USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Jayson JaVar Sims
Jayson JaVar Sims, 25, of Bellefontaine, died at 3:50 p.m. Thursday, May 3, 2001, in Columbus.
He was born in Bellefontaine on Feb. 1, 1976, a son of Ernest Carter and Lori Ann Sims.
Mr. Sims was a 1994 graduate of Bellefontaine High School, where he was the all-time leading scorer for the basketball team.
He was a member of the Christ Temple Church in Bellefontaine.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Lori A. (Billy R.) Cowan of Bellefontaine; father and stepmother Ernest (Tammi) Carter of Bellefontaine; two brothers, Chad Mills of Cotton, Calif., and Willie (Alyssa) Jester of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.; four sisters, Tameka Carter and Kerri (Garrison) Rogan, both of Bellefontaine, Sharice Carter and Tiffany (Lamont) Watkins, both of Columbus; Godparents Elder Abraham and Janice Kenner of Bellefontaine; and special friend, Stephanie Whetsel of Bellefontaine.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Otis and Barbara Sims; and paternal grandparents Ernest and Carrie Carter Sr.
Madison Brooke Rollins
Madison Brooke Rollins was stillborn at 4:42 a.m. Wednesday, May 30, 2001, at Mary Rutan Hospital. She was a daughter of Jamie Rollins and Vanessa Johnson, who survive at 417 1/2 N. Detroit St.
Madison is also survived by three sisters, Savanna Rollins, at home, and Vanshell C.L. Rollins and Andre C. Rollins of West Virginia; maternal grandmother, Bonnie (Rodney E.) Horsley of Bellefontaine; maternal grandfather, Dale (Debbie) Johnson of Bellefontaine; maternal great-grandfather, Paul Boysel of Bellefontaine; paternal grandmother, Connie Rollins of Bellefontaine; paternal grandfather, Roger Rollins Sr. of Russells Point; paternal great-grandmother, Betty J. Kotsaris of Bellefontaine; and paternal great-grandmother, Lillian F. Rollins of Lima.
Raymond P. Lane
Raymond P. Lane, 84, of West Mansfield, died Friday, May 4, 2001, in the intensive care unit of Mary Rutan Hospital, following a short illness.
He was a retired farmer and cattle buyer and had traveled extensively throughout the Carolinas and Texas purchasing cattle.
Born on Oct. 12, 1916, on Lane Road in Columbus, he was a son of the late William F. and Mary Jane Kolwitz Lane. He married Janet Bowers on Feb. 20, 1942, in the Bethel United Methodist Church along Bethel Road in Columbus, and she survives.
He was a member of the West Mansfield United Methodist Church, the West Mansfield Conservation Club, the BPOElks Lodge 132, the West Mansfield Lions Club and was a morning regular at the Main Street Ice Cream & Pizza Parlor in West Mansfield.
An avid sports fan, he especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren's teams.
Also surviving are a daughter Shirley (Wendell) Connolly of West Mansfield; a son, Dennis Ray (Marcia) Lane of Bellefontaine; five grandchildren, Michael (Angie) Alspaugh, James Alspaugh, Jennifer Hall, Ryan Lane and Carrie Lane; three great-grandchildren, Jacob Hall, Reiss Hall and Jenna Alspaugh; a brother, Roy (Hazel) Lane of Belle Center; and nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Peggy Ellen Lane; a sister, Ellen Henry; three brothers, Harley, Frank and Danny; and a grandson-in-law, Trell Hall.
E. Joy Nash
E. Joy Nash, 87, of 4749 Road 29, West Liberty, died at 11:53 a.m. Friday, May 4, 2001, at Mary Rutan Hospital.
She was born May 30, 1913, in West Mansfield, a daughter of Ray Burtell and Millicent Kirkpatrick Arthur.
On April 1, 1934, in Belle Center, she married Leo Postle Nash. He died March 28, 1974.
Survivors include one daughter, Marilyn (Larry) Cogar of West Liberty; eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, Carolyn Sue Domme and Pamala Darlene Kauffman; and two brothers, Willard Glee Arthur and Ernest Burtell Arthur.
Mrs. Nash had worked for the former Bulldog Electric in Bellefontaine. She was a girl's house parent at the former Logan County Children's Home and a foster parent for many children. She was a member of the First Assembly of God.
