USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Jerry Smith
Jerry A. Smith, 58, Fort Wayne, Ind., died Nov. 11, 2001 at his residence. Death was due to natural causes.
He was born July 19, 1943, in Fort Wayne, to Raymond G. and Violet (Wearda) Smith. His mother survives in Fort Wayne.
Surviving with his wife, Sandra K., whom he married March 19, 1966, are a son, Roger A. of Fort Wayne, and five brothers, Robert of Coldwater, Mich., Edward of Celina, Jack of Phoenix, Ariz., Donald and Terry of Columbia City, Ind.
Deceased is a son, Jeffery Lynn.
He was employed with Lincoln Food Service for 29 years. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, serving in the Vietnam War.
Services are 11 a.m. Friday at D.O. McComb & Sons Foster Park Funeral Home, Fort Wayne. Waynedale American Legion Post 241 will conduct military graveside rites at Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Wilma Wolfe
Wilma L. Wolfe, 82, a resident of Celina Manor Nursing Home, 1001 Myers Road, Celina, formerly of 927 S. Wayne St., St. Marys, died at 11:55 a.m. Nov. 12, 2001 at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
She was born April 17, 1919, in Robinson, Ill., to Glen Brush and Opal (Vanover) Brush Howell. On Jan. 23, 1938, she married Ralph Wolfe and he survives at Celina Manor.
Also surviving are two sons and their wives, Ralph Jr. and Doris and Jerry and Charlett, all of St. Marys; two daughters and their husbands, Ruth Ann and James Snethkamp, St. Marys, and Linda and Tim Gehm, Coldwater; a brother and his wife, Dick and Maxine Howell, West Milton; three sisters and their husbands, Ruby and Roger Settlage, New Knoxville, Angie and Larry Thornsberry, St. Marys, and Norma and Ed Sullivan, Lima, and a sister, Barbara Minnich, St. Marys; seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Deceased are two sisters, Maxine (Brush) Graham and Mary (Brush) Fulton, and a granddaughter.
She was a homemaker and a former member of First Wesleyan Church, St. Marys.
Services will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Miller-Long & Folk Funeral Home, Miami Erie Chapel, 314 W. High St., St. Marys, the Rev. John Wine officiating. Burial will be at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 1-3 and 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Myles Lauber
Former Mercer County resident Myles B. "Bud" Lauber, 81, San Antonio, Texas, died Nov. 11, 2001 at Santa Rosa Hospital Northwest, San Antonio.
A native of Crawford, Ill, he married Alfreda Robin Kieth in 1953 and she survives.
Also surviving are two sons and their wives, Michael M. and Candace and Jay C. and Laura; two brothers, Robert L. and Kenneth F.; a sister, Betty Jean Volz; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank staff sergeant major and earning numerous medals.
Services are 9:30 a.m. Friday at Mission Park North Funeral Home, San Antonio. Burial with military honors will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Calling is 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Charles Huelsman
Charles H. Huelsman, 97, 17 E. Franklin St., Chickasaw, died at noon Nov. 16, 2001 at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home in Coldwater, where he was residing.
He was born March 23, 1904, in Cranberry Prairie to John and Mary (Meiring) Huelsman. On July 10, 1929, he married Mary C. Zahn, who died Aug. 5, 2001.
Surviving are two sons and their wives, Robert and Marlene of Cassella and Paul and Alice of Chickasaw; five daughters and their husbands, Mary Helen and Edgar Schwieterman of Delphos, Delores and Lowell Bohman of Coldwater, Frieda and Walter Schwieterman of Portland, Ind., Jane and Adrian Grillot of Chickasaw, and Jean and Ralph Stachler of St. Henry; two sister-in-laws, Henrietta Rentz of Coldwater and Iola Brunswick of St. Marys; 30 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sons, Charles and Frederick; a brother, William; a sister and her husband, Clara and Vic Eifert; a sister, Alvina; and three great-grandchildren.
He was a member of Precious Blood Church in Chickasaw; a member of the Knights of St. Johns in Maria Stein; a co-founder of the Chickasaw Fire Department where he served as chief from 1928 to 1953; was co-founder of The Neighbors Water Co. in Chickasaw; and was clerk of the Chickasaw school board. He founded Huelsman Garage in Chickasaw in 1927 and was a member of the Independent Garage Owners Association.
Services are planned for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church with the Rev. John Bensman officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Memorials can be made to the Briarwood Activity Fund.
Dorcas Tester
Dorcas N. Tester, 85, 727 N. Brandon Ave., Celina, died at 8:55 a.m. Nov. 16, 2001 at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home, Coldwater.
She was born Dec. 27, 1915, in Auglaize County to Andrew Jackson and Mahala (Howell) Steen. On Aug. 8, 1935, she married Clifford F. Tester, who died Aug. 31, 1973.
Survivors are a son and his wife, Ronald and Carol of Celina; a daughter and her husband, Ginger and Melvin Miller of Coldwater; a daughter-in-law, Joann of Celina; and 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, Duff, three brothers and two sisters.
She was a homemaker and retired employee of Celina City Schools. She was a member of Celina First Church of God.
Private family services will be held at W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Richard Van Horn officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, Celina.
No calling will be held.
Edna Hamilton
Edna I. Hamilton, 92, 7251 Hamilton Road, Mendon, died at 8:20 a.m. Nov. 16, 2001 at Van Wert County Hospital.
