USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Marie Samples
Marie Samples, 95, of Rockford, died at 8:10 p.m. Jan. 28, 2002 at The Laurels of Shane Hill, Rockford.
She was born Sept. 14, 1906, in Mercer County, to John and Dora (Sapp) Kettering. On Nov. 17, 1937, she married Stanley Samples and he survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Richard and Sondra of Rockford; a brother and his wife, Ray and Echo Kettering, Rockford; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sisters, Eva Bayles and Betty Miller.
She was a housewife and a member of Chattanooga United Methodist Church and the Women's Society of the church.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Friday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, the Rev. Steve Oliver officiating. Burial will be in Willshire Cemetery.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. Thursday and after 9 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Rev. Victor Broering
The Rev. Victor Broering, 86, of Harrison, died Jan. 29, 2002 at University Hospital, Cincinnati.
He was born Nov. 3, 1915, on a farm near Cassella to Anthony and Josephine (Holdheide) Broering.
Surviving are three brothers and their wives, Clarence and Irene of Versailles, Harold and Rosie of Cassella, and Cyril and Millie of Maria Stein; four sisters-in-law, Elleanor of Springfield, AnnRita of Minster, Kathryn of Maria Stein and Erma of North Star; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Deceased are a brother and his wife, Lawrence and Stella; four brothers, Richard, Joseph, Andy and Roman; and a sister and her husband, Rosemary and Norbert Overman.
After completing his elementary and high school education, he continued his studies at the University of Dayton, where he graduated in 1938. He attended St. Gregory and Mount St. Mary seminaries and was ordained May 30, 1942. He initially served at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Cincinnati from 1942-1946 and St. Ann Catholic Church in Hamilton from 1946-1951.
He entered military service in the fall of 1951 at Camp Polk, La., and was assigned to the Korean Conflict in July 1952. After returning home, he was assigned to Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C., before being sent to Ling, Austria, in August 1954. In October 1955, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Retreat House in Berchecsgaden, Germany, until December 1957. After spending three years at Fort Knox, Ky., he was sent to Northeastern Turkey for a year. His next assignment took him to Fort Benjamin Harrison for three years until he was posted to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Following another three year tour at Fort Benjamin Harrison, he left for Vietnam in 1970. His last duty station was Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where he retired as colonel and recipient of numerous medals Jan. 31, 1972. He remained there due to medical problems until 1983, when he returned to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He assisted at parishes in Ohio and Indiana in later years.
He was a life member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans. He was a third- and fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
Funeral Mass is 3 p.m. Friday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Harrison, Bishop Carl Moddel officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Calling is noon to 3 p.m. Friday at the church.
Brater's Funeral Home, Harrison, has charge of arrangements.
Eleanora Fortman
Eleanora E. Fortman, 91, 107 Bayview Drive, Celina, formerly of Coldwater, died at 12:05 p.m. Jan. 29, 2002, at the home of a daughter where she had resided for several years.
She was born Nov. 28, 1910, in Maria Stein, to August and Katherine (Vonderel) Droesch. Her husband, Richard Fortman, died in March 1968.
Surviving are a son, John of Celina; a daughter and her husband, Victoria and Richard Field, Celina; two sisters, Ruth Mueller, Maria Stein, and Hilda Schmitz, Sandwich, Ill.; a brother, Mark Droesch, Maria Stein; two grandsons and four great-grandchildren.
Deceased is a sister, Dorothy Homan, and a brother, Robert Droesch.
A housewife, she had assisted in the operation of the family farm for more than 60 years. She was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and St. Cecelia Auxiliary 89, both of Coldwater.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, the Rev. Ronald Wilker officating. Burial will be at St. Anthony Cemetery.
Calling is noon until the time of services on Thursday at the funeral home.
Frank Cramer
Frank W. Cramer, 71, a resident of Auglaize Acres, Wapakoneta, and formally of 811 Oil St., St. Marys, died Jan. 29, 2002 at St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima.
He was born June 12, 1931, in St. Marys, to Oscar and Helen (Taylor) Cramer. On Aug. 11, 1956, he married Dixie Cotterman and she died May 28, 1997.
