USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Laura Oakman
Laura J. Oakman, 89, of Wapakoneta, formerly of Vero Beach, Fla., died April 26, 2003, at her residence.
She was born Oct. 20, 1913, in Winchester, Ind., to Cledia and Hazel C. Fraze Hufford. On May 30, 1930, she married Chester W. Oakman who died Feb. 26, 1992.
Surviving are two sons, Jack L. of Wapakoneta and Oliver Gary (Marietta) of Celina; a son-in-law, Marion Knief, Vero Beach; two brothers, William Kenneth Hufford and Richard Hufford, both of Union City, Ind.; 16 grandchildren, four stepgrandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, Harold Gene; a daughter, Marlene Knief; two daughters-in-law, Edith and Gloria Jean Oakman; and a grandchild.
She was a homemaker and a former member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Aerie 691, Wapakoneta.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Bayliff & Eley Funeral Home, Wapakoneta, the Rev. James R. Sager officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens near Moulton.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the American Heart Association or St. Rita's Hospice.
Mary Reynolds
Mary Reynolds, 82, a resident of Americare Nursing Home, Portland, Ind., formerly of Fort Recovery, died at 12:50 p.m. April 27, 2003, at Jay County Hospital, Portland, Ind.
She was born Jan. 14, 1921, in Jackson, Ky., to James and Cindy Johnson Gross. On July 16, 1938, she married Lewis Reynolds who died July 25, 1999.
Surviving are three sons, Woody and Jesse, both of Fort Recovery, and John (Cheryl) of Chattanooga; five daughters, Lorene (Calvin) Huss, Geneva, Ind., Dorothy (John) Watkins, Arlene (Everett Jr.) Moore and Judy, all of Fort Recovery, and Mary (Paul) Burry, Berne, Ind.; 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Other survivors include three brothers, Elisha (Jalia) Gross, Weldon (Haney) Gross and James H. (Dorothy) Gross, all of Jackson; and two sisters, Nerva (Herman) Barrett, Booneville, Ky., and Ida Neace, Jackson.
Deceased are a son, Nolan; a brother, Herman Gross; a sister, Lorean Brigner; and a grandchild.
She was a member of the Church of the Living God, Union City, Ind.
Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church, the Rev. Dan Hill officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Union City, Ind.
Calling at the church is 9:30 a.m. Tuesday until the time of services.
Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery, has charge of arrangements.
Rosella Schaefer
Rosella A. Schaefer, 90, Karafit Road, Celina, died at 7:50 p.m. April 26, 2003, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
She was born March 28, 1913, in Minster, to Herman and Rose Koverman Oldiges. Her husband, Wallace Schaefer, died Oct. 9, 1949.
Surviving are a son, John (Opal) of St. Marys; three daughters, Rosanne (Carl) Meyer, Celina, Louise Jones, Michigan, and Carolyn (Gordon) Wolfe, Montezuma; a brother, Louie (Irma) Oldiges, Minster; 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son-in-law, Bud Jones; seven brothers, Elmer, Matt, Andrew, Carl, Edward, Herman and Richard Oldiges; a sister, Marie Doenges; and a grandchild.
She was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Montezuma, and the Veterans of Foreign War Auxiliary, Celina.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. Carl Wise officiating. Burial will follow at German Protestant Cemetery, New Bremen.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Norman Schoch
Norman W. Schoch, 77, 408 N. Cedar St., Coldwater, died at 6 a.m. April 25, 2003, at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
He was born March 15, 1926, in Coldwater, to Arnold and Frances Wallischeck Schoch. On June 18, 1960, he married Julie Comer Schoch, who survives.
Other survivors include a son, Norman Jr., of Dayton; a daughter, Claire (Tim) Buschur, of Coldwater; two sisters, Marian (Jim) Scheuerman, of Celina, and Jean (Don) Magarian, of Milwaukee, Wis; and two sisters-in-law, Ann Schoch-Harker, of Dayton and Dorothy of Troy.
Deceased are two brothers, Howard and Michael.
He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Later he was commander of Coldwater American Legion Post 470, served on the Coldwater Fire Department for 26 years and was a member of Coldwater Village Council. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and its Men's Holy Name Society. He also worked at the former Schoch Paint Store in Coldwater.
Services at the church are at 10:30 a.m. Monday, with the Rev. Thomas Mannebach officiating. Burial will follow at St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Coldwater.
Calling is 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home in Coldwater.
Marinus Ruschau
Marinus W. Ruschau, 91, 312 Park Blvd., Versailles, died at 1:50 a.m., April 24, 2003, at Versailles Health Care Center.
He was born Nov. 23, 1911, in Cassella, to Bernard and Catherine Buehler Ruschau. On Oct. 28,1939, he married Irene Heitkamp, who died Nov. 30, 2002.
