USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Donald L. Holt
Donald L. Holt, 88, of Jackson Center, died at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, at Fair Haven, Sidney.
He was born in Pleasant Township, Putnam County, on Oct. 9, 1919, a son of the late Raymond L. and Velma VanDemark Holt.
On June 19, 1949, he married the former Willa I. Helmlinger, and she preceded him in death Feb. 4, 2004. A sister, Mary Kidd; a brother, Virgil Holt, a sister-in-law, Bertha Holt; and a brother-in-law, Dale Meyer, also preceded him in death.
Survivors include two daughters, Rebecca (Charles) Huelskamp of Sidney and Patricia Holt of DeGraff; two sons, Michael (Peggy) Holt and Steven (Lori) Holt, both of Sidney; a “third daughter,” Karol Rader of DeGraff; eight grandchildren, Stephanie (Craig) Merickel, Betsy (Patrick) Stiffler, Melissa (Kevin) Albers, Andrew Holt, Susan (Alan) Middleton, Diana Holt, Patty Huelskamp and Sean Holt; three great-grandsons, Nolan and Seth Merickel and Chaz Stiffler; a sister, Emma Meyer of New Knoxville, two brothers, Wayne (Dorothy) Holt and Carl (Gladys) Holt, both of Lima; a brother-in-law, Gereld Kidd of Columbus Grove; and many nieces and nephews.
A U.S. Army Air Corps World War II veteran, he was a vocational agriculture and FFA instructor for Jackson Center Local Schools for 28 years. He was a 4-H adviser for 30 years and a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Jackson Center, where he was a Church Council member and a Sunday School teacher.
A graduate of The Ohio State University, he was a proud alumnus of the Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity. He was the former mayor of Jackson Center and served on the village council.
He was a timekeeper for Jackson Center High School basketball games, served on the Shelby County Regional Planning Commission, and was a former officer of Scherer Post 493 American Legion, Jackson Center and served on its Ray Ford Scholarship Board.
He had a private pilot license and flew out of Korn Airfield in Montra. He was an avid gardener, and an Ohio State Buckeyes and Cincinnati Reds fan who enjoyed golfing, playing cards and attending his grandchildren’s activities.
The Rev. Kent Hollis conducts a funeral at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church, where calling is one hour prior to the service and from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at Sanford Funeral Home, Jackson Center.
Interment is in Lima Memorial Park Mausoleum. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Frances Mae Johnson
Frances Mae Johnson, 97, of Bellefontaine, died Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008, at Logan Acres.
She was born May 5, 1910. On July 26, 1932, she married Merle Roy Johnson in Angola, Ind., and he died Dec. 16, 1951. She also was preceded in death by two sons, Francis Murle Johnson and Daniel Sylvester Johnson.
Survivors include two sons, David Nelson Johnson of McGuffey and James Edward (Carol) Johnson of Willard; two daughters, Virginia Ann Kodger of McDouglasville, Ga., and Phyllis Sarah (Fred) Cockerell of Bellefontaine; 22 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren. In 1972, she retired as a nurse’s aide from Kenton Nursing Home.
She was a member of the former First Baptist Church, now known as Hope Community Church, Bellefontaine, and enjoyed gardening and reading.
The Rev. A.W. Purdin conducts a funeral at 1 p.m. Thursday at Eichholtz Funeral Home, Bellefontaine, where calling is two hours prior. Interment is in Bellefontaine Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Ruth E. McKirahan
Ruth E. McKirahan, 96, of Belle Center, went home to be with the Lord on Feb. 4, 2008.
She was born in Belle Center on March 10, 1911, and was known by all as either Ruthie or Granny.
She knew everyone in town either from the Belle Center United Presbyterian Church, where she was a lifelong member, or from working at the local pharmacy for well over 50 years.
On Aug. 19, 1941, she married Robert A. McKirahan and together they raised their two boys on Maple Street in the house in which she was born.
She was preceded in death by her husband, (affectionately known as Papaw); her parents, Edward Oliver and Lydia Jones Sickles; and siblings, Merle Sickles, Vera Bates, Flo Osborn, Adda Sickles, Clara Sickles, Lou Miller and Robert Sickles.
Survivors include a sister, Margie Sickles Emmert of Kenton; two sons, John and his wife, Sandy of Kearney, Neb., and Jay and his wife, Billiejo of Dublin; grandchildren, Kelley, Jason and his wife, Niki, Bonnie, Megan and her husband, Joel, and Ian; and great-grandchildren, Jesse, Aidan and Avery.
Calling is from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Eichholtz Funeral Home, Belle Center. A funeral service begins at 11 a.m. Friday at the Belle Center United Presbyterian Church, followed by a graveside service in Fairview Cemetery, Belle Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Belle Center Rescue Squad, 100A S. Elizabeth St., Belle Center 43310.
Virginia “June” Pickering
Virginia “June” Pickering, 83, of 202 E. Main St., Russells Point, went home to be with the Lord at 5:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, following a brief illness.
She was born in Logan County on Sept. 10, 1924, a daughter of the late O.E. Sr. and Winnie M. Pence Tait. On Sept. 29, 1945, she married Lloyd G. Pickering and he died Oct. 5, 1996. She also was preceded in death by three sisters, Helen McLaughlin, Dorothy Wade and Nellie Curtis; brother, E.O. “Ed” Tait; and an infant brother.
