USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Vernon Jordan
Former Celina resident Vernon E. Jordan, 72, Sharonville, died June 24, 2001 at his home.
He was born Oct. 21, 1928, in Celina, to Ralph Ross and Sylvia (Hays) Jordan. He married Carol Ann Crow, who preceded him in death; he later married Ella Brown, who survives.
Other survivors are three sons, Stephen A. of Los Altos Hills, Calif., Jeffrey D of Columbia, Md. and Jonathan D. of Fairfax, Va.; a daughter, Janice Rehlaender, Darien, Ct.; a brother, Robert of Syracuse, Ind.; and eight grandchildren.
He was employed by Ford Motor Company as Zone Sales Manager, by Wayne School Bus Company, Richmond, Ind., and was National Sales Director of Phillipsburg Division of Bell and Howell in Chicago, Seattle, and Washington. He was a Celina High School graduate, and attended Ohio State University, served in the army, attended the University of Cincinnati, and Xavier University. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and received a masters degree in business administration from Xavier. He was a Scottish Rite Mason.
Services are 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Armstrong Chapel, Indian Hill, Cincinnati.
Calling is at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church.
Contributions can be made to Shriners Hospital For Children, Cincinnati, or to Armstrong Chapel.
Emil Wachauf
Emil J. Wachauf, 81, 02077 Noble Road, St. Marys, died at 10:10 a.m. June 27, 2001, at Joint District Township Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born April 15, 1920, in St. Marys, to Joseph and Lenora C. (Hirsch) Wachauf. On June 10, 1943, he married Ursula C. Steinke, who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, John and Barb of St. Marys; a sister and her husband, Eulalia and Wilbur Schweitzer, Fryburg; and three grandsons.
Deceased is a brother, Raymond, and a sister, Helen Miller.
He was a farmer and worked at St. Marys Foundry. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, St. Marys, and the Holy Name Society of the church. He was a church usher, a member of the finance committee, a former Auglaize County Farm Bureau member, a member of the Farmers Union and a graduate of St. Marys Memorial High School.
Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Revs. David A. Heinl, Anselm F. Boecke and James O. Byrne officiating. Burial is at Gethsemane Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is from 4-8 p.m. Friday at Long & Folk Funeral Home, ST. Marys, where a Christian prayer service will be held at 8 p.m.
Contributions can be made to the Holy Rosary School.
Ray Weber
Ray Weber, 76, 509 Murray St., Wapakoneta, died at 2:30 a.m. June 27, 2001, at his residence.
He was born Oct. 20, 1924, in Sidney, to Ray Jacob and Hattie (Tucker) Weber. On Feb. 20, 1954, he married Mary E. Fitzgerald, who died Jan. 25, 1991.
Survivors are a son a his wife, Timothy and Shari of Fontana, Calif.; a son, Thomas of Wapakoneta; four daughters and their husbands, Tonya and John Sparks, St. Marys, Teresa and Mark Edwards, Columbus, Tammy and Tom Brown, Wapakoneta and Tina and Darrel Slaybaugh, Mansfield, Texas; 19 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Deceased is a brother, George and a sister, Ethel Hahn.
He was a retired route salesman from B & M Packing, Wapakoneta, and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wapakoneta. He was a member of Knights of Columbus Council 1272, and Eagles F.O.E. 961, Wapakoneta.
Funeral Mass is 1:30 p.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. William Eilerman officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Calling is 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Friday at Long & Folk Funeral Home, Wapakoneta.
Contributions can be made to Tri-County Hospice.
Robert Gibson
Robert G. Gibson, 59, 628 N. Sugar St., Celina, died 4:10 a.m. June 28, 2001, at St. Ritas Hospital, Lima.
He was born Oct. 3, 1941, in Rockford, to James F. and Pauline (High) Gibson. On Nov. 28, 1969, he married Rosemary Knapp, who died Sept. 18, 1997. On Nov. 18, 2000, he married Ann Meyer, who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, Jeffery and Diane Alt, Celina; two daughters and their husbands, Paula and Kent Bowers, Rockford and Vicki and Jonathan Harris, Lima; a stepson and his wife, Tim and Betty Meyer, Versailles; a stepmother, Margery (Lee) Gibson; a brother and his wife, Jim and Debra Gibson, Rockford; and five grandchildren.
Deceased are two daughters, Debra and Diane, and a brother, William.
He was retired from the former New Idea, Coldwater. He was a member of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Rockford, where he served as deacon, elder and church president; was a member of Celina City Council from 1976 to 2001; and a member and past president of Fraternal Order of Eagles, Rockford. He was also a member of the Free & Accepted Masons, Rockford, Scottish Rite, Valley of Dayton, Order of Eastern Stars, Celina, Mercer County Democrats, Mercer County Sportsmen Association, past secretary of the United Steel Workers local, and was a former board member of New Idea Credit Union.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, the Rev. John Fleming officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Calling is from 2-8 p.m. Saturday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina, and after 1 p.m. Sunday at the church. Masonic Services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Charles Berry
Charles Junior Berry, 78, of Rockford, died at 6:46 a.m. June 29, 2001 at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
He was born Aug. 4, 1922, in Dublin Township, to Charles F. and Alma D. (Yahn) Berry. On Aug. 22, 1945, he married Lois Ann Rutledge, who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, Jack and Cindy of Willshire; two daughters and their husbands, Betty and Boy Cooper, Van Wert, and Beverly and Dave Kuck, New Bremen, and a daughter, Connie of Rockford; a sister and her husband, Martha and Wayne Shellabarger, Mendon; seven grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 15 stepgreat-grandchildren.
