Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
Richard L. Atkinson
Died: Monday, August 11, 2003
Age: 63
Richard L. "Dick" Atkinson, 63, Xenia, beloved husband, father, and friend and loved by so many, passed away Monday morning, August 11, 2003, at Kettering Medical Center. He was born July 30, 1940, in Xenia, the son of Thomas and Corinne Ewbank Atkinson. He was a member of the Fairborn Masonic Lodge #711, F.&A.M., advisor to ITT Technical Institute, past President of NTSA, National Technical Services Association and former member of the American Quarter Horse Association.
He is survived by his wife, Michelle (Marshall) Atkinson, whom he married June 20, 1981, daughter and son-in-law, Mandy (Atkinson) and Tom Hall, Centerville, son, Randy Atkinson, Jamestown, two grandchildren, Jacob McKenny and Cheyenne Atkinson, mother, Corinne Atkinson, Xenia, father and step-mother, Thomas and Zerphia Atkinson, Indiana, three half-sisters, Donna English, Plainfield, IN., Bonnie Marshall, Hermitage, TN., and Lila Love, Levonia, MI., three half-brothers, Thomas Atkinson, Danny Atkinson, and Larry Atkinson, all of Indiana, mother of his children, Judy Beck Atkinson, Xenia, and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, August 15, at the Neeld Funeral Home, 1276 N. Detroit St., Xenia, with Rex Marshall officiating. Visitation will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by Masonic Lodge services at 8:30 p.m. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Port William, Ohio. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Jacqueline Valverde
Died: Sunday, August 10, 2003
Age: 41
Jacqueline Lee Valverde, 41, of Dayton, formerly of Fairborn, passed away August 10, 2003, at home.
She was born October 14, 1961, in Dayton, daughter of Charles Kenneth and Geneva (Whitt) Fidler.
Jacqueline was a medical lab technician and pharmacy assistant who formerly worked at CVS.
She is survived by her mother, Geneva Fidler, Fairborn; a daughter, Jacqueline Michelle Valverde of Mansfield; a son, Diego Valverde of Kettering; five sisters, Beverly Ann Watson, St. Paris, OH; Janice Kay Breece, Washington MO; Anita Louise Fidler, Middletown, OH; Carol Jean Patrick of New Albany, OH and Linda Sue Adkins, Fairborn; three grandchildren, Marianna Valverde, Alicia Marie Otterbacher and Spencer Riley Otterbacher.
Her father, Charles Kenneth Fidler, preceded her in death.
Private services will be at the convenience of the family, who is being served by Burcham Funeral Home, 119 E. Main Street, Fairborn.
Ruth Ann Wolfe
Died: Sunday, August 10, 2003
Age: 70
Ruth Ann Wolfe, 70, in loving memory of Ruth Ann who passed away August 10, 2003 at Patriot Ridge Nursing Home in Fairborn, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents Jane (Grooms) and Todd Sininger both of Manchester, Ohio. She was raised by Aunt Susie and Uncle Jack Jenkins of Bentonville, Ohio. She was also preceded in death by her sister Phyllis Broadstock.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Greg and Candy Wolfe of Beavercreek, their children Shawn and wife Carrie Wolfe and Linday and husband Dustin Pitts both of Columbus; son and daughter-in-law Mark and Kim Wolfe of Beavercreek, their children Nikki and Brooke Wolfe and grandson Michael Miller and wife Christi and their children Elizabeth and Kyle; a daughter and son-in-law Sandy and Rod Weeks of Hillsboro, Ohio; their children Branden and Kalen, a sister Carol Swearingen of Kettering, Ohio.
Graveside funeral service will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 13, 2003 at Byron Cemetery in Fairborn, Ohio. Pastor Dean Moore officiating. Visitation will be from noon until 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Tobias Funeral Home, Beavercreek Chapel, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Road.