Surviving are four sons and their wives, Rex and Denise, Lima, Kirk and Elaine and Jason and Rebecca, all of St. Marys, and Brent and Stacie of Wapakoneta, and a son, Ryan of St. Marys; three daughters and their husbands, Fawn and Paul Sturwold, Dawn and Dane Thrush and Lisa and Chris Bontjes, and a daughter, Robin Mabry, all of St. Marys; four brothers, Carl and Jack of Wapakoneta, and Tom and Denny of St. Marys; three sisters, Betty Muter, St. Marys, Patricia Thomas, St. Anthony, and Joyce Bell, Mendon; 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sons, three daughters, a brother and a sister.
He retired from Parker-Hannifin Corp., St. Marys, where he was an oiler. He was a Korean War veteran and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9289, St. Marys.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, the Rev. Joachim Wilck officiating. Burial with military rites will be at Resthaven Memory Gardens near Moulton.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Flora Marsee
Flora B. Marsee, 85, of Rockford, died at 1:05 a.m. Jan. 30, 2002 at The Laurels of Shane Hill in Rockford.
She was born Dec. 6, 1916, in Pineville, Ky., to H.B. and Lucretia (Saylor) Hensley. On June 21, 1938, she married Troy M. Marsee and he died March 8, 2000.
Surviving are two sons, Carl of Celina and Conley of Rockford; a daughter, Jean Cobb, Charlotte, N.C.; a brother, Lonnie Hensley, Rockford; three sisters, Sophia Longsworth, Harrogut, Tenn., Gladys Caldwell, Sevierville, Tenn., and Janice of Hamilton; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, Dempsey; three brothers, Clarence, Pittman and H.B. Jr.; and four sisters, Edith Green, Glessie Cowan, Birdie Marsee and Louvenia Wilson.
She retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., St. Marys, in 1972 after 20 years of service. She attended Thompson Primitive Baptist Church, Kalida, and was a member of the Davis Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Speedwell, Tenn.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, the Revs. Mike and Mark Pitney officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Cancer Association of Mercer County Inc.
Marcellus Siefring
Marcellus A. "Mark" Siefring, 88, 2226 Burkettsville-St. Henry Road, St. Henry, died at 8:25 a.m. Jan. 16, 2003, at his residence.
He was born April 23, 1914, in New Weston, to William and Caroline Miller Siefring. On Oct. 9, 1940, he married Christina Knapke and she survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Dennis (Diana) of Fort Recovery, Larry (Kris) of Troy, and Ed (Dana) of New Weston; two daughters, Mary Lou (Ron) Stammen, Fort Recovery, and Donna (Steve) Braun, St. Henry; and a son-in-law, John (Alice) Otte, Maria Stein.
Other survivors include a brother, Julius (Mary Ann) of New Weston; a sister, Henrietta (Viro) Will, Fort Recovery; three sisters-in-law, Veronica (Art) Hermiller, Coldwater, Rosalinda Siefring, Rossburg, and Sally Siefring, Burkettsville; 23 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sons, Robert and Dale; two daughters, Helen Siefring and Ruth Otte; four brothers, Morris, Florence, Leo and Norbert; a sister, Anna Homan; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was a retired farmer and a member of St. Bernard Catholic Church and the Holy Name Society, both of Burkettsville, and the Knights of Columbus, St. Henry.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Matt Jozefiak officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Sunday and after 9 a.m. Monday at Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery.
Contributions can be made to Mercer/Darke County Hospice.
Edna Sloan
Edna Bernice Sloan, 85, a resident of The Gardens of Celina, died there at 6:35 p.m. Jan. 14, 2003.
She was born Feb. 12, 1917, in Mercer County, to William and Gertrude VanTilburg Fast. She married Ralph D. Sloan in 1953 and he is deceased.
Surviving are a stepson, David (Carol) of Madison, Ind.; a sister, Murlie Boroff, Celina; and several stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren.
Deceased are four brothers, Ivan, Donald, Harold and Oreal, and three sisters, Helen Hott, Florence Braun and Ruby Shaner.
She had worked as a waitress at restaurants in the Fort Wayne, Ind., and Chicago, Ill., areas.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Kenneth Laffin officiating. Burial will follow at Roebuck Cemetery, Center Township.
Calling is after noon Saturday at the funeral home.
