USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Earl Worthington
Earl W. Worthington, 91, 111 N. Van St., St. Marys, died at 9:20 p.m. Sept. 15, 2002, at Valley Nursing & Rehab Center, St. Marys.
He was born Dec. 2, 1910, in Auglaize County, to William and Nettie Jane (King) Worthington. On Oct. 7, 1933, he married Ruth Ashbaugh and she died April 1, 2000.
Surviving are two daughters and their husbands, Leora and the Rev. Mark Burden, Lima, and Lana and John Baker, Houston, Texas; a sister and her husband, Frances and George Winget, St. Marys; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, Willis, and two sisters, Pearl Bruner and Ferrel Wilgus.
A machinist by trade, he taught at an early vocational program at Westinghouse Corp., Lima. He retired as a custodian at St. Marys City Schools and was a member of Community of Christ Church, St. Marys.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, the Rev. Mark Burden officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens near Moulton.
Calling is noon-2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Bertille Gleich
Bertille Gleich, 62, 6477 Borror Road, Grove City, died Sept. 16, 2002, at her residence.
She was born Jan. 3, 1940, in Columbus to William and Helena (Schmidt) Hetterscheidt. Her husband, Joe Lersky, survives.
Also surviving are a son, Ben Gleich, Columbus; a daughter and her husband, Heather and Matt Kromer, Sandusky; a daughter, Kerry Gleich, Troy; a sister and her husband, Jeanne and Glen Liston, Canal Winchester; two sisters, Helen James, Celina, and Nancy McSweeney, Columbus; and four grandchildren.
She was a retired rural mail carrier.
Memorial Mass is 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Grove City, the Rev. John Swickard officiating.
Maeder-Quint-Tiberi Funeral Home, Columbus, has charge of arrangements.
Contributions can be made to Mount Carmel Hospice, Columbus.
Donald Leitzell
Donald M. Leitzell, 86, 118 E. Market St., Celina, died at 1:15 a.m. Sept. 18, 2002, at his residence.
He was born Oct. 6, 1915, in Mattoon, Ill., to John E. and Lula (Miller) Leitzell. On Oct. 12, 1940, he married Mildred Shindeldecker and she died Feb. 29, 1996.
Surviving are a daughter, Karen Hiles, Middleton, Wisc.
A sister, Pauline Hampton, is deceased.
He was the retired owner of Leitzell's Photography and Leitzell's Orchard, both of Celina. He was a member of the Mercer County Sportsmen Association and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, both of Celina.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Kathleen Hayes officiating. Burial will follow at North Grove Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 6-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Wilbur Pancake
Wilbur Pancake, 93, formerly of Convoy, died at 8:55 p.m. Sept. 16, 2002, at Vancrest Health Care Center, Van Wert.
He was born Jan. 15, 1909, in Convoy to Albert and Elizabeth (Friedly) Pancake. On Dec. 9, 1945, he married Viola L. Moll and she died March 31, 2002.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Leon and Carolyn of Celina; a son, Loren of Van Wert; a daughter and her husband, Lynette and Daniel Asher, Fort Wayne, Ind.; a sister, Edith Lyons, Convoy; four grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren.
Four brothers and three sisters are deceased.
He formerly worked at Drakes Hardware in Convoy and Continental Can in Van Wert. He also sold and repaired bicycles. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of Calvary Evangelical Church, Van Wert, and the American Legion and Grange, both of Convoy.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Friday at Gearhart, Mack & Jurczyk Funeral Home, Convoy, the Rev. Raymond Feeck officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at the I.O.O.F Cemetery, Convoy.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Legion or the church.
Geraldine Bader
Geraldine "Gerri" A. Bader, 77, 1835 N. Lexington-Springmill Road, Mansfield, died Sept. 16, 2002.
She was born Aug. 8, 1925, in Monroe County. Her husband, former Celina resident Richard Paul Bader, died in 1997.
Surviving are a daughter and her husband, Susan R. and Clifford Cicila, and a daughter, Barbara J. Hummel, all of Mansfield; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Shirley Ann Reed; four brothers, Wilbert E., Starling E., Vernon R. and Leonard R. Schindler; and two sisters, Helen Mae and Evelyn L. Gabor.
She was employed at Tappan Stove Co. during World War II. She later worked at Kroger Co. for two years, then with Great Scot Supermarket where she was front end supervisor until moving to Kerr Motors Inc. as office manager and automotive accountant. She retired when the firm was sold in 1984.
