USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Bettie Simpson
Bettie J. Simpson, 84, of Delaware, died Monday (Oct. 29, 2001) at Grady Memorial Hospital’s emergency department.
She was born Oct. 11, 1917, in Delaware, to Lawrence and Cora (Blinn) Watrous.
She retired after 25 years as chief operator at GTE. She was a member of the George Lewis Behrens’ Order of Eastern Star and the VFW ladies auxiliary.
Mrs. Simpson is survived by her husband, Harold “Had,” whom she married Aug. 5, 1952; a stepson, Jerry Simpson of Gambier; two stepgrandsons, Rod of Zanesville and Matt of Chicago; two stepgreat-granddaughters, Sofia and Natalie Simpson of Zanesville; two sisters, Pauline Johnson of Brooksville, Fla., and Virginia Perfect Travis of Gahanna; and nieces and nephews.
There will be no visiting hours. A graveside service will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Cemetery, with the Rev. William Saunders officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Robinson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
David E. Baxter
David E. Baxter, 68, of Radnor, died unexpectedly early Tuesday morning (March 30, 2004) following a brief illness.
He was born March 15, 1936 in Radnor to Everett and Leona (Jacobs) Baxter. He was a lifelong Radnor resident and farmer, having worked for and retired from B.F. Goodrich, Stratoflex, and Parker Hannifin Corp. He was a member of the Cornerstone Alliance Church of Marion, where he served as Elder and volunteered with AWANA and other youth programs. He was a longtime member and deacon of the Radnor Baptist Church and served as its treasurer for 25 years. He enjoyed listening to music and was a self-taught violinist. He was a charter member of the Marion Steam and Gas Engine Club. He was an avid collector and restorer of antique farm machinery and was considered by many to be the ultimate authority in that area. For many years, he was the host for Harvest Days.
He is survived by his wife, Sara; daughters, Kathy (Robert) Link of Colorado Springs, Colo., Susan (Chris) Coffman of Delaware; son, Michael of Radnor; four granddaughters, Bethany and Rachel Link, Christina Christian and Andrea Coffman; two brothers, Bryan and Jimmie of Radnor; and two sisters, Jean Lowe of Florida and Marianne Robinson of Columbus.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three children at infancy.
Visiting hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bennett Brown Rodman Funeral Home and Crematory, where services will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, 3740 Ridge Mill Drive, Hilliard, OH 43026.
Gayland ‘Dago’ Breece
Gayland “Dago” Breece, 69, of Delaware, died early Monday morning (March 29, 2004) at Grady Memorial Hospital.
He was born July 11, 1934 in Delaware to Lester and Elsie (Curtis) Breece. He was an iron ore worker for the Iron Workers Local No. 172 out of Columbus, was a lifetime Delaware resident, a social member of the VFW No. 3297, AMVETS No. 104, a past commander of The Sons, and a life member of the Eagles Lodge Aerie No. 376. He was an avid fisherman who loved Lake Erie and in his younger days, enjoyed rabbit, deer and squirrel hunting. He was also an Ohio State University and Cleveland Browns football fan.
He is survived by his wife, Norma; son, Keith of Ashley; daughters, LeeAnna Freeman and Karen Burton, both of Delaware and Deanna Shrader of Cardington; brother, Carl Breece; sisters, Julia Welch and Ophie Bunker; grandchildren, Kevin Barrett, Jason and Cricket Freeman, Shawney, Glen and Joe Burton, Dustin Jordon and Niki Wine; stepgranddaughters, Danelle Jordon, Tiffany and Stephanie Shrader; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Kenneth; granddaughter, Ericka (Burton) Pounds; six brothers; and a sister.
Visiting hours were held Monday at Bennett Brown Rodman Funeral Home, where funeral services were held this morning. Interment was at Oak Grove Cemetery.
Ronald Coleman
Ronald Coleman, 63, of Gahanna and formerly of Delaware, died Monday (March 29, 2004) at Rocky Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center.
He was born in Lancaster and was formerly of Delaware and Columbus. He was employed in various jobs in plumbing, heating and air conditioning sales. He was a member of Delaware Lodge No. 54, and Hiram Lodge, Sidney Moore No. 84.
