USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Lewis Stanfield
Lewis Stanfield, 82, of Rushsylvania, died at 7:15 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24, 2001, at Heartland of Bellefontaine.
He was born May 22, 1919, in Rushcreek Township, a son of the late C.O. and Clara Duerr Stanfield.
On Aug. 22, 1941, he married Betty C. Johnson in Rushsylvania, and she survives.
Also surviving are one son, Robert Charles (Beverly) Stanfield of Rushsylvania; two daughters, Joyce (Dave) Boyer of Andover and Jane (P. Terrence) Humble of West Liberty; and eight grandsons.
Also surviving are two sisters, Bette Eberhard of Aurora and Jeanne (Robert) Mosier of York Center; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, A. Boyd "Duke" Stanfield, John M. Stanfield, D.R. Stanfield and Donald Stanfield; and two sisters, Lillian Rosebrook and Mary Ishee.
An agriculturalist, avid trapshooter and hunter, Mr. Stanfield was a member of the Logan County Fish and Game Association and the Board of Directors of the Agriculture, Soil and Conservation Service. He also was a member of the Flying Farmers.
Mr. Stanfield served for 16 years as a Rushcreek Township Trustee and held the position of president of the Board of Education for both the Rushsylvania Schools and Buckeye Local Schools.
Carl Edward Banta Sr.
Carl Edward Banta Sr., 84, of Redlands, Calif., died at 7:20 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, 2001, at Braswell's Colonial Care Center in Redlands.
The Bellefontaine native was born June 17, 1917, a son of the late Harry and Mabel Parker Banta.
On Feb. 16, 1941, he married Elva Edna LeVan in Bellefontaine, and she preceded him in death Oct. 23, 1998.
Mr. Banta retired in 1980 as a supervisor from the New York Central Railroad and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bellefontaine. A World War II veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Banta was an avid sports fan and fisherman who loved playing baseball and softball in his youth.
He is survived by two sons, Carl (Doris) Banta Jr. of League City, Texas, and Marvin (LeAnne) Banta of Redlands; one daughter, Kristen Diane (Robert Sr.) Barczak of Westminster, Colo.; one brother, Lawrence (Patricia) Banta of Upland, Calif.; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Five brothers, Howard, Omer, Homer, Marion and Glen and one sister, Marie preceded him in death.
Betty Jane Birt
Betty Jane Birt, 81, of Urbana and formerly of 5113 W. State Route 245, West Liberty, died at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, 2001, at the McAuley Center, Urbana.
She was born Sept. 10, 1919, in Mechanicsburg, a daughter of Walter and Mabel Foulk Gaver.
A lifelong farmer and avid gardener, she is survived by two children, Judy (Wes) King of Urbana and Bill (Dianna) Birt Jr. of Rosewood; two grandchildren, Tammy Barnes of South Carolina and Kelly Ann Perry of St. Paris; two great-grandchildren, Meagan Lynn and Miles Levi Perry; two sisters, Virginia Parsinger of Grove City and Sue (Ed) Spencer of Mechanicsburg; two brothers, Jack (Marietta) Gaver of Florida and Jene Gaver of Urbana.
She was preceded in death in 1995 by her husband, Billy Birt Sr. and by a grandson, Lynn Blankenship. Also deceased are two sisters, Mary Fairchild and Marjorie Woodruff; and four brothers, Walter Jr., Carl, Roger and Max Gaver.
Mrs. Birt was a member of the Concord United Methodist Church.
Oscar S. Ickes
Oscar S. Ickes, 73, of 12046 Shannon Drive, Lakeview, died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, 2001, at his residence.
Mr. Ickes had been a truck driver for more than 50 years. During that time he worked for the Norwalk Truck Line for 18 years as well as time with Pearl Transportation, Ohio Lime and A&P. Prior to his retirement, he was a security guard for Honda in St. Marys.
He was born March 11, 1928, in Wichita, Kan., a son of the late Oscar H. and Geraldine Cooley Ickes.
On May 9, 1945, he married Freda M. Herr, and she died May 2, 1988.
Survivors include three sons, Jerry S. Ickes of Bairdstown, James F. Ickes of Arlington and John L. Ickes of Fostoria; two daughters, Mrs. Robert S. (Judy A.) Noel Sr. of Arcadia and Jean K. Fraley of Fostoria; 29 grandchildren, 68 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
A brother, Alfred Ickes, of Fostoria, and a sister, Marie Greeno, of North Baltimore, also survive, as does a companion, Betty Dobbins.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Albert Ickes.
Eugene Allen "Bill" Stratton
Eugene Allen "Bill" Stratton, 71, of 11483 N. U.S. Route 68, Belle Center, died at 7:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, 2001, in his residence.