Ruth F. Sprankell
Ruth F. Sprankell, 96, of West Liberty, died at 11:15 p.m. Friday, May 4, 2001, at the Green Hills Center, West Liberty.
Born March 28, 1905, in Bellefontaine, she was a daughter of Robert Ott and Lunetta Fraville Sykes Jacobs.
On Nov. 5, 1927, she married Dwight Stewart, who preceded her in death Dec. 6, 1930. She married Robert Sprankell on March 28, 1934, and he died April 27, 1953.
Mrs. Sprankell was a bookkeeper for many years at Wisslers and Uhlmans Department Stores. She also had been a switchboard operator at Mary Rutan Hospital. She was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in Bellefontaine.
Survivors include one son, John T. (Anna) Sprankell of Dayton, Tenn.; one daughter, Dixie (Clifford) Campbell of Huntsville; three grandchildren, Glen (Jennifer) Kreglow of DeGraff, Barbara Kreglow-Cooper of Marysville, Rachelle E. Sprankell of Schroon Lake, N.Y.; special friend, Nancy Jo Lantz; three great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; six great-stepgrandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Hildreth Kauffman; and one grandson, Terry Kreglow.
Ralph L. Conwell
Ralph L. Conwell, 80, of Ashland, died Saturday morning, May 5, 2001, at Samaritan Regional Health System.
Born Oct. 16, 1920, in McWhorter, W.Va., he was a son of Cyril Ralph and Beatrice Woofter Conwell.
A resident of Ashland County, he was a 1938 graduate of Polk High School. He was a former distributor for the 7-Up Bottling Co. and later became a district sales manager. In 1958, he bought Polk Hardware and Supply Inc. and was a co-owner in the business until its sale in 1967. For the next 15 years, he worked for Water Supply Inc. until his retirement in 1982.
He was a member of the Polk United Methodist Church, where he served as trustee and treasurer as well as Sunday School superintendent and adult class teacher. He was a past worshipful master of the Sullivan Masonic Lodge 313, and a member of Ashland Chapter 67 RAM, Ashland Council 128 R&SM, Wooster Commandery 48 and Sullivan Chapter 499 Order of the Eastern Star.
Mr. Conwell was a member of the Polk Lions Club and a former member of Polk School Board. He was a ham radio operator, member of the National Rifle Association and was an avid hunter. In addition, he served as a troop leader for the Polk Boy Scout Troop and Explorer Post.
A World War II veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy Seabees in the Pacific Theater. He also held membership in the Lucas-Vaughn Post of the American Legion and for many years helped conduct Memorial Day services at the Polk, Albion, Sullivan, Nova and Ruggles cemeteries.
On July 19, 1939, he married Donna Arnold, who preceded him in death Jan. 30, 1989. He married Virginia Plank on Oct. 28, 1995, and she survives along with three daughters and two sons-in-law, Elaine Hootman of Ashland, Karen and Dean Hawley of Bellefontaine and Jeanette and Dennis Biddinger of Marietta; and three sons and daughters-in-law, Kit and Karen Conwell of Ashland, Dan and Tabby Conwell of Wooster, and Lee and Rebecca Conwell of Ashland.
Other survivors include five stepdaughters and three stepsons-in-law, Gloria and Jeff McCarty of Nova; Barbara and Gary Workman of Ashland; Deborah and Jerry Gierhart of Nankin; Kathy Bradford and Cheryl Graves, both of Ashland; two stepsons and one stepdaughter-in-law, Don Plank of Polk and Steven and Joy Plank of Ashland; 13 grandchildren, 17 stepgrandchildren, six great-grandchildren and 14 great-stepgrandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Susan Elaine Conwell on Oct. 1, 1991, and Thomas William Conwell on June 4, 1992; and one great-stepgrandson, Joseph Reber on Nov. 12, 1997.
Leonce C. Elie
Leonce C. Elie, 83, of Belle Center, died Saturday, May 5, 2001, in his home after a lengthy illness.
He was born in Brompton, Canada, on Oct. 19, 1917, a son of Joseph Gideon and Florida Beauregard Elie.
Mr. Elie married the former Frances Jadwiga Matylewicz on Nov. 30, 1940, and she survives.