He is survived by his former wife, Grace Coleman; children, Clark (Gloria) Coleman, Rhonda Coleman and Ronald Coleman III; two granddaughters, Tianna and Brittany Coleman; a brother, David (Lela) Coleman of Texas; two nieces, Karen and Susan; and one nephew, Doug Coleman.
Visiting hours will be from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Schoedinger Cleveland Avenue Chapel, 2741 Cleveland Ave., where funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Interment will be in Mifflin Township Cemetery, with the Rev. Stephen Hielkema officiating. Masonic services will be today at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Lelah Mary Perry Hoke
Lelah Mary Perry Hoke, 89, formerly of Delaware, died March 12, 2004 in Chandler, Ariz., after a brief hospitalization.
She was born Dec. 5, 1914 in Oxford Township in Delaware County to Sarah Jane Keeton Perry and Early McMaster Perry. She attended Ashley High School and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1936. She taught high school briefly in Portsmouth before marrying her college sweetheart, Ralph Hoke, on June 25, 1939. After her marriage to Ralph, she lived in Ithaca, N.Y.; Wilbraham, Mass.; Evans City, Pa.; Fair Oaks, Calif.; Fairbanks, Ala.; Myrtle Point, Ore.; and Sun Lakes, Ariz. She was a drama minor in college, loved the theater and also enjoyed attending music concerts. She was actively involved in church activities and maintained affiliation with several of her churches. She was a member of the Ohio Wesleyan Alumni Association and the American Association of University Women.
She is survived by two daughters, Jane H. Little of Sacramento, Calif. and Carolyn Hoke-Van Orden of San Francisco; five grandchildren, Mark, James, and Sean Little and Vanessa and Derek Van Orden; and four great-grandchildren, Ryan, Breanne,
Christopher and Katelynn Little.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Ralph, who died after a battle with cancer in 1995; a son, Charles Hoke, who died in 1966; and three siblings, Francis and Ralph Perry and Ruth Perry Williamson.
Burial services will be in Greenmound Cemetery in Kilbourne later this summer.
Bennett Brown Rodman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Barbara Skillman
Barbara Skillman, 50, died on Saturday (March 27, 2004) at her home.
She was born in Cincinnati, graduated from Upper Arlington High School, and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio State University, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. She worked in computers in her professional career at OSU, Detco, and most recently as the MIS manager at the United Methodist Children’s Home. She loved life, loved people and loved doing for others.
She is survived by her parents, Dr. Tom and Elizabeth Skillman; sister, Lynda (Dwight) Mitchell; special friend, Lesia Krisa; aunts, Jean McClellan and Reet McClellan; uncle, Bill (Kathy) McClellan; and many cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by grandparents, Harold and Fostina Skillman and Mattie Belle Kellman; and uncles, Hearst McClellan and Jim McClellan.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday in the chapel of the United Methodist Children’s Home, 1033 High Street, Worthington.
Memorial contributions may be made to either Hospice of Delaware, United Methodist Children’s Home, the Capital Area Humane Society, or the James Cancer Research facility at OSU.
Zelma Rosanne Wagner
Zelma Rosanne Wagner, 91, of Delaware, died Friday morning (March 26, 2004) at Sunny Vee Nursing Home.
She was born Aug. 7, 1912 in Cross Creek, W. Va., to Ahaz and Ola Jordan.
She outlived all of her children and is survived by a daughter-in-law, Juanita Dickerson of Sunbury; grandchildren, Jimmy, John, Joseph, and Jennifer Burgess, Rosanne Decker, Tom Dickerson, Jackie Carroll, Tammy Kelly and Corey Lett; 10 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Kenny Dickerson and Corbert Ray Lett, and a daughter, Nina Fay Ray.
Graveside services were held Monday at Trenton Township Cemetery.
Bennett Brown Rodman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangments.
C. Virginia Davison
C. Virginia Davison, 88, a 19-year resident of Colony House Apartments, died Sunday (Aug. 26, 2001) at Wintersong Village Nursing Facility.
She was born April 12, 1913, in Delaware, to Richard A. Dunlap and Della (Thomas) Dunlap.
