USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Ermin Wendel
Ermin J. Wendel, 70, 117 S. Main St., Fort Recovery, died at 7:50 a.m. Dec. 25, 2001 at Celina Manor Nursing Home.
He was born May 19, 1931, in Fort Recovery, to Frank and Eleanor (Homan) Wendel. On May 2, 1951, he married Regina Drees and she survives.
Also surviving are four sons and their wives, John and Lori of Michigan City, Ind., Donald and Patricia and Randall and Kathleen, all of Fort Recovery, and Thomas and Donna of Coldwater, and a son, Richard of Dayton; three daughters and their husbands, Patricia and Roger Puthoff, Bradford, Marlene and Ron Rinderle, Coldwater, and Marcia and John Loper of Columbia City, Ind., and a daughter, Virginia McVitty, Indianapolis, Ind.; two brothers and their wives, Werner and Patricia and Alvin and Martha, all of Fort Recovery, and two brothers, Elmer and Melvin of Fort Recovery; a sister and her husband, Imelda and Jerome Wilker, New Bremen, and a sister, Thelma Schindler, Bryant, Ind.; 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a brother, Virgil; a sister and brother-in-law, Novella and Albert Lauber; a brother-in-law, Irvin Schindler; and a sister-in-law, Joan Wendel.
He retired from Cooper Mills, Fort Recovery. He was a member and past chief of the Fort Recovery Fire Department and past president of the Central Western Firemen's Association. He was a member of Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, Fort Recovery.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. Paul Wohlwend officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-9 p.m. Thursday and after 9 a.m. Friday at Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery. A prayer service is planned there at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Jack Williams
Jack D. Williams, 67, 1305 Michael Ave., Celina, died at 9:35 p.m. Dec. 24, 2001 at his residence following an extended illness.
He was born Jan. 22, 1934, in Rockford, to Maurice and Lavern (Lawrence) Williams. On Nov. 11, 1961, he married Lois Knapke and she survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Mark and Connie of Celina, and a son, Kevin of Newark; a daughter and her husband, Joan and Steve Wurster, Celina, and two daughters, Diane Williams and Sharon Overley, also of Celina; four brothers, Maurice Lee of Celina, William of Mendon, Thomas of Rockford and Larry of St. Marys; four sisters, Mary Lou Caywood, Rockford, Nancy Florence, Coldwater, Patty Raudabaugh and Arlene Reilly, Van Wert; and five grandchildren.
Deceased are a son-in-law, Terry Overley; three brothers, John, Robert and Don; and three sisters, Norma Jean and Joan Williams and Phyllis Stover.
He retired as an electrician at Sidney Electric. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served during the Korean War. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5713 and American Legion Post 210, all of Celina, the National Rifle Association and the Mercer County Sportsmen Association, where he was the Junior Rifle Club instructor for many years.
Services are 10 a.m. Friday at the church, the Revs. Richard Riedel and Thomas Huff officiating. Burial will be at Mercer Memory Gardens, Celins.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina.
Contributions can be made to Darke-Mercer County Hospice.
Brother Bernard Barga
Brother Bernard Barga, 73, St. Charles Center, Carthagena, died there Dec. 26, 2001.
He was born June 23, 1928, in Rossburg, to Leo and Matilda (Stammen) Barga. He was named John Jacob at birth but took the name Bernard when he became a religious brother with the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
Surviving are a brother and his wife, James and Pauline of North Star; two sisters and their husbands, Rosemary and Charles Nisonger, North Star, and Eileen and Charles Barrett, Naples, Fla., and two sisters, Sister Melitta and Sister Vivan, both of Dayton; and 22 nieces and nephews.
Deceased are a sister and brother-in-law, Madonna and Sylvester Homan.
He entered the Precious Blood community Sept. 14, 1943 and was incorporated into the society July 1, 1951.