Deceased is a daughter, Barb, and two brothers, Ned and Bill Berry.
He was a farmer and truck driver for the Rockford Stone Quarry. He was a member of New Horizons Community Church, Rockford. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a member of Rockford American Legion post #508 and Celina Veterans of Foreign Wars #5713.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, the Rev. Robert Loar officiating. Burial is at Stringtown Cemetery, near Rockford.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to services Monday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Helen Fledderjohann
Helen E. Fledderjohann, 80, 10876 Ohio 66 S., St. Marys, died at 1:30 a.m. June 29, 2001, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
She was born Jan. 24, 1921, in Noble Township, north of St. Marys, to Benjamin and Maude (Blanke) Schrolucke. On May 4, 1950, she married Victor Fledderjohann, who survives.
Other survivors are two sons and their wives, Craig and Karen, and Neal and Cindy, and a son, Ned, all of St. Marys; a brother, Harold Schrolucke, St. Marys; and seven grandchildren.
She was a retired nurse from Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, and was a member of First United Church of Christ, New Knoxville. She graduated from St. Marys Memorial High School and Lima Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. David Hunt officiating. Burial is at Pilger Ruhe Cemetery, New Knoxville.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday in the Heritage Room of the church.
Contributions can be made to the radio broadcast fund of the church.
Clark Kolp
Fort Recovery native Clark Kolp, 79, of Fairborn, died June 28, 2001 at Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton.
He was born Oct. 6, 1921, in Fort Recovery, to William W. and Lela (Clark) Kolp. On June 14, 1945, he married Marcia J. Schlosser, who died Nov. 22, 1994.
Survivors are a son and his wife, William and Myra of Vinita, Okla.; a daughter, Jane Clifton, Fairborn; a sister, Iris Chilcote, Fort Myers, Fla.; two grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Deceased is a son-in-law, Steve Clifton.
He was a former high school teacher at Celina and Portland and Decatur, Ind., and a retired owner of Van Wert Insurance Agency. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church, Van Wert. He was former chairman of the Van Wert Republican party and served on the Van Wert County Election Board and the Van Wert County Hospital Board. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, and member of the Van Wert American Legion and a life member of the Van Wert Elks Club. He was a member of Senior Citizens of Fairborn, 450th Bomb Group Association and was retired from the Ohio Association of Elected Officials. He was a 1944 graduate of Miami University, Oxford.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home, Van Wert, the Rev. James Howell officiating. Burial is at Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to Van Wert Area Visiting Nurses Hospice or Van Wert County Hospital Dialysis Unit.
Mary Bissonette
Mary Ellen Bissonette, 41, of Katy, Texas, died at 2:45 p.m. May 31, 2002 at the home of her parents following an extended illness.
She was born Sept. 23, 1960, in Lima, to E. Lowell and Mary Jane (Lies) Lewis. They survive in Venedocia. On Jan. 25, 1985, she married Kenneth C. Bissonette and he survives.
Also surviving are two daughters, Arryn N. and Allison M., both of Katy; a brother and his wife, Mark and Nina Lewis, Celina; a sister, Rachel McMickle, Van Wert; and a grandmother, Wanda Lies, Venedocia.
She was a customer representative and an insurance underwriter. She was a member of Second Baptist Church, Houston, Texas, and a former youth leader at the church. She was a current precinct chairman and a member of the Republican Party.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Kingsley United Methodist Church near Van Wert, the Rev. Chuck Glover officiating. Burial will be at Venedocia Cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. today at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home, Van Wert.
Richard Gray Sr.
Richard L. Gray Sr., 71, 228 N. Enterprise St., Celina, died at 2:51 p.m. May 31, 2002 at Kettering Medical Center.
He was born Aug. 17, 1930, in Mercer County, to Charles and Jennie (Hole) Gray. He was married to Verla Lee Miller and she survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Richard L. Jr. and Cynthia of Celina, and two sons, Douglas Eugene of Rockford and Garry Allen of Celina; a sister and her husband, Velma and Leonard Quinter, Dayton, and two sisters, Lela Partin, Van Wert, and Margaret Bertke, Celina; and two grandchildren.
Deceased are three brothers, Larry, Arlie and Gerlad, and three sisters, Edith Adams, Mary Ellen Jutte and Betty Cummins.
A 1948 graduate of Celina High School, he had worked at the former Mersman Furniture Factory in Celina for 36 years. He was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3025, Coldwater.
Services are 10 a.m. Tuesday at W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Mark Wakeland officiating. Burial will be at Swamp College Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the American Heart Association or the Crippled Children's Society.
Richard McMurray
Richard D. McMurray, 82, 812 Motz St., St. Marys, died May 30, 2002, at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dayton.
He was born May 30, 1920, in Mercer County, to Royal Arthur and Imogene (Eshelman) McMurray. His wife, Wilma Eley, survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Larry and Mary of Celina; two daughters and their husbands, Sharon and Myron Craft and Tammy and Larry Badgett, all of St. Marys; a brother, Roy of St. Marys; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, Richard; four brothers, Charles, William, David and Donald; and three sisters, Mary Eberle, Betty Boltz and Ruth Brodbeck.
A U.S. Army veteran, he served during World War II in the European Theatre, landing on Anzio and then proceeding to Italy and Sicily. He retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., St. Marys, and later worked as a finish carpenter for Kessler Builders. He was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ, St. Marys, and the Disabled American Veterans.
Memorial services will be 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, with Deacon Tom Huff officiating. A military service will follow.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