She was born on June 6, 1909, in Union Township to William and Rebecca (Nelson) McMichael. On July 16, 1930, she married Ronald Dee "Coonie" Hamilton, who died Jan. 4, 1979.
Survivors include a son and his wife, Larry and Betty of Mendon; a daughter and her husband, Deanne and Norman VanTilburg of Rockford; two sister-in-laws, Minnie McMichael of Mendon and Mary Williams of Astoria, Ore.; and four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Deceased are three brothers, Harold, Forest and Stanley; and three sisters, Lois McMichael, Edith McMichael and Myra Taylor.
Services are 1 p.m. Monday at W.H. Dick and Sons Funeral Home in Mendon. Burial will follow in the Mendon Cemetery.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Eva Austin
Former Fort Recovery resident Eva A. Austin, 93, 1120 Monroe Ave., St. Cloud, Fla., died Nov. 4, 2001 at her residence.
She was born Feb. 5, 1908, in Rockford, to Robert and Katherine (Mussulman) Tolan. She married Ernest Moore in 1940 and he died in 1975, In 1977, she married Boyd Gordon and he died in 1982. She and Dr. Roy Austin married in 1987 and he died in 1991.
There are no survivors.
Deceased are a son, two brothers and a sister.
She retired from teaching after 41 years. A graduate of Ohio State University, she received a master's degree from Ball State University.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Springhill Cemetery, Fort Recovery, the Rev. John Perkins officiating.
Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery, has charge of arrangements. There are no calling hours.
Contributions can be made to the Cancer Association of Mercer County.
Charles Francis
Charles Leo Francis, 88, 200 Marker Road, Versailles, formerly of 9332 Murphy Road, Versailles, died at 4:45 p.m. Nov. 16, 2001 at Versailles Health Care Center.
He was born Aug. 7. 1913, in Russia, to Henry A. and Irene M. (Barge) Francis. On Feb. 3, 1940, he married Louise K. Bender and she died Feb. 23.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Arthur and Debbie of Frenchtown; five daughters and their husbands, Emma and Earl Dicke, New Bremen, Charlotte and James Rank, Huntingtown, Md., Becky and Larry Bruggeman, Maria Stein, Ida and Henry Spangler and Victoria and Edward Freisthler, all of Sidney, and a daughter, Henrietta Spaugy, Troy; a son-in-law, Paul Grieshop, Piqua; two brothers, Raymond of Versailles and John of Greenville; three sisters and their husbands, Monica and Paul Stephen, Florida, Lovena and Ottis Grillot, Russia, and Rita and Virgil Goubeaux, Osgood, and four sisters, Clara Bender, Sidney, Martha Plas and Leona Zircher, both of Anna, and Mary Francis, Fort Loramie; 27 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Barbara Grieshop; four brothers, Ralph E., Henry Jr., Norbert L. and August; an infant sister and a grandson.
He was a farmer and a mechanic for Francis Brothers and Leroy Monnin. He was a member of St. Denis Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, both of Versailles, and the Farm Bureau of Darke County. He was a member of the Darke County Farm Bureau Federation Board for six years.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. David Vincent officiating. Burial will be at St. Valbert Cemetery, Versailles.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at Bailey Zechar Funeral Home, Versailles. The Knights of Columbus will hold a prayer service there at 7 p.m.
Contributions can be made to Versailles Life Squad or the Knights of Columbus.
Zachery Gossette
Zachery Thomas Gossette, 16, 328 S. Washington St., New Bremen, died at 8:45 p.m. Nov. 16, 2001 en route to St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima, aboard a LifeFlight helicopter following an accident near Minster.
He was born Oct. 22, 1985, in St. Marys, to David and Alice (Hoelscher) Gossette. They survive.
Also surviving are a brother, Ken, and a sister, Brianne, both at home; the paternal grandfather, Jessie Gossette, Fremont, Calif.; the paternal grandmother, LaRose Gossette, Fresno, Calif.; and the maternal grandmother, Esther Hoelscher, Newport.
He was a sophomore at New Bremen High School, where he was a member of the Cardinal baseball team. He was a member of The Church of the Holy Redeemer, New Bremen, and the Youth Bowling League.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. Thomas Gaeke officiating. Burial will be at German Protestant Cemetery, New Bremen.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home, New Bremen, and 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
Edna Hamilton
Edna I. Hamilton, 92, 7251 Hamilton Road, Mendon, died at 8:20 a.m. Nov. 16, 2001 at Van Wert County Hospital.
She was born June 6, 1909, in Union Township, Mercer County, to William and Rebecca (Nelson) McMichael. On July 16, 1930, she married Ronald Dee Hamilton and he died Jan. 4, 1979.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Larry and Betty of Mendon; a daughter and her husband, Deanne and Norman VanTilburg, Rockford; two sisters-in-law, Minnie McMichael, Mendon, and Mary Williams, Astoria, Ore.; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Deceased are three brothers, Harold, Forest and Stanley McMichael, and three sisters, Lois and Edith McMichael and Myra Taylor.
She had worked as bookkeeper for Mendon Livestock Exchange. A 1927 graduate of the former Mendon-Union High School, she was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Mendon, a charter member of the Mendon Garden Club and a 50-year member of the Mendon Order of Eastern Star Chapter 259.
Services were to be at 1 p.m. today at W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Mendon, with burial at Mendon Cemetery.