For the first 21 years as a brother, he worked on the farm and in the dairy at St. Charles. His ministerial focus changed to parish life in 1972. After serving four years at Nativity Church in Lake Mary, Fla., he was appointed to director of brother formation in 1976 and moved to Brunnerdale High School Seminary. He became involved in the Ulster Project, a project promoting peace in Ireland, and spent a number of months in Ireland as a minister of reconciliation and peace.
In 1987, he returned to St. Charles and ministered with the retreat and renewal team for eight years giving talks at retreats and days of recollection. He moved to Precious Blood Parish in Dayton in 1995 and was appointed director of initial formation for men entering the Precious Blood Society. He returned to St. Charles in January 1998.
Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Charles Center. Burial will be in the Precious Blood Community Cemetery.
Calling is 2-4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at St. Charles. A vigil service is planned there at 7 p.m.
Hogenkamp Funeral Home, St. Henry, has charge of arrangements.
Joann Granger
Joann Granger, 73, Mountain Home, Ark., formerly of the Fort Recovery area and Berne, Ind., died Dec. 26, 2001 at Baxter Regional Medical Center, Mountain Home.
She was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Oak Ridge, Mo., to Ephrum and Pearl (Wills) Roberts. On Sept. 23, 1948, she married Paul Granger and he survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Keith and Sharon of Bradley, Ill.; a daughter and her husband, Paula and Chuck Thitoff, Mountain Home; three brothers, Ben Howard, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Bobbie Roberts, Independence, Mo., and Tom Roberts, Jackson, Mo.; three sisters, Janette Fuqa, St. Louis, Mo., Jean Brown, Independence, Mo., and Patsy Huntsman, Ridgeville, Ind.; four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
She formerly worked as a receptionist at Berne Furniture Co. She was a member of Twin Lakes Church of the Nazarene, where she was president of Nazarene World Missions, a church board member and a Sunday School teacher.
Graveside services are 1 p.m. Monday at Spring Hill Cemetery, Fort Recovery, the Rev. Verl Ballmer officiating.
Calling is 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday at Fort Recovery Church of the Nazarene.
Kirby-Boaz Funeral Directors of Mountain Home have charge of arrangements.
Contributions can be made to Nazarene World Missions.
Veronica Homan
Veronica H. "Ronnie" Homan, 75, formerly of 732 E. Spring St., St. Marys, died at 12:42 p.m. Dec. 26, 2001 at Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, following an extended illness.
She was born June 16, 1926, in Minster, to Louis and Henrietta (Bertke) Schulze. On Sept. 4, 1948, she married Wilfred Homan and he died June 3, 1981.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Theodore and Paloma of Fort Worth, Texas; five daughters and their husbands, Arlene and Willis Pugh, Lawton, Okla., Susan and Jeffrey McDowell, College Station, Texas, Ginny and Lee Highfill, Circleville, Mary and Robert Moore, Hamilton, and Rita and Barry Anderson, Wapakoneta, and a daughter, JoAnn of Dublin; three brothers, Albert Schulze, Celina, Ernest and Louis Schulze, Dayton; four sisters, Louedna Thaman, New Bremen, Norma Schroeder, Dayton, Odyne Barlage, Russia, and Henrietta Hoying, Anna; and 10 grandchildren
Deceased are two sons, George and William; two sisters, Agnes Barefoot and Mary Lou Schulze; and a sister-in-law, Katherine Schulze.
She had worked as a cook at Neely's Drug Store, Koch's Restaurant and Matt's Restaurant, all of St. Marys. She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and the auxiliary of American Legion Post 323, also of St. Marys.
Funeral Mass is 1 p.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. David A. Heinl officiating. Burial will be at Gethsemane Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association.
Mary Koch
Mary R. Koch, 88, formerly of 675 Hillcrest Drive, St. Marys, died at 4:54 a.m. Dec. 25, 2001 at Valley Nursing Home, St. Marys. She had been a patient there since 1994.
She was born March 6, 1913, in Jay County, Ind., to Frank and Ada (Hough) Gibbons. On April 28, 1937, she married James L. Koch and he died Feb. 13, 1993.
