USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Catherine Archer
Catherine Pinney Archer, 86, a resident of Celina Manor Nursing Home and a former resident of Otterbein Retirement Community, St. Marys, and Savannah, Ga., died at 1:54 p.m. Dec. 25, 2002, at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
She was born Oct. 4, 1916, in Westerville, to Carlton Grove and Leona Earl Pinney. On Dec. 17, 1938, she married Philip Reginald Archer and he died March 16, 1996.
Surviving are a daughter, Jacquelyn (Ron) Archer-Amstutz, Celina; a son-in-law, Jay Watkins, Columbus; a sister, Margaret Berington, Savannah; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Jeanne A. Watkins; a brother and three sisters.
She was a homemaker and a member of Skidaway Island Methodist Church, Savannah, and Chi Omega Sorority.
Memorial service will be held at a later date at the church, with interment to be at the church mausoleum.
W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, has charge of local arrangements. There will be no visitation.
Edna Cox
Edna O. Cox, 90, formerly of 3810 Celina Road, St. Marys, died at 11 p.m. Dec. 29, 2002, at Logan Acres Nursing Home, Bellefontaine.
She was born Jan. 1, 1912, in Allardt, Tenn., to James H. and Etta J. Buck Guffey. On April 10, 1929, she married Earl W. Cox and he died Feb. 26, 1980.
Surviving are two daughters, Wilma (Max) Clark, Mountain Home, Idaho, and Janice (Darrel) Wolford, Huntsville; a brother, John Guffey, Moreland, Ind.; two sisters, Inez Veach, Noblesville, Ind., and Maxine Judy, Chesterfield, Ind.; nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, William Cox; a daughter, Betsy Weaver; a brother, Bennett Guffey; and two grandchildren.
She was a homemaker and a member of Hillsdale Baptist Church, St. Marys.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, the Rev. Ronald Spurgeon officiating. Burial will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is after noon Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation or the Diabetes Foundation.
Larry Hesse
Larry Joe Hesse, 68, 00273 Hesse Road, Mendon, died at 8 a.m. Dec. 30, 2002, at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, Ind.
He was born Oct. 4, 1934, in Auglaize County, to Russel and Irene Casperson Hesse. On June 19, 1954, he married Virginia Boroff and she survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Randy (Robin) of Canal Winchester and Rick (Peg) of Mendon; a daughter, Teri (James) Ross, Celina; and six grandchildren.
A lifelong dairy farmer, he had worked as a seed dealer for Dekalb-Monsanto and Seed Consultant. A 1952 Mendon-Union High School graduate, he attended Ohio State University and served 20 years on the Mendon-Union Board of Education. He was a member of Hamilton Bethel United Methodist Church and the Salem Township Zoning Board.
Services are 10 a.m. Friday at Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Paul Bunnell officiating. Burial will follow at Hamilton Bethel Cemetery.
Calling is 2-5 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Charles Ahrns
Charles "David" Ahrns, 65, Second Street, Minster, died at 8:35 p.m. Dec. 27, 2002, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, following a lengthy illness.
He was born Feb. 26, 1937, in Minster, to Lewis C. and Mary L. Ronan Ahrns. On July 3, 1964, he married Mary Sharon Davis and she survives.
Also surviving are a son, Gregory (Ann) of Minster; a daughter, Nicole Beetsch, Ann Arbor, Mich.; a brother, William (Arlene) of Greenville; two sisters, Virginia McConnell, Troy, and Dorothy Alice Leiss, New Bremen; and three grandchildren.
A brother and a sister are deceased.
He retired as a supervisor at Minster Machine Co. in 1996 after 34 years of service. A 1955 graduate of Minster High School, he served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Vietnam era.
He was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Minster, where he had served as an usher. He also was a member of American Legion Post 387, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 1391 and Safari Club International, all of Minster; Grand Lake Chapter 783 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Lake Loramie Improvement Association. He had coached baseball at all levels in the area.
Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church, the Rev. Louis Schmit officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-9 p.m. today and 9-9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Gehret Funeral Home, Fort Loramie.
Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dayton.
Ada Gayer
Ada G. Gayer, 95, formerly of 27 Stoddard Ave., Dayton, died at 9:50 p.m. Dec. 26, 2002, at Otterbein Retirement Community, St. Marys.