Survivors include two sons, Robert (Joan) of Versailles, and Allen (Carol) of Tipp City; three daughters, Carolyn (Joe) Steiger, Zanesville, Cindy (Richard) Sowell, Lambertville, Mich., and Donna Phillips, Rochester, N.Y.; two brothers, Wilfred (Luella) of Dayton, and Jim (Pauline) of St. Marys; a sister, Mary Catherine Riethman, Minster; two sisters-in-law, Helen of Dayton and Viona of Tipp City; 17 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are five brothers, Urban, Richard, Eugene, Paul and the Rev. Ambrose Ruschau.
He worked at Frigidaire in Dayton for 10 years, owned a grocery store in Yorkshire for 11 years and was an independent insurance agent for 20 years.
He was a member of Yorkshire Village Council for 25 years and a member of St. Nicholas Catholic Church and its choir. He was also a member of the Catholic Order of Forresters for 50 years. He retired in 1979 and moved to Versailles, where he was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Knights of St. John and Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow recipient. He was a member of St. Denis Catholic Church in Versailles and was founder of the Versailles Senior Citizen Center.
Services at St. Denis Catholic Church, Versailles, are at 10:30 a.m. Monday, with the Rev. David Vincent officiating. Burial will follow at St. Valbert Cemetery, Versailles.
Calling is 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Bailey Zechar Funeral home, Versailles.
Donations can be made to the Versailles Life Squad.
Joseph Thomas
Joseph E. Thomas, 65, 808 Pro Drive, Apt. 16, Celina, died April 25, 2003, at Wapakoneta Manor Nursing Home.
He was born on July 4, 1937, in Washington Courthouse, to Cy C. and Gladys Collins Thomas. His parents and step mother, Geraldine Martin, are deceased.
He is survived by a son, Jeremy Thomas, Sacramento, Calif.; four sisters, Marge Chaney, Choteau, Mont., Mary Byrum, St. Petersburg, Fla., Mabel Thomas, Celina, and Virginia Drinnen, Wapakoneta; a brother, James, of Mercer; two step brothers, Robert Bullock, Lima, and Donald Bullock, Celina.
He is preceded in death by a brother, John, and two sisters, Peg Chaney and Geraldine McMurray.
He was a horse trainer.
A private family memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Celina, with the Rev. M. Stephen Merold officiating.
Dewey Alt
Mercer County native Dewey L. Alt, 77, of Decatur, Ind., died April 23, 2003, in Decatur following an apparent heart attack.
He was born Aug. 11, 1925, in Mercer County, to Charles and Laura Bollenbacher Alt. On April 10, 1970, he married Agnes L. Kolter who survives.
Also surviving are a son, Michael L. (Mary) of Decatur; a daughter, Myra D. Simonson, Decatur; two sisters, Alice Shinn and Virginia (Gene) Rolfes, both of Celina; and three grandchildren.
Deceased are three brothers, Leroy, Robert and Arthur, and two sisters, Esther Hone and Wilma Butcher.
He was employed at Yost Companies/Prestress for 31 years as production manager. Following retirement, he worked part-time at Prestress. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and was a member of Salem United Church of Christ, Magley, Ind., and Decatur American Legion Post 43. He also was a lifetime member of the Loyal Order of Moose 1311, Decatur, the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Celina.
Services are 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church, the Revs. Jean Carmean and Raymond Scribner officiating. Military graveside rites will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-5 p.m. Sunday and 7-9 p.m. Monday at Zwick and Jahn Funeral Home, Decatur, and after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church.
Contributions can be made to Shriner's Childrens Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
Gene Arters
Gene Arters, 71, 342 S. Main St., Mendon, died at 9:48 p.m. April 23, 2003, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born June 6, 1931, in Lima, to Homer and Thelma Now Arters. On Feb. 11, 1967, he married Pearl Richards who died Sept. 30, 1999.
Surviving are two sons, Jason of Mendon and Gene Jr. (Sharon) of Norwich, Conn.; two daughters, Iris of Mendon and Cynthia of Celina; a brother, Craig (Dian) of Union; and four grandchildren.
He retired from New Idea in Coldwater and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Services are 1 p.m. Saturday at Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Rick Brosher officiating. Burial will follow at Mercer Memory Gardens.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Naomi Forlow
Rockford native Naomi Faye Forlow, 91, of Van Wert, died at 5 a.m. today, April 25, 2003, at The Laurels of Shane Hill, Rockford.
She was born Jan. 16, 1912, in Rockford, to Charles E. and Pearl Baird Hawk.
Surviving are two sisters, Louise Sielschott and Kathleen Snook Hays, both of Celina.
Seven brothers, Reid, Rex, William, Paul, Gordon, A.J. and Carl, are deceased.
She retired from Continental Can after 33 years of service.
Services are 10 a.m. Monday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.
Calling is 1-5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to Trinity Methodist Church, Van Wert.
