USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Louis Knapke
Louis L. Knapke, 56, 2742 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein, died of natural causes at 2:30 a.m. Jan. 8, 2001 at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
He was born June 10, 1944, in Celina, to Leander and Elenora (Hartings) Knapke. His mother survives in Maria Stein. On June 7, 1969, he married Mary Jane Fleckenstein, who survives.
Other survivors are a daughter and her husband, Dr. Leah and Brent Avera, Miamisburg, and a daughter, Laura of Maria Stein; four sons, Steven, Jeff, Daniel and Mark, all of Maria Stein; four sisters and their husbands, Rosie and Tony Fullenkamp, Fort Loramie, Rita and Bob Niekamp, New Bremen, Ann and David Long, Findlay, and Emily and Mike Koesters, Maria Stein; a brother and his wife, Ivo and Pam of Maria Stein, and two brothers, Tom and Gerald "99," both of Maria Stein.
He was co-owner of Bomholt & Sons, Ind., of Maria Stein, and was one of the founders of Marion Community Development Organization. He was a member of St. John Catholic Church and its Men's Society, and served as a lay minister of the church. He served as past president of Knights of St. John and was a committee member of Maria Stein Countryfest.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church, the Rev. Emil Labbe officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-9 p.m. Wednesday and 9-10 a.m. Thursday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Donald Wright
Donald E. Wright, 70, died at 5:50 a.m. Jan. 8, 2001 at his residence at 1770 Celina Road, St. Marys.
He was born Aug. 7, 1930, in Auglaize County, to Donald and Opal (Henne) Wright. On Aug. 7, 1951, he married Maxine Line, who survives.
Other survivors are two daughters and their husbands, Diane and Doug Bonifas, Celina, and Pam and Ted Fox, St. Marys; a son and his wife, David and Jodi of St. Marys, and a son, Anthony of St. Marys; a sister and her husband, Dorothy and Barry Silver, St. Marys; and 12 grandchildren.
He was retired from Hayes-Albion Corp., Spencerville, owned Gator's Lawn Service in St. Marys, was involved in the management of the Innlet Restaurant, St. Marys, and was currently assisting in the operation of Dave's Celina Road Barbeque. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He was a founding member of St. Marys Rider Rooters, and was a member of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, St. Marys, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Spencerville, and Hayes-Albion Retiree's Group. He formerly coached Little League Baseball and was a 1948 graduate of St. Marys Memorial High School.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at the church, the Revs. Patricia Minnick and James Byrne officiating. Burial with military rites conducted by the Spencerville VFW is at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 3-9 p.m. Wednesday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Contributions can be made to Darke/Mercer County Hospice.
Raymond Dues
Raymond B. Dues, 91, 3551 Coldwater Creek Road, Coldwater, died at 6:41 p.m. Jan. 9, 2001 at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home, Coldwater.
He was born June 17, 1909, in Philothea, to George and Rosa (Homan) Dues. He was married to Josephine Heyne, who survives.
Other survivors are three sons and their wives, Robert and Joan of Houston, Donald and Linda of Coldwater, and James and Janet of Portland, Ind.; three daughters and their husbands, Alice and Roger Klosterman, Fort Wayne, Ind., Viola and Arnold Westgerdes, Fort Recovery, and Patricia and Greg Myers, Adrian, Mich., and two daughters, Virginia Knapke, St. Henry, and Mary Jane Severt, Columbus; a brother and his wife, Clem and Regina of Coldwater; three sisters and their husbands, Esther and Leo Schwartz Rita and Louie Schwartz, all of New Bremen and Wilma and Ivo Heitkamp, Philothea; three sisters-in-law, Mildred and Lillian, both of Coldwater, and Martha of Philothea; 32 grandchildren and 57 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sisters, Veronica Heitkamp and Anna Lochtefeld, three brothers, Norbert, Lawrence and Cletus, a grandchild and a great-grandchild.
He was a retired farmer and sold Parker Seed, and was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church and its St. Lorenz Mens Society, Carthagena, and Knights of St. John, Maria Stein. He served as a Butler Township Trustee.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. David Hoying officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday and 9-10 a.m. Saturday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
June Jeffries
June Janet Jeffries, 64, 332 Northview Drive, Coldwater, died at 10:46 a.m. Jan. 9, 2001 at St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima.
She was born Aug. 25, 1936, in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Ralph and Beatrice (Porter) Jeffries.
Survivors are two sons, Glenn Lovett, Coldwater, and Brad Lovett, Kettering; a daughter, Janet Harlamert, Celina; and four grandchildren.
She had worked as a nurses' aide.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater, the Rev. James R. Sager officiating.
Calling is 1-2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Rebecca Koenig
Rebecca E. "Becky" Koenig, 17, 01757 Lock Two Road, New Bremen, died of injuries sustained in a traffic accident at 7:45 a.m. Jan. 9, 2001.
She was born Dec. 21, 1983, in St. Marys, to Steven and Suzanne (Miller) Koenig, both whom survive near New Bremen.
Other survivors are a sister, Anna, and a brother, Tyler, both at home; grandparents, Richard Miller, St. Marys and Daryl and Louise Koenig, New Bremen; and a great-grandmother, Luella Wittenbrink, New Bremen.
Deceased is a grandmother, Jessie Miller.
She was a supervisor at Kentucky Fried Chicken in New Bremen, and was a member of United Methodist Church, New Knoxville. She was a junior at New Bremen High School.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Mitch Arnold officiating. Burial is at German Protestant Cemetery, New Bremen.
Calling is 2-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Friday at Gilberg Funeral Home, New Bremen.
Contributions can be made to American Cancer Society, Auglaize School or New Bremen High School Scholarship Foundation.
Pauline Martin
Pauline E. Martin, 92, died Jan. 9, 2001 at Valley Nursing Home, St. Marys.
She was born Sept. 11, 1908, in Greenville, to Frank and Ida Belle (Childers) Martin.
Survivors are a daughter and her husband, Carol and Sam Kittle, St. Marys; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was a former part-time daycare assistant at Auglaize-Mercer C.H.C.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Carrigan & Mains Funeral Home, Englewood. Burial is at Abbottsville Cemetery.
Calling is from noon until time of services Thursday.
Robert Weber
Former St. Henry resident Robert V. Weber, 58, of Holiday, Fla., died Jan. 4, 2001 in Florida.
He was born Nov. 16, 1942, in Celina, to Ralph Vernon and Emma Mary (Dierkers) Weber. He was married to Judy Lett, who survives.
Other survivors include a daughter, Terri Smith; a sister and her husband, Janet and Clarence Langenkamp; and three grandchildren.
He was retired from Ameritech and was a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a member of Telephone Pioneers, C.W.A. Retirees Club of Dayton Local 4322, National Woodcarvers Association of Cincinnati, Holiday Woodcarvers in Holiday, Fla., and Calusa Woodcarvers, Port Richey, Fla.
Services are 1 p.m. Saturday at George C. Martin Funeral Home, Northridge Chapel, the Rev. Robert Monnin officiating. Burial is at Polk Grove Cemetery.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