Born in Stokes Township on Nov. 15, 1929, he was a son of the late Floyd and Ruth McGee Stratton. He married Sheila Joan "Ann" Ellis on Sept. 25, 1951, in Lewistown, and she survives.
A truck driver for Northwood Stone and Asphalt, Belle Center, he also is survived by a son, William E. "Bill" (Cindy) Stratton of Belle Center; four sisters, Mercedes Davis of Lakeview, Dortha Kaser of Kenton, Thelma Price of Belle Center and Nathalie Clem of DeGraff; and two granddaughters, Heather Stratton of Marysville and Stephanie Stratton of Belle Center.
June E. Blosser
June E. Blosser, 55, of 1005 W. Sandusky Ave., died at 7:23 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2001, at Mary Rutan Hospital.
She was born June 10, 1946, in Bellefontaine, a daughter of the late James C. and Norma E. Short Grow.
On Jan. 5, 1982, in Zanesfield, she married Lester L. Blosser, who survives.
A homemaker, Mrs. Blosser is also survived by one son, Travis L. Grow of Bellefontaine; one daughter, Marian E. (Larry) Pool of Bellefontaine; two brothers, John Grow of Bellefontaine and James Grow of Lakeview; and three sisters, Marian Norton and Dixie Boysel, both of Bellefontaine, and Lois Hardman of Middleburg; and three grandchildren.
James E. Leiberick
James E. Leiberick, 55, of Kenton, died at 10:10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3, 2001 at his home.
He was born Jan. 28, 1946, in Lima, a son of Theodore and Violet Donovan Leiberick, and they preceded him in death.
Mr. Leiberick was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. He also served in the Ohio Army National Guard. He attended the Lighthouse of Prayer in Marion and was a truck driver for TFE/DTF/Dana.
On March 29, 1980, he married Judy Hammel Styer, and she survives. Other survivors include: two sons and a daugther-in-law, James Jr. and Leslie Leiberick of New Mexico and Ron Leiberick of Cleveland; a daughter and son-in-law Deborah and Robert Sanchez of Lakewood; seven grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Connie Leiberick of DeGraff; a step-daughter and her husband Joy and Calvin Keeran of Piqua; and a step-son Jim Styer of Kenton. Two sisters and two grandsons preceded him in death.
Charles R. Emerich
Charles R. Emerich, 77, of Bradford, died Friday, Aug. 3, 2001.
He was born in Shelby County on July 20, 1924, a son of the late John Franklin and Jessie Rolfe Emerich Sr.
Mr. Emerich was a life-long farmer and registered Belgian Horse breeder. He was a member of the Midwest Draft Horse and Mule Association, the Miami County Agriculture Society, Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America and the Bradford United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death in 1998 by his beloved wife of 46 years, Virginia M. Emerich. Also deceased are three sisters, Zylphia Faust, Martha Meckstroth and Alice Emerich, and two brothers, Herman and John Emerich Jr.
Survivors include one daughter, Constance (Doyle) Holfinger of Piqua; two sons, Jerry (Wanda) Emerich of Fairfield, Vt., and Dennis (Sharon) Emerich of Quincy; five grandchildren, Jason Helfinger and fiancee, Megan Ganger; Chris Helfinger, Nick and Sara Emerich and Katarina Emerich; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
James L. Thompson
James L. Thompson, 66, passed away Friday, Aug. 3, 2001, at a hospital in Las Vegas, where he resided.
He was born in Columbus on Dec. 9, 1934, a son of the late Paul N. Thompson and Loretta Thompson Tope.
He resided in West Liberty for a brief time.
Mr. Thompson retired as a safety engineer from Rockwell Rock-Dine.
Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Thompson; one son, Jay Thompson of Los Angeles; one daughter, Cindy Thompson of Boulder, Colo.; a half brother, Donald P. Thompson of West Liberty; and several nieces and nephews.
One sister, Loretta Carolein, preceded him in death.
Barbara R. Ray
Barbara R. Ray, 67, of Kenton, died at 5:10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, 2001, at Hardin Memorial Hospital, Kenton.
Mrs. Ray was born in Auglaize County on Nov. 11, 1933, the daughter of the late Orla J. and Mary Weidner Shultz.
She married James Kelley in 1951 and they later divorced. She then married Richard E. Ray on April 1, 1977, and he survives.
Mrs. Ray formerly worked for Robert J. Smith Ford in Lakeview.
Along with her husband, Mrs. Ray is survived by one daughter, Terrie (Brent) Wilson of Kenton; one son, Rex J. Kelley of Kenton; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; four stepdaughters, Linda Huffman of Dublin, Cindy Holland of Kenton, Kathy (Daryl) Flowers of Kenton and Margaret (Michael) Davenport of Gahanna; two stepsons, John (Cathy) Ray of Kenton and Randy (Kathy) Ray of Rockwood, Pa.; and 12 stepgrandchildren.