Mr. Elie was a veteran of the United States Army and Air Force during World War II and was member of the American Legion Willard Stout Post 266 in Belle Center.
Along with his wife, Mr. Elie is survived by one son, Melvin J. (Alice) Elie of Dallas, N.C.; three daughters, Lee Ann Clark of Norwich, Conn., Diane T. (Edwin) Richardson of Belle Center and Celeste (Joe) Shelton of St. Augustine, Fla.; one sister, Noella Bricault of Seekonk, Mass.; 16 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and several nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Lawrence C. Elie and Martin F. Elie.
John W. Thompson Sr.
John W. Thompson Sr., 83, of St. Petersburg, Fla., died at home Sunday, May 6, 2001. Born in Toledo, he lived many years in Dayton, and was a former resident of Lakeview and the Indian Lake area. He retired to Florida in 1993, after also having lived in Prospect and Louisville, Ky.
Employed by Associates Investment Co. in Toledo, he moved to Dayton to manage the Central Acceptance Corp. While in Dayton, he was past president of the Dayton Mercator Club and also was national president of the Mercator Clubs of America. He then established a hearing aid dealership in Springfield and was active in the business for 35 years, serving on the board of directors for a number of state hearing aid dealers organizations. He was one of the first licensed dealers in Ohio and was instrumental in setting up Ohio's hearing aid dealers' licensing law. He also took care of all the hearing aid service at the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield for 30 years.
He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Dayton, Springfield, Lakeview and New Carlisle. He also was active in bowling leagues and served as president of several leagues. Mr. Thompson was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Seminole, where he taught Sunday School.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Patricia "Pat"; three sons, John Jr. and Fred, both of St. Pete Beach, Fla., and James of St. Louis; many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
David George Daly
David George Daly, 66, of Bellefontaine, died at 10:58 p.m. Monday, May 7, 2001, in his home following a lengthy illness.
Born on Oct. 31, 1934, in Albany, N.Y., he was a son of Gladys Otto Daly, who survives in Baltimore, Md., and the late Daniel William Daly.
Mr. Daly is survived by his wife, the former Barbara Ann Van Gelder, whom he married June 8, 1957, in Woburn, Mass.
He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in the Korean Conflict. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1960 and began his career in the aluminum industry with the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). He continued his career as vice president and general manager with Easco Corporation in several of their operations, and moved to Bellefontaine in 1991 as a consultant for the National Extrusion and Manufacturing Company. During his professional career, he served on the Aluminum Extrusion Council and contributed his time to local Rotary clubs and United Way organizations and had served as chairman of the Fostoria campaign. Prior to his illness, he was an active member of the Catholic Church, and most recently was a member of St. PatrickÕs parish in Bellefontaine.
Along with his wife, Mr. Daly is survived by a son, David William Daly of Virginia Beach, Va.; three daughters, Barbara Marie Daly of Greenville, N.C., Nancy Ann Daly of Bellefontaine and Victoria Lynn Daly of Columbus; three brothers, Daniel William (Patricia) Daly Jr. of Eden, N.C., Gerald Daly of Baltimore, Md., and John M. (Barbara) Daly of Burtonsville, Md.; and several nieces and nephews.
Elizabeth Helfrich Thompson
Elizabeth Helfrich Thompson, 91, of Urbana, died at 6:55 p.m. Monday, May 7, 2001, in Mercy McAuley Center in Urbana.
Born on June 13, 1909, in Urbana, she was a daughter of John and Lena Feith Helfrich. She graduated from Urbana High School in 1927 and was retired from the Champaign County Engineer's Office.
Her husband, Ernest Thompson died Feb. 6, 1947.
Survivors include three sons, Albert (Jean) Thompson of Bellefontaine and Ernest (Nancy) Thompson Jr. and Robert (Mary) Thompson, both of Urbana; 18 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and four great-stepgrandchildren.
Also preceding her in death were two daughters, Dorothy Watson and Justine Richards; a grandson, Steve Thompson; and four brothers, Forest, Howard, August and John Helfrich.
She was a member of Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Daughters of the American Revolution and Elizabeth Hood Chapter 505 Order of Eastern Star. Secretary of the Ohio Club and a member of the local senior citizens center, she was an avid skater and Cincinnati Reds fan. She worked for the Champaign County Red Cross and was past president of North PTA.