She was employed by the Ohio Wesleyan University Duplicating Department, retiring Aug. 20, 1976. She was a lifelong Delaware community and Zion United Church of Christ member, and was a 25-year member of the George Lewis Behrens Chapter No. 504 Order of Eastern Star, and a member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Alumni and the Quarter Century clubs.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Eugenia E. Davison of Columbus; a granddaughter, Cheryl (Davison) Briggs of Columbus; a grandson and his wife, Steve T. and Dee Ann Davison, stationed in the United States Air Force in California; a great-grandson, Brad Davison of Lewis Center; a sister, Lillian (Dunlap) Landacre of Delaware; three stepdaughters, Connie Wolfe and her husband, Roger, Vickie Broersma and her husband, Bruce, and Wanda Kimmet; three stepgrandchildren, Ashley and Alex Broersma and Justin Kimmet; four nephews, Bruce Landacre, Paul Foster, and Thomas “Tom” Foster, all of Delaware, and Joy Foster of Arizona; three nieces, Marilyn June Ufferman and Darlene Paulins, both of Delaware, and Yvonne Taylor of Columbus; and special Colony House friends, Margie, Ward, Jim, Ken, Dee, Denny and Ruth.
Visiting hours will be Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Robinson Funeral Home, where funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Bertie Dell officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Columbus.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church at 51 W. Central Ave., Delaware, Ohio 43015.
Evelyn Arthur
Evelyn L. Arthur, 77, of 80 Richards Drive, died Monday evening (Sept. 3, 2001) at her residence.
She was born Jan. 31, 1924, in Lawrenceville, to Frances (Haines) and Clarence Swigart.
A graduate of Lawrenceville High School, she moved to Delaware in 1955. She retired from the Ohio Department of Transportation District 6 after 31 years. She was a member of William Street United Methodist Church, Order of Eastern Star, White Shrine, Delaware Eagles, and the OCSEA employee union. She attended First Baptist Church.
Mrs. Arthur is survived by five children, Richard Arthur of Ostrander, Tom Arthur Jr. and his wife, Pam, of Alvin, Texas, Steve Arthur of Delaware, Greg Arthur and his significant other, Teri Cochran, both of Marengo, and Crystal Queen and her husband, Tim, of Delaware; 15 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a brother, Arthur Swigart of Springfield; and a daughter-in-law, Bonnie Arthur of Springfield. She was preceded in death by three grandchildren, Shawn, Kendra, and Joshua, and a sister, Ruby Harris.
Visiting hours will be Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Robinson Funeral Home, where funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Robert Hughes, interim pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice at Grady, 561 W. Central Ave., Delaware, Ohio 43015.
Edgar Edwards
Edgar Robert “Bob” Edwards, 66, of Troy Township, died unexpectedly Sunday (Sept. 30, 2001) at the Grady Memorial Hospital emergency department.
He was born March 23, 1935, in Georges Run, to Hazel I. (Weaver) and Edgar E. Edwards.
He was chairman and chief executive officer of W.E. Monks Co. Engineers. A 1953 graduate of Columbus East High School, Mr. Edwards was a retired major of the Ohio Air National Guard Reserve, where he served two active duty tours in France and Korea. He was a member of Community Christian Church in Ashley, the American Council of Consulting Engineers, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and a life member of the Reserve Officers Association.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce L. (Sahr); two sons, Robert T. of Logan, and Russell T. of Delaware; a daughter, Lorri L. Welsh of Cheyenne, Wyo..; three brothers, Tom W. of Canal Winchester, Nathen W. of Delaware, and Roger G. of Sunbury; a sister, Joy E. Kraner of Cheyenne, Wyo.; seven grandchildren, Benjamin, Hannah, Jacob, Calvin, Jacquelyn, Kyle and Natalie; and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Robinson Funeral Home, Delaware, where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m., with Preacher Jeff Copley officiating. Burial will be in Marlboro Cemetery, with members of the Delaware County Veterans Association folding and presenting the flag.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heartbeat of Morrow County Crisis Pregnancy Center in care of Community Christian Church 2399 Ohio 229E, Ashley, OH 43003.