A former 4-H club adviser and member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Shelby, she currently attended Westwood Alliance Church. She served as secretary of the Richland County Cooperative Home Extension Group and was a member of the Extension Advisory Committee, 4-H Advisory Committee, the Richland Rural Life Center Board of Directors, Tappan Girls Club and the American Association of Retired Persons.
Services are noon Friday at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, the Rev. Doyle Peyton officiating. Burial will follow at Mansfield Memorial Park.
Calling is after 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to Westwood Alliance Church.
Paul Bockrath
Paul H. Bockrath, 79, of Toledo, formerly of Minster, died at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18, 2002, at Good Shepherd Home in Springfield. He had resided there the past five years.
He was born Feb. 13, 1923, in Minster to Ferd and Hilda (Wiggenhorn) Bockrath.
Surviving are a half sister and her husband, Mary Ann and Louis Jung, Springfield; a niece and a great-nephew.
Deceased are a stepmother, Florence (Schemmel) Bockrath; a brother, Vernon; and a nephew.
He retired five years ago from American Restaurant in Toledo. A 1941 graduate of Minster High School, he was a member of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Springfield, St. Charles Catholic Church, Toledo, and St. Augustine Catholic Church, Minster.
Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Friday at the Minster church, the Rev. Louis Schmit officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. today and 9-9:30 a.m. Friday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
James Hays
James "Jack" Hays, 81, 913 Canterbury Drive, Celina, died at 7:22 a.m. Sept. 19, 2002, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born Sept. 26, 1920, in Rockford, to James and Irene (Wolfe) Hays. On Dec. 20, 1941, he married Kathleen Hawk and she survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Tom and Ruth of Rockford; a daughter and her husband, Judy and Steve Duckett, Farmington Hills, Mich.; a sister, Donna Moeller, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and four grandchildren.
A brother, Robert, is deceased.
He retired from farming and Mersman Brothers, Celina. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Celina, and the American Legion and Masonic Lodge, both of Rockford.
Services are 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Donald Ramsey officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday and after noon Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the American Heart Association.
Ellen Knous
Ellen M. Knous, 74, 15745 St. Marys Road, St. Marys, died at 1:38 p.m. Sept. 18, 2002, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
She was born Feb. 11, 1928, in Auburn, Ind., to Samuel and Allie (Stoker) McCollum. On Aug. 23, 1943, she married Allen Knous, who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, Gary and Julie of Sylvania, and a son, Hank of Denver, Colo.; a daughter and her husband, Dixie Lee and James Plush, Hillsdale, Mich.; a brother, John McCollum, St. Marys; two sisters, Dory Moon, Wapakoneta, and Mary Lou McCollum, St. Marys; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, Sam McCollum, and three grandsons.
She formerly worked at JCPenney in Toledo.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys. Burial will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Othmar Leugers
Othmar L. Leugers, 84, 202 E. First St., Rockford, formerly of Celina, died at 1:56 a.m. Sept. 18, 2002, at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
He was born Aug. 22, 1918, in St. Rose, to John and Mary (Uhlenhake) Leugers. On Nov. 13, 1948, he married Viola Link, who survives.
Also surviving are two sons and their wives, John and Sherri of Rockford and Thomas and Rachel of Charleston, S.C.; a sister and her husband, Marcella and Elmer Lange, and three sisters, Hilda, Ludvina and Agatha, all of Celina; seven grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A sister, Catherine, is deceased.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and retired from Mersman Brothers, Celina. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the American Legion, both of Celina, and a life member of the Ohio Disabled American Veterans.
Memorial Mass is 10 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Richard Riedel officiating. Burial will follow at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 1-3 p.m. Sunday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina.
Wanda Heiser
Wanda L. Heiser, 89, formerly of Fort Recovery and Celina, died at 12:55 p.m. Sept. 19, 2002, at Brethren Retirement Community, Greenville.
She was born Nov. 4, 1912, in Celina, to Floyd and Nellie (Moody) Boise. On Nov. 18, 1931, she married Lawrence Grant Heiser and he died Feb. 19, 1985.
Surviving are three sons and their wives, Carl and Evie of Tipp City, Ted and Pam of New Madison and Dan and Sue of Celina; a brother and his wife, Glen and Sharon Boise, Montpelier, Ind.; three brothers-in-law, seven sisters-in-law, 14 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are six brothers, four sisters and a granddaughter.
A homemaker, she was a member of Celina First Church of God and the Order of Eastern Star, Fairborn.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, the Rev. Richard VanHorn officiating. Burial will follow at Swamp College Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Saturday at W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, and after 1 p.m. Sunday at the church.
Contributions can be made to Mercer/Darke County Hospice or a charity of the donor's choice.
