USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Melvin Botkin
Melvin G. Botkin, 84, 130 S. Frankfort St., Minster, died at 8 p.m. Feb. 13, 2003, at his residence after an extended illness.
He was born Nov. 9, 1919, in Wapakoneta, the son of Virgil and Myrtle Hughes Botkin. On Nov. 29, 1941, he married Rosabelle Westerheide, who died May 29, 1996.
Survivors include two sons, James (Barbara) of Dawsonville, Ga., and Joseph (Jennifer) of Minster; two daughters, Susan (Thomas) Eilerman, Fort Loramie, and Trina (Michael) Ahlers, Milton, Fla.; 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Deceased is a brother, Forest, and a grandchild.
He was a retired supervisor for Goodyear Tire & Rubber, St. Marys, and a World War II veteran, having served in the Military Police for the U.S. Army. He was a member of the St. Augustine Catholic Church, Minster. He was also a member of the Arrowhead Park Golf Club, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, all of Minster.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with the Rev. Louis Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at the St. Augustine Cemetery, with full military honors by the Minster Firing Squad.
Calling is 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Memorials can be directed to the Minster Life Squad.
Steven Drake
Steven Eugene Drake, 36, 5128 Grove Drive, Celina, died at 2:25 p.m. Feb. 12, 2003, at The Gardens at Celina. Death was due to natural causes.
He was born March 22, 1966, in Celina, to Joseph H. and Carolyn Ann Chaney Drake. They survive in Celina.
Also surviving are paternal grandmother, Mary Alice Drake, Celina, and maternal grandmother, Ruth E. Chaney, Mendon.
Deceased are paternal grandfather, Joseph B. Drake, and maternal grandfather, Norman L. Chaney.
He had been employed 10 years as a heavy equipment operator at Klosterman Development, Celina. He formerly was a Franklin Township employee and a guard at New Idea, Coldwater. A 1985 graduate of Celina High School, he was a member of Montezuma Community Fire Company and its waterball team. He also was a storm watcher for the National Weather Service and a ham radio operator.
Services are 9 a.m. Saturday at W.H. Dick & Sons Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Kathleen Hayes officiating. Burial will follow at Mercer Memory Gardens, Celina.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the Montezuma Fire Department or the Cancer Association of Mercer County.
Jack Imwalle
Jack "Buck" Imwalle, 48, 2335 Ohio 716, Maria Stein, died at 8:34 a.m. Feb. 13, 2003, in the emergency room at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys. Death was due to a sudden heart attack.
He was born March 23, 1954, in Coldwater, to Walter and Dorothy Mescher Imwalle. On June 10, 1978, he married Dianne L. Luebke who survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Marcus and Monte, and two daughters, Abby and Amy, all at home; a brother, Jay (Diane) of Celina; two sisters, Beck (Carl) Everman, Cranberry Prairie, and Lynn (Dave) Will, St. Sebastian; and his mother-in-law and stepfather-in-law, Lois and Mark Steinbrunner, Osgood.
Deceased are an infant sister and father-in-law, Robert Luebke.
He was a lift inspector at Crown Equipment, New Bremen, and served as head girls softball coach in the Marion Local School District the past six years. He coached girls and boys basketball there for 17 years and was a youth soccer coach for six years. He also was a softball and baseball umpire.
A 1973 graduate of Marion Local High School, he served as a board member for Chickasaw Fire Company and was past president of the Marion Athletic Boosters and Marion Band Boosters. He was a member of St. John Catholic Church, Maria Stein, where he served as an usher and greeter, and the Marion Community Development Organization.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church, the Revs. Kenneth Schroeder and Emil Labbe officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is noon-8 p.m. Sunday and 9-10 a.m. Monday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Contributions can be made to the Marion Local Track Fund.
Leone Fanning
Former Celina resident Leone A. Fanning, 99, 3704 Coachman Drive, Carmel, Ind., died at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Ind.
