USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Erika Ripley
Erika Che' Ripley, 13, 8847 Germann Road, Convoy, was pronounced dead on arrival at 4:55 p.m. Dec. 3, 2001 in the emergency room at Adams County Memorial Hospital, Decatur, Ind. An autopsy was performed and Adams County Coroner Dr. Leslie Cook said this morning that the death appears to be due to natural causes.
She was born Aug. 5, 1988, in Coldwater, to Van E. Ripley of Convoy and Shawna Piercy-Henry. Phoenix, Ariz.
Surviving with the parents are the stepmother, Kelly M. Ripley, Convoy; the stepfather, Jermaine Henry, Phoenix; three stepbrothers, Devon Henry, Phoenix, and Shelby Ripley and Brett, at home; a stepsister, Brooke, also at home; the maternal grandparents, Jack and Gloria Piercy, Phoenix; maternal great-grandparents, Gene and Mary Steiner, Rockford; paternal grandmother, Marlene, Decatur; paternal great-grandmother, Marcile Trisel, Decatur; the paternal great-great-grandmother, Midge C. Ripley, Berne, Ind.; and the paternal stepgrandparents, Vic and Barb Depew, Monroeville.
She was a seventh grader at Crestview Junior/Senior High School, Convoy, and a member of Antioch Lutheran Church, Hoagland.
A family prayer service will be at 10:15 a.m. Friday at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Decatur, followed by an 11 a.m. service at the church, the Rev. Joe McInnis officiating. Burial will be at Antioch Cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Condolences can be sent to info@zwickjahn.com.
Luetta Goubeaux
Luetta C. Goubeaux, 81, 107 E. Fifth St., Minster, died at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 2001 at Heritage Manor Nursing Center, Minster, where she had resided since June.
She was born June 1, 1920, in Minster, to Louis and Anna (Heitkamp) Albers. On June 2, 1945, she married Romanus Goubeaux and he died April 14, 1995.
Surviving are two sons and their wives, Bill and Natalia and Mike and Darlyn, all of Minster; a daughter and her husband, Connie and John Schwartz, New Bremen; a brother and his wife, Elmer and Hilda Albers, Minster; a sister and her husband, Verlene and Jack Lawler, St. Marys; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, a sister and a daughter who died in fancy.
She was a homemaker and a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, Minster.
Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Louis Schmit officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster, has charge of arrangements. There will be no visitation at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Arthritis Foundation.
Ronda Miller
Ronda Gertrude Miller, 90, Celina, died at 2:45 p.m. Dec. 5, 2001 at Community Hospital, Coldwater, following a brief illness.
She was born Sept. 5, 1911, to Dr. James B. and Malissa O. (Newcomb) Collins. On June 29, 1929, she married Dr. Herald L. Miller and he is deceased.
Surviving are a son and his wife, James Wick and Karen Miller, Celina; a daughter, Ronda Kay Koontz, Mendon; a sister and her husband, Dorothy and Dano Donovan, Celina; 13 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sons, Richard Lee and Noel Thomas; four brothers, Jene Elvert, Adney Daniel, James Ray and Ellis Franklin Newcomb ; a sister, Doris Ann Andrews; and a great-grandson.
She graduated from Celina High School with the Class of 1929 and retired from the Mercer County Council on Aging in March 2000. She previously worked at Sears in Celina, retiring there in 1976. She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Celina.
Memorial service is 10:30 a.m. Dec. 15 at the church, the Rev. Robert Metheny officiating.
Contributions can be made to the church or the Mercer County Council on Aging.
Edward Schoen
Edward G. Schoen, 90, a resident of Valley Nursing Home, St. Marys, and a former resident of St. Henry, died at 4:10 a.m. Dec. 6, 2001 at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born June 7, 1911, in St. Henry, to George and Rose (Miller) Schoen. In July 1947, he married Rose Miller and she died Oct. 29, 1989.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Henry and Judi of Montezuma; two sisters, Martha Langenhorst and Clara Rammel, both of Dayton; and a grandson.
Deceased are five brothers, Clarence, Joseph, Wallace, Clyde and Irvin.
He retired from the maintenance department at Stolle Corp., Sidney, and was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, St. Marys. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II.
Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. David A. Heinl officiating. Private burial services will be at the St. Henry Cemetery.
Calling is 9-10:30 a.m. Monday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Deborah Bitler
A memorial service for Deborah Ann Bitler, 51, 3601 Ohio 703 East, Celina, will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at New Life Christian Center, Celina.
She died at 9:52 p.m. Dec. 4, 2001 at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, is handling arrangements. There is no visitation.
Charles Smoker
Charles E. Smoker, 67, 9824 E. 350th St., South Akron, Ind., died at 8:10 p.m. Dec. 5, 2001 at Parkview Memorial Hospital, Fort Wayne, Ind., where he had been a patient one day.
He was born Aug. 4, 1934, in Kosciusko County, Ind., to Doin and Violet (Smith) Smoker. They survive in Akron. On Oct. 6, 1950, he married Carolyn Cummins and she survives.
Also surviving are three sons and their wives, Patrick and Freida of West Lafayette, Ind., and Jeffrey and Brenda and Douglas and Libby, all of Hudson, Ind.; a daughter and her husband, Pam and Sheldon Begley, Metamora, Ind.; a sister and her husband, Merlee and Fred Heckathorn, Celina; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He retired as a janitor from West-View School Corp. and was also a farmer. He attended the Akron Church of God and was a member of the Akron Lions Club.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, the Rev. Terry McGarrity officiating. Burial will be at Akron Cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. today at Hartzler Funeral Home, Akron.