She was born Dec. 7, 1907, near Spencerville, to Wesley and Margaret (Stewart) Gayer.
Surviving are a sister, Loverne Worrell, Bakersfield, Calif., and numerous nieces and nephews.
Deceased are a brother, Raymond, and two sisters, Inez Hirn and Esther King.
She was a 1925 graduate of St. Marys Memorial High School and a graduate of the former Lima Business College. She retired as an administrative assistant at the Defense Electronic Supply Corp., Dayton. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, St. Marys.
Services are 1:30 p.m. today at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, the Rev. Keith Kivlin officiating. Burial will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is after noon today at the funeral home.
Marilyn Hecker
Former Mercer County resident Marilyn W. Fennig Hecker, 79, of Beavercreek, died Dec. 26, 2002, at Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton.
She was born Jan. 31, 1923, in Columbus, to Milton McGill and Mae Bowman. She and her sisters were raised at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home in Xenia. Her husband, Robert Hecker, is deceased.
Surviving are two sons, Ronald Fennig, Denver, Colo., and Richard (Kathleen) Fennig, Beavercreek; a stepson, Bill (Karyn) Hecker, no town listed; two stepdaughters, Nancy (Tom) Short and Bobbi (Bud) Everhart, no towns listed; four sisters, Evelyn Reynolds, Frances Helrigle and Virginia Perkins, all of Dayton, and Gloria Smith, California; two half sisters, Sylvia Fisher, Dayton, and Betty Florkey, New Carlisle; four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Deceased are an infant son, Phillip Fennig, and a brother, Donald McGill.
She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Beavercreek.
Services are 11 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Robert Brown officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery, Wabash.
Calling is 2-5 p.m. Sunday at Tobias Funeral Home, Beavercreek.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Christine Rengers
Christine E. Rengers, 97, of Dayton, died Dec. 25, 2002, at St. Leonard's Community, Dayton.
She was born June 22, 1905, in Indianapolis, Ind., to Henry and Dorathea Hemmelgarn Rengers. She grew up in Chickasaw before moving to Dayton.
Surviving are 39 nieces and nephews and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.
Deceased are four brothers, Anthony, Ted, Charlie and Joe, and six sisters, Pauline Fecher, Lucy Van Dyke, Alma Dorsten, Betty Lout, Agnes Wirick and Mary Ann Simon.
She worked at Frigidaire, helped run Rengers' Grocery Store on Brooks Street in Dayton and retired from the University of Dayton after 20 years of service. She was a 50-year member of St. Anthony Catholic Church and a member of the Catholic Business Women's Club, both of Dayton.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Dayton.
Calling is 9:30-10:30 a.m. Monday at the church.
Westbrock Funeral Home, Dayton, has charge of arrangements.
Contributions can be made to the St. Anthony Tuition Fund or the St. Vincent DePaul Society.
Marjorie Thatcher
Marjorie L. Thatcher, 85, 18322 Middle Point Road, Van Wert, died Dec. 24, 2002, at her residence.
She was born Feb. 17, 1917, in Van Wert County, to Harley and Maude Wade Green. On Nov. 24, 1940, she married Gordon Estel Thatcher and he died Sept. 1, 1998.
Surviving are a daughter-in-law, Dolores Thatcher, Van Wert, and one grandson.
Deceased are a son, Gary Gordon; two brothers and three sisters.
She was a homemaker and a member of First United Brethren Church, Van Wert.
Graveside services are 10 a.m. Monday at Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert, the Rev. Barry McCune officiating.
Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Van Wert, has charge of arrangements. There will be no visitation.
Contributions can be made to Van Wert County Hospital.
Opal Hight
Opal A. Hight, 94, 107 S. LeBlond St., Celina, died at 9:52 p.m. Dec. 26, 2002, at Auglaize Acres, Wapakoneta.
She was born Feb. 17, 1908, in Anderson, Ind., to Lewis and Elizabeth Baughman Lykins. On May 16, 1925, she married Virgil Hight and he died June 16, 1969.
Surviving are two daughters-in-law, Letha and Thecla Hight, both of Celina; eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are three sons, Duane, Elmer and Willard; a brother and two sisters.
She was a homemaker and a member of Grace Missionary Church, Celina.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Steve Howell officiating. Burial will follow at Swamp College Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 2-7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Mercer County Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.