She was born April 14, 1903, in Salem, Wis., to Chester and Pearl VanWormer Heath. On Aug. 16, 1924, she married Ralph Fanning who died Dec. 10, 1977.
Surviving are two sons, Richard of Loudonville and Ronald (Jenine) of Celina; two daughters, Elaine Ellis, Carmel, with whom she had resided since 1999, and Pat (Roy) Dickinson, Waterdown, Ontario, Canada; 10 grandchildren,18 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son-in-law, Charles Ellis; one grandson and two great-grandchildren.
She assisted her husband in founding the architectural engineering firm now known as Fanning/Howey Associates Inc. and served as executive secretary of the company. She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church, Carmel, and the Mercer County Historical Society and a former member of St. Pauls United Methodist Church, Celina.
Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at the Celina church, the Rev. Robert Metheny officiating. Burial will follow at North Grove Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Friday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina.
Contributions can be made to the Ralph & Leone Fanning Memorial Fund at St. Pauls Church.
Daniel Gehron
Daniel W. Gehron, 96, 92 N. Main St., North Star, died Feb. 11, 2003, at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home, Coldwater.
He was born Oct. 14, 1906, in Montezuma, to Isaac W. and Edith Lillian Stump Gehron. His wife, the former Anna Gause, died in 1995.
Surviving are two sons, Melvin of New Weston and Willard of North Star; two daughters, Corda Leeper, North Star, and Margaret (Thomas) Miles, New Paris; a brother, Alfred of Middletown; two sisters, Sarah Boggs, Coldwater, and Lillian Ward, Columbiana; 17 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Bernice Rhoades; four brothers, a sister and a grandson.
He was a retired farm machinery mechanic and served as first chief for the North Star Community Fire Department. He was a member of North Star Congregational Christian Church.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Scott Trittschuh officiating. Burial will follow at East Bethel Cemetery in Mercer County.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. Friday at Oliver Funeral Home, Greenville, and after noon Saturday at the church.
Contributions can be made to Darke/Mercer County Hospice or the Ansonia Area Emergency Service.
Victor Holthaus
Victor William Holthaus, 81, Basinburg Road, Fort Loramie, died at 11:44 a.m. Feb. 11, 2003, at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dayton.
He was born Feb. 25, 1921, in Fort Loramie to Bernard and Caroline Prenger Holthaus.
Surviving are three brothers, Lester and Anthony (Roseann) of Fort Loramie, and Bernard (Mary) of Anna; a sister, Catherine of Fort Loramie; and a sister-in-law, Mary R. Holthaus, Fort Loramie.
Deceased are two brothers, Alfred and Marcellus; a sister, Rita; and a sister-in-law, Ruth Holthaus.
He retired from farming in 1986. He was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church, St. Joseph Men's Sodality and the Apostleship of Prayer, Fort Loramie.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Al Reed officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday and 9-10 a.m. Saturday at Gehret Funeral Home, Fort Loramie.
James Irish
James M. Irish, 47, 1123 Neil Ave., St. Marys, died at 11:58 a.m. Feb. 11, 2003, in the emergency room at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, after becoming ill at work. Death was due to natural causes.
He was born March 16, 1955, in St. Marys, to George and June Heap Irish. On May 12, 1984, he married Donna Nussbaum who survives.
Also surviving are four daughters, Sara (Jeff) Dieringer, St. Marys, and Heather, Amanda and Ashley, at home; a brother, Stephen of Bristol, Fla.; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Dolly Nussbaum, Ottoville.
A 1973 graduate of St. Marys Memorial High School, he attended Bluffton College. He was employed 24 years at Minster Machine Co. in the service and repair department and operated the concession stand at K.C. Geiger Park, St. Marys, for five years. He also was a St. Marys Girls' Softball League coach.
He was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 767, St. Marys, and secretary of its golf league. He also was a member of the St. Marys Sister Cities delegation that visited Hokudan Cho, Japan, in 2000.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, St. Marys, the Rev. Patricia Minnick officiating. Burial will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Contributions can be made to a college fund being set up for his daughters at Minster State Bank.