Contributions can be made to the church or the Lions Club.
Jerry Hartley
Jerry W. Hartley, 57, of Muncie, Ind., died Dec. 7, 2001 at Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie. An autopsy was performed to determine the cause of death but results have not been received as yet.
He was born Feb. 29, 1944, in Muncie, to Walter Hartley and Agnes Hartley Plummer. On Oct. 24, 1965, he married Martha Barnhouse, who has relatives in Coldwater, and she survives.
Also surviving are a son, Terry W. of Yorktown, Ind.; a brother and his wife, Earl and Carolyn of Alexandria; one sister and her husband, Joyce and Bill Evans, Tompkinsville, Ky., and a sister, Nancy Crosby, Muncie; a half-brother, Larry, and a half sister, Barbara, both of Arizona.
He retired as a machine operator at New Venture Gear after 25 years. He had attended Yorktown Schools and was a U.S. Army veteran. He was a member of the Avondale Sympathy Club.
Services are 3 p.m. today at Parson Mortuary, Muncie, the Rev. Howard Fights officiating. Burial will be at Hawk Cemetery, Yorktown, Ind.
Edith Shaffer
Edith Margaret Shaffer, 99, formerly of 1021 Holly St., Celina, died at 10:55 a.m. Dec. 8, 2001 at Van Wert Manor Nursing Home.
She was born March 30, 1902, in Tully Township, Van Wert County, to John and Daise Pearl (Brown) Whittenbarger. On Oct. 10, 1929, she married Hoyt Shaffer and he died Sept. 11, 1985.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Lowell and Shirley of Decatur, Ind.; two daughters and their husbands, Dorothy and William Christian, Celina, and Janet and James O'Neill, Middle Point; 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, four stepgreat-grandchildren and five stepgreat-great-grandchildren.
She was a homemaker and a member of Bethany United Methodist Church, Celina.
Privates services will be held at the convenience of the family.
W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, has charge of arrangements.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Werner Wagner
Werner J. Wagner, 69, 5628 Siegrist-Jutte Road, Celina, died Dec. 9, 2001 at St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima.
He was born Jan. 28, 1932, in Celina, to Henry and Hilda (May) Wagner. On April 21, 1956, he married Mary Lou McEldowney and she died Nov. 10, 1992.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Ron and Joann of West Milton, and two sons, Rick of Celina and Roger of Dayton; two daughters and their husbands, Theresa and Tim Hart, Fort Recovery, and Martha and Tim Schoen, Celina; a sister and her husband, Ruth and George Schieltz, Versailles; a brother-in-law, Wilfred Timmerman, Fort Loramie; a sister-in-law, Pat Borchers, Versailles; and six grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, John, and two sisters, Rita Timmerman and Anna.
He retired from New Idea and the maintenance department of Community Hospital, both of Coldwater. He was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Carthagena, St. Lawrence Men's Society of the church, Mercer County Genealogical Society and Knights of Columbus Council 1800, Loyal Order of Moose, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, all of Celina.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. David Hoying officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday and 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Herman Baltes
Herman Baltes, 80, of Versailles, died at 11:10 p.m. Dec. 9, 2001 in the emergency room at Wayne Hospital, Greenville.
He was born June 26, 1921, in Darke County, to Clem and Rose (Saintgnon) Baltes. On Aug. 2, 1941, he married Rosetta Gepfrey and she preceded him in death.
Surviving are two daughters and their husbands, Linda and Michael Hampton, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Betty Baltes-Spring and Duane Spring, Dublin; and a grandson.
A grandson is deceased.
He was a retired farmer, a Versailles school bus driver for 17 years and a U.S. Navy veteran, serving during World War II. He was a member and past grand knight of the Versailles Knights of Columbus, a charter member of the Versailles Fraternal Order of Eagles and a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, Frenchtown, the Holy Name Sodality of the church and the Osgood American Legion Post.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Denis Catholic Church, Versailles, the Rev. David Vincent officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at Holy Family Cemetery, Frenchtown.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Bailey Zechar Funeral Home, Versailles. The K of C will conduct a prayer service there at 7 p.m.
Contributions can be made to the American Diabetes Association, Versailles Life Squad or the Osgood Life Squad.
H. Dale Caffee
Chattanooga native H. Dale Caffee, 76, 1014 E. Ridge Drive, Decatur, Ind., died at 9:15 p.m. Dec. 9, 2001 at Adams County Memorial Hospital, Decatur.
He was born Oct. 5, 1925, in Chattanooga, to Howard and Caroline (Miller) Caffee. On Oct. 20, 1946, he married Maxine Smith and she survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Lorren of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Lonnie of Decatur, and Lynn of Racine, Wis.; two brothers, Eugene of Geneva, Ind., and Donald of Willshire; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and seven stepgreat-grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, sister and grandson.
He was a retired dairy farmer and a director for Adams County Planning and Zoning from 1969-1985. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II, and a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church, Decatur. He had served as a Sunday School teacher, choir member and 4-H leader for many years.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at the church with burial to be in Decatur Cemetery. American Legion Post 43 will conduct military rites at the graveside.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Haggard & Sefton Funeral Home, Decatur, and 1-2 p.m. Thursday at the church.
Contributions can be made to the church memorial fund.
