was preceded in death by her brother, Cecil N. Rusher; two sisters Lilly and Evelyn Tuley; a granddaughter, Cindy Hightower and her husband, Lester Smith.
Myrtle is survived by one son and his wife, William J. and Roslyn Highstreet of West Minister, Calif.; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 18 at the Koehler Funeral Home-Boonville Chapel with Rev. Donald Grubb officiating. Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville.
Memorials may be made to the Disabled Veterans of America.
Etheleen Harris
Boonville resident Etheleen Harris died Thursday, June 5 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville. She was 80.
Etheleen worked as a nursing aid for 30 years at Baker's Rest Haven in Boonville. She enjoyed crafts and flowers. The Harris family wishes to express their appreciation for the care of Etheleen given by Vista Care Hospice and also the care given by Baker's Rest Haven.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Robert Harris, in 1995; a son, Charlie Harris, in 1988; one sister, Maggie Sedberry; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Etheleen is survived by four daughters, Bonnie Floyd of Plant City, Fla., Darlene Miller of Boonville, Donna Partridge and Patricia McDaniel, both of Chandler; four sons, Marion C. Ferrel of Duncan, Okla., Leon and Dale Harris, both of Boonville, and Robert Harris of Zephyrhills, Fla.; 19 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Richardson of Marion, Ky.; three brothers, David Agent of Marion, Ky., Houston and Leroy Agent, both of Indiana; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Sunday, June 8 at Koehler Funeral Home Boonville Chapel with the Vista Care Chaplain Jack Neighbors officiating. Burial followed in Plainview Memorial Cemetery in Boonville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Vista Care Hospice.
Rev. Albert S. Schmitt
Former Dale resident Rev. Albert S. Schmitt died Tuesday, April 29 at the Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in Fairmont, Minn. He was 103.
Albert Samuel Schmitt, son of Samuel and Wilhelmina Schmitt, was born March 20, 1900, at the family farm near Dale. He was the youngest of eight children of the Schmitts.
Albert felt the call to Christian ministry while attending an E. Stanley Jones summer "Ashram" at the Santa Claus Methodist Church. He was the 21st young person to go from this small church into Christian service. Rev. Schmitt served several churches in Indiana, including Ebenezer in Boonville.
Rev. Schmitt volunteered as chaplain in the USNR in 1943. He was honorably discharged from active duty in January of 1946 with the rank of Lt. Commander.
He retired from the ministry in 1966, although he continued serving part-time for several years.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mae Lou (Kaetzel) Schmitt, in 1969; a son, Michael Perrine, in 2000; and a daughter-in-law, Jean Perrine, in March of this year.
Rev. Schmitt is survived by his wife, (whom he married in 1971), Lois Colby (Perrine) Schmitt of Fairmont, Minn.; a daughter, Ruth Flannelly of Arlington, Va.; two sons, Rev. Byron Perrine of Olivia, Minn., and Dan Perrine of Lexington, Ky.; nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.
Funeral services were held Monday, May 5 at the United Methodist Church in Fairmont, Minn., with Rev. David Taylor officiating.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m. at the Dale United Methodist Church in Dale with burial following in the Santa Claus United Methodist Church Cemetery in Santa Claus.
Fuller Funeral Home and Crematory in Dale is handling the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Santa Claus United Methodist Church in memory of Rev. Albert Schmitt.
Francis Schoenbaechler
Newburgh resident Francis J. Schoenbaechler died Monday, Dec. 23, at St. Mary's Riverside. He was 67.
Francis graduated from St. Anthony Grade School and from Central High School in 1954. He worked for 39 years at Creative Press from 1954 to 1993. He worked at the Warrick County School Corporation from 1996 to the present.
He was an Eagle Scout, Scout Master, and Explorer Leader for Post 165 in Chandler during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Francis enjoyed hunting, camping, woodworking and gardening. He and his wife, Bonnie, were active in craft shows in the 1980s. He also enjoyed attending all of the ball games and programs, and participating in the projects his grandchildren were involved with.
Francis and his wife, Bonnie, were to be married 49 years in February 2003.
Francis is survived by his wife, Bonnie Schoenbaechler of Newburgh; three sons, Jay and wife Debbie Schoenbaechler of Evansville, Frank Schoenbaechler of Boonville, and Glenn and wife Dana Schoenbaechler of Newburgh; two sisters, Emma Jean Wolf and Donna Williams, both of Evansville; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Schoenbaechler of Evansville; four brothers, Fred Schoenbaechler of Evansville, Carl Schoenbaechler of Newburgh, Del Schoenbaechler of Guardena, Calif., and George Schoenbaechler of Loganville, Nev.; grandchildren, Logan, Emily, Katelin, Jayson and Dale, and a granddaughter due in April; and 20 nieces and 14 nephews.
Services were held Dec. 27 at Alexander Newburgh Chapel, with Reverend James Johnson officiating. Burial was at Oak Hill Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Alexander Newburgh Chapel.
Gordon E. Trautvetter
Chander resident Gordon E. Trautvetter died Saturday, March 8 at his home in Chandler. He was 78.
Gordon was a lifelong resident of Warrick County. He attended Chandler General Baptist Church in Chandler. He worked at International Steel for 20 years and in 1988 he retired from Amax Coal Co. Gordon was a WWII Army Air Corps Veteran. He farmed part time and enjoyed his cattle.
Gordon is survived by his wife of 54 years, Clarabelle Trautvetter of Chandler, two daughters, Janice Maynard of Chandler, Vicky Aldridge of Boonville; two sons, Larry and Gary Trauvetter both of Boonville; a sister, Margie Schauss of Newburgh; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Monday, March 10 at Koehler Funeral Home-Perigo Chapel in Chandler with burial in Center Cemetery near Boonville. Military Rites were conducted by the Warrick County Veterans Memorial Services.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the American Lung Assoc., the American Cancer Society or the Chandler General Baptist Church.