Survivors include four daughters, Winnie Jo Pickering of Lima, Beverly Jo Pickering and Ginnie Jo Pickering Hudson, both of Russells Point, and Susan Jo Pickering of Avon Park, Fla.; a granddaughter, Emily N. Hudson of Russells Point; and two great-granddaughters.
A devoted mother, grandmother and homemaker, she graduated from Washington Local High School and was the owner/manager of the Red Bird Restaurant in Russells Point. She was a member of the First Church of God in Bellefontaine and the Indian Lake Chapter 554 Order of Eastern Star.
Pastor Gary Brown conducts a funeral at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Church of God, Bellefontaine. Burial is in Huntsville Cemetery. Calling is from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Sanford-Eichholtz Funeral Home, Lakeview.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of God Building Fund and the American Heart Association.
Dorothy “Dottie” Fleming Varner
Dorothy “Dottie” Fleming Varner, 85, of Mesa, Ariz., passed away from cancer Jan. 31, 2008, in her home.
She was born in Bellefontaine on March 30, 1922, a daughter of the late Florence A. Reid and Wilson Vance Beemer. In October 1948, she married John R. “Bun” Fleming Jr. and he died in 1954.
She then moved to San Diego in 1959 and married Chester Varner in 1962, with whom she operated a successful restaurant business. He died in 1996 and she moved to Mesa, in 2000. The last of seven children, she was a gregarious and community oriented person.
A longtime member of the Lioness Club of Chula Vista, Calif., and 20-year volunteer/lifetime member of the Blind Center of San Diego, she loved poker nights and bingo. She was an inspiration to us all staying vital and active up until the last few months of her life.
Survivors include two children, Ronda Mitchell of El Cajon, Calif., and John Fleming of Peoria, Ariz.; stepson, James Varner of Bakersfield, Calif.; five grandchildren, Malora Mitchell and Lynette Mitchell, both of Maui, Hawaii, Jon Fleming and Jill Fleming, both of Yuma, Ariz., and Joseph Fleming of El Cajon; and a great-grandchild, Logan Fleming, four months, whom she got to see and hold before her death.
At her request, the body was cremated at Melcher Mortuary Chapel of the Roses in Mesa. A memorial gathering is at 1 p.m. Saturday at the recreation center of Coronado Mobile Home Park in Mesa, Ariz. Memorial contributions may be made to the charities of the donors’ choices.
Edwin Ross “Ed” Brunet
Edwin Ross “Ed” Brunet, 87, of Russells Point, died at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 8, 2008, in Allen Park, Mich.
He was born in Houghton, Mich., a son of the late Emil and Angeline Ross Brunet. On Sept. 5, 1963, he married the former Lorraine Lord and she preceded him in death Jan. 20, 2004. He also was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters.
Survivors include a daughter, Frances (Clint) Bair of Wyandotte, Mich.; a stepson, Stephen Wilson of Russells Point; a brother, Dave (Stephanie) Brunet of Harrison, Mich.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A U.S. Army veteran, he served as an ambulance driver in Germany during World War II. He was a life member of Roundhead VFW Post 8832 and attended St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church, Russells Point.
No services or visitation hours are planned, per his request. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Louise Mozelle Detwiler
Louise Mozelle Detwiler, 93, of Urbana, died at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 7, 2008, in Hearth and Home, Urbana.
She was born in Zanesfield on Oct. 16, 1914, a daughter of the late Carl and Louvene Rudisill Tallman. On June 27, 1942, she married Raymond Earl “Sam” Detwiler and he preceded her in death, along with brothers, Charles and Earl Tallman.
Survivors include daughters, Beverly Jean Lafferty and Barbara Ann (Ron) Gingrey, both of Urbana; a son, Donald (June) Detwiler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; grandchildren, Shari Lafferty of West Carrollton, Tami and Jody Jones of Conover, Bruce Brown of Urbana, Jonnétt and Matt Hoskins, and Candi and Jon Cline, all of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; great-grandchildren, Joseph and Kara Jones of Urbana, Tyler Raymond Jones of Conover, Tyler Alan Brown of Illinois, Colton, Gage, Bailey and Sidney Lane and Noah, Kaleb, and Samantha Hoskins, all of Cedar Rapids; a great-great-grandson, Wyatt Denver Jones of Urbana, a sister, Mary Elizabeth Roberts of Rushsylvania; and a brother, Roy Tallman of Zanesfield.
A graduate of Zanesfield High School and Bowling Green State University, she was an elementary school teacher at Piqua, Lakeview, Zanesfield and Urbana schools before quitting to raise a family. After all her children were in school, she returned to work at the Urbana High School cafeteria where she worked until her retirement.
She was a member of Sarah Elizabeth Chapter 335 Order of the Eastern Star and became a member of the Urbana United Methodist Church after moving to Urbana. She was active in its choir, Women’s Society, bell choir, and numerous other functions.
The Rev. Dr. John Daniels conducts a funeral at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Urbana United Methodist Church, 238 N. Main St., Urbana. Burial will follow in Kingscreek Cemetery. Calling is from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Walter-Schoedinger Funeral Home, Urbana.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Mercy Hospice, 1343 N. Fountain Blvd., Springfield 45504; and Urbana United Methodist Church Bell Choir, 238 N. Main St., Urbana 43078.