Richard E. Upton
Died: Sunday, August 10, 2003
Age: 63
Richard E. "Dik" Upton, 63, of St. Paris, Ohio passed away Sunday, August 10, 2003 at Heartland of Springfield, Springfield, Ohio. He was born May 18, 1940 in Xenia, Ohio the son of Orville Upton and Helen (Ward) Smith. He coached the New Carlisle Cubs Pee Wee Football for 15 years and retired after 27 years service from International. He loved bluegrass music and played the guitar and mandolin. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Richard is survived by his wife of 17 years Dianne Upton; a daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Dick Defibaugh of Fort Mill, South Carolina; five sons and daughters-in-law, Richard A. & Kim Upton of Springfield, Ron & Maria Upton of Elyria, Ohio, Rob & Amy Upton of Bethelem, Pennsylvania, Aaron & Tana Conley of Springfield, Adam & Deb Conley of St. Paris, Ohio; ten grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; his former wife, Barbara Upton of New Carlisle; two sisters, Shirley Craig and Jeanetta Gilreath both of Springfield; a brother, Jim Upton of Springfield; close friends, Gary Leifheit of Springfield; Sherri & David Carpenter; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents and step-father, John W. Smith.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday August 14, 2003, at the Trostel, Chapman & Christmas Funeral Home, New Carlisle, Ohio with Pastor Bill Blain officiating. Entombment in Rose Hill Burial Park.
Friends may call 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Carey Francis
Died: Saturday, August 09, 2003
Age: 47
Carey Russell Francis, 47, of Medway, formerly of Fairborn, passed away unexpectedly at his home Saturday, August 9, 2003.
He was born October 29, 1955, in Georgetown, OH, son of Mary (Wagner) Stidham, who survives, and the late Richard Francis.
He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and is survived by his mother and her husband Lenzie of Fairborn; a son, Richard Francis and his wife Brittany of Fairborn; a daughter Natasha of Fairborn; two sisters, Elma Morgan and Anna and her husband Eric Swearingen, all of Fairborn; two granddaughters, Seirra and Nakia of Fairborn and his fiance, Dee Walls and her family of Medway; many aunts, uncles, nephews and friends.
Services will be Saturday, August 16, 2003, at Noon at the Church of Christ, 922 South Central Ave., Fairborn, with Minister Archie Caudill officiating.
Friends may call at the church from 10 a.m. Saturday until time of services. Burial will be in Byron Cemetery. The family requests donations to the Church of Christ’s burial fund. The family is being served by Burcham Funeral Home, 119 E. Main St., Fairborn.
Wilbur (Tom) Earley
Died: Saturday, August 09, 2003
Age: 72
Wilbur (Tom) Earley, 72, of Jamestown, passed away Saturday morning, August 9, 2003, at Kettering Medical Center.
He was born April 11, 1931, in Greenfield, the son of Chester A. and Lillie Mae Fitzpatrick Earley.
He retired from Ohio Veterans Children’s Home in 1995.
He served in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his wife, Rose R. (Lafferty) Earley, whom he married December 5, 1950; two daughters and sons-in-law, Linda K. and John Frazier, Kettering, and Kelly Jo and Virgil Carreker, Columbus; brothers, Joseph Earley, Cedarville, and Marion Earley, Chillicothe; a sister, Joanne Wilhelm, Xenia; three grandsons, Eric Frazier, Nick Frazier and Bradley Earley; a granddaughter, Shyann Carreker; two great-grandsons, Tyler and Mason Frazier; two step-granddaughters, two step-grandsons, two step-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews and close family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Toby.
Visitation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, August 12, at the Neeld Funeral Home, 1276 N. Detroit St., Xenia.
Burial will be held at the convenience of the family.
Francis Touhey
Died: Saturday, August 09, 2003
Age: 64
Francis "Frank" J. Touhey, 64, of Clearwater, FL, died August 9, 2003, at home. He was born in Xenia and moved to Florida in 1976.
He was the owner/operator of Five Points Tavern in Xenia for 33 years. He was a former Marine and a member of the Catholic church.
In Florida, he was the owner of Touhey Vending Company and was a 42-year member of Xenia’s Elks Lodge 668 and belonged for 15 years to the American Legion Post 273 in Maderia Beach, FL.
Survivors include his wife, Joann S. Touhey, to whom he was married 43 years; a son Michael Touhey, of Palm Harbor, FL; a brother John Touhey of New Lebanon, OH; three sisters, Dorothy Hornick and Kathy Allen, both of Xenia and Carolyn Little of West Carrolton; 12 nieces and nephews.