Surviving are a son and his wife, Timothy and Kim of Hamilton, and a son, Col. (Ret.) John of Honolulu, Hawaii; a daughter, Mary Janet of Roswell, Ga.; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, James, and two brothers, Tipton and Wilson Gibbons.
She was the former owner and operator of Koch's Restaurant in St. Marys and a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, St. Marys.
Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. David Heinl officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 6-8 p.m. Friday at Long and Folk Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Lawrence Fessler
Lawrence Fessler, 87, 5325 Lake Drive Bayview, Celina, died at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 27, 2001 at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born March 15, 1914, in Piqua, to Otto and Ada (Lawrence) Fessler. On Dec. 12, 1981, he married Helen Gish Bolton who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, Marion and Janice of Piqua; a daughter and her husband, Rita and William Popas, Sarasota, Fla.; a stepson, Gary Bolton, Piqua; a stepdaughter and her husband, Sherry and Charles Tyson, Piqua; five grandchildren and a stepgrandchild.
Deceased are two brothers and a sister.
He owned and operated Fessler's Nursery and Landscaping until retirement in 1979. He was a member of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Piqua. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and served in the South Pacific. He was a past member of the Piqua Elks Lodge, a past commander of the Piqua American Legion, past Chef de Gare of the 40/8, a 420 life member of the Celina Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the Lake Improvement Association, Celina, a charter member of Box 13 Piqua fire Department Auxiliary and a member of the Snowdreamers Club.
Services are 10 a.m. Monday at Jamieson & Yannucci Funeral Home, Piqua, the Rev. Frank Sapp Sr. officiating. Burial is at Forest Hill Cemetery, Piqua, with full military honors by V.F.W. Post 4874.
Calling is 2-4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Piqua Ambulance Fund, the Celina unit of the Mercer County Emergency Medical Service or the Mercer County Cancer Society.
Bill Frasure
Bill Frasure, 78, 02888 Arnold Road, St. Marys, died at 5:26 a.m. Dec. 27, 2001 at St. Marys Living Center.
He was born Sept. 2, 1923, in Floyd County, Ky., to Benjamin Sr. and Birdie Frasure. On Nov. 11, 1949, he married Vera Lee Engel who survives.
Other survivors are three daughters and their husbands, Billie and Vaughn Engle, Coldwater, Jo and Jay Hammond, Portage, Mich., and Teri and John Pizza, Lombard, Ill.; a brother and his wife, Benjamin and Patsy of St. Marys; a sister, Alice Petronis, Lima; 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Deceased is a sister, Anna Sanford.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (V.F.W.) post 9289 and American Legion post 323, both of St. Marys. He was a member of the Reservoir Amateur Radio Assn., the Amateur Radio Emergency Radio Assn. and the Private Pilots' Assn.
Graveside services are 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, the Rev. Jay Hammond officiating. Military committal rites will be performed by V.F.W. post 9289 and American Legion post 323.
Long & Folk Funeral Home, St. Marys, handled arrangements.
Ramona Goings
Ramona M. Goings, 77, formerly of 716 N. Washington St., Van Wert, died at 9:59 a.m. Dec. 27, 2001 at VanCrest Health Care Center, Van Wert.
She was born March 10, 1924, in Paulding County, to Roy Albert and Leah Lucille (Bachellor) Hebb. On Dec. 7, 1946, she married Lester Eugene Goings who died Jan. 28, 1999.
Survivors are a son and his wife, Paul L. and Catherine of Grand Ledge, Mich.; a brother, John Hebb, Bowie, Md.; a sister, Artise Rogers, Van Wert; five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Deceased is a daughter, Irene Ellen Shisler; and a sister, Elaine Probst.
She was a homemaker and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Van Wert. She was a 1942 graduate of Haviland High School and attended Bowling Green State University.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Van Wert, the Rev. Douglas Stockton officiating. Burial is at Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to VanCrest Health Care Activity Fund.