The family prefers donations to Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, 300 East Bay Drive, Largo, FL, 33770-3770.
Elmer M.f Wolf
Died: Friday, August 08, 2003
Age: 84
Elmer M. (Barney) Wolf, age 84, of Beavercreek, died Friday, August 8, 2003, at Heartland of Beavercreek.
He was born October 1, 1918, in the Beavercreek Township farmhouse where his ancestors homesteaded in 1807. With parents Daniel W. and Effie M. (Harner) Wolf and siblings Alfred and Catherine, he helped with the daily farming activities while attending Beavercreek Schools. He graduated from Beavercreek High School in 1936.
On June 28, 1941, he married Wanda J. Hess of Bellbrook. They continued to live on the Wolf family farm and had three sons.
Barney enjoyed farm life and actively served his community by volunteering as a Beavercreek fireman beginning in the 1940s. He also volunteered as a 4-H Club adviser and served on the Greene County Agricultural Society Board of Directors (Fair Board) from 1946. In addition to the farm work, he took time to drive a school bus for several years.
Except for a life-changing event on Thanksgiving Day, 1951, he would probably have been a lifetime farmer. While hunting, he stepped in a hole and twisted his back. Within two days he was paralyzed and for the remainder of his life confined to a wheelchair.
Despite this drastic change, he continued to serve his community as volunteer fire and police dispatcher until 1968 and as a Director of the Greene County Fair until resigning in 1996 after serving for 50 years.
Suddenly, being unable to continue farming, Barney, at age 33, was forced to redirect his energies. He took several courses and became qualified to sell insurance with the Farm Bureau Insurance Company (later to become the Nationwide Insurance Company), retiring after 33 years of service. He also developed a bookkeeping, notary public, and tax return preparation business.
He supported the youth of Beavercreek through his sponsorship of the Beavercreek Community Athletic Association Little League baseball program at Nutter Field. As his insurance business grew, and with Wanda also working, the family was able to purchase a home, build an adjacent office building and put their three sons through college. His new office building, completed in 1961, was handicapped accessible and also had a large meeting room on the lower level. It was after the Xenia Tornado on April 3, 1974, that several insurance adjusters set up an office in this lower level to settle many claims for the Xenia residents.
Barney was a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge #668 of Beavercreek since 1947; member of the Kentucky Colonels, Greene County Chapter; member of the Law Enforcement Dispatchers Association; member of the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce. He was a former member of the Byron Church and then later associated with the Hawker United Church of Christ. He received many awards and recognition for his outstanding service to the community including the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year award in 1972; the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce E.G. Shaw award in 1991; the Ohio State Agricultural Fair Managers Outstanding Director award in 1992.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda, on May 10, 1991, and brother, Alfred, in 1980. He is survived by a sister, Catherine Hawker of Dayton, sons and daughters-in-law, Drs. E. Dan and Marja Wolf of Tampa, FL, Dwight and Ann Wolf of Beavercreek, Duane and Robyn Wolf of Vandalia, grandchildren; Richele Stroop (Bobby) of Hillsboro, Renee DeLory (Joe) of Beavercreek, Tonya Kelley (Brian) of Beavercreek, Grace Wolf of Vandalia, Adam Wolf and Aida Wolf of Tampa, FL; great-grandchildren, Tabitha Kelley, Noah Kelley and Aaron DeLory of Beavercreek and Aubrey Stroop and Gavin Stroop of Hillsboro. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
A special thank you to the nurses and staff at Heartland of Beavercreek for their care and compassion during the past 12 years.
The family will receive friends from 3-7 p.m. Friday, August 15, 2003, with the K of P Lodge and funeral service at 7 p.m. at the Tobias Funeral Home-Beavercreek Chapel, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Road at Grange Hall Road with Pastor Elizabeth Wourms officiating. Private interment at Mt. Zion Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Beavercreek Fire Dept., 851 Orchard Dr., Beavercreek, OH 45434, or to Heartland Hospice, 3131 S. Dixie Dr., #221, Dayton, OH 45439.
