USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Don Niekamp
Don Niekamp, 72, 44 E. Walnut St., Chickasaw, died April 6, 2002, at his residence.
He was born Nov. 17, 1929, in New Bremen, to Alfred and Martha (Deppen) Niekamp. On July 8, 1950, he married Audrey "Auddi" Garman and she survives.
Also surviving are a son and his wife, Rick and Jan of Coldwater; four daughters and their husbands, Diane and Marv Boeckman, Wapakoneta, Sandi and Steve Rammel, St. Henry, Karen and Tom Hess, Chickasaw, and Pam and Dennis Schulze, New Bremen; five brothers and their wives, Cy and Roberta and Mike and Brenda, all of Montezuma, Moe and Diane of New Bremen, Dale and Shirley of Coldwater and Larry and Betty of Minster; four sisters and their husbands, Bernice and Mark Kremer, St. Henry, Ruth and Evart Dorsten, Montezuma, Nita and Joe DeLellis, Dayton, and Jan and Ed Imalle, Vandalia; 22 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Deceased are a sister, Doris Niekamp; three siblings in infancy and two grandchildren.
He retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., St. Marys, where he had been a member of the Top Ten Club. He was one of the founders of the Chickasaw Park and formerly served as a member of the Chickasaw Volunteer Fire Department and Chickasaw Village Council. He also was a former Little League baseball coach and an adviser for the Chickasaw Boys 4-H Club. He was a member of Precious Blood Catholic Church, Chickasaw, and the St. Marys Tri-Squares.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. Kenneth Schroeder officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday and 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Contributions can be made to Mercer/Darke County Hospice.
Marion Smith
Marion D. Smith, 80, 1860 Ohio 49, Fort Recovery, died at 9:30 p.m. April 7, 2002, at his residence.
He was born Dec. 28, 1921, in Portland, Ind., to Wesley and Sarah (Harker) Smith. On Feb. 1, 1943, he married Norma Rohrer and she survives.
Also surviving are two sons, William of Fort Recovery and Jeffrey of Portland, Ind.; a brother and his wife, Max and Gail of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a sister and her husband, Martha and Hershel Romie, and two sisters, Helen Sanders and Mary Jean Arnold, all of Portland; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Mary Elaine Stump, and two brothers, Donald and Loren.
He retired from Avco New Idea, Coldwater, and was a member of the Disabled American Veterans in Greenville. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in the European Theatre during World War II, and the recipient of a purple heart.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery, the Rev. Paul Wohlwend officiating. Burial with military honors will be at St. Marys Cemetery, Fort Recovery.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Phillip Walter
Phillip A. Walter, 46, 18744 State Road, Van Wert, died around 10 a.m. April 6, 2002, in an airplane crash that occurred shortly after takeoff from Gatlingburg-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville, Tenn.
He was born July 12, 1955, in Van Wert County, to Lendal Arno and Rose Elnora (Truax) Walter. On June 10, 1996, he married Denise A. Metzger and she survives.
Also surviving are three daughters and their husbands, Paula and Douglas Bogle, Convoy, Bobie Jo and Shane Pruett and Amber and Jeffrey Contrerez, all of Van Wert; a stepson and his wife, Eli and Andrea Burden, Lakeview; a stepdaughter, Ashli Burden, at home; a brother and his wife, Regis A. and Ramona of Middle Point; a sister and her husband, Sherry L. and John Lafontaine, Ohio City; and 14 grandchildren.
A 1974 graduate of Lincolnview High School, he had been employed for 16 years at the Eaton Corp., Van Wert. He was a member of Isaac American Legion Post 178, Van Wert, and was a skydiver with over 1,500 jumps to his credit. He held the distinction of being one of a few people who parachuted from a Boeing 727 jetliner and he had also completed jumps from a helicopter. He had been a pilot for more than 15 years and was also a jump pilot. He was a member of the Black Swamp Fliers model airplane club and had flown ultralite aircraft.
Services are 10 a.m. Thursday at Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Van Wert, the Rev. Paul W. Miller officiating.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
James Johnston
James I. "Jimmy" Johnston, 48, of Lima, died at 11:07 p.m. April 6, 2002, at Wayne Hospital, Greenville, the result of injuries from a crash at Eldora Speedway.
He was born Aug. 26, 1953, in Lima, to Grover I. and Ruth Ella (Boughan) Johnston. His mother survives in Lima. On Sept. 24, 1977, he married Tonia K. Lunz who survives.
Other survivors are a son and his wife, Paul J. and Jodi of Celina; three daughters and their husbands, Jamie L. and Joel Meyer, and Pauline M. and Jason Watt, all of Lima, Samantha K. and Cory of Beaverdam, and a sister, Kimberly Sue of Lima; two sisters, Karlene R. McNamara, Lima, and Joanna L. Knepper, Spencerville; and six grandchildren.
Deceased are two grandchildren.
He was a truck driver with Brookside Trucking Co. and a self-employed garage owner of Johnston Welding, both of Lima He previously worked for Teledyne of Lima for 17 years. He raced sprint cars for 18 years at Eldora Raceway, Limaland and the surrounding area.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Chiles & Sons-Laman Shawnee Chapel, Lima, the Rev. Paul Gruetter officiating. Burial is at Lafayette Cemetery.
Calling is 6-8 p.m. today and 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Estelle Rosenbeck
Former Coldwater resident Estelle M. Rosenbeck, 90, of Dayton, died at 12:38 a.m. April 8, 2002, at Oak Creek Terrace, Kettering.
She was born Oct. 29, 1911, in St. Peter, to Adam and Elizabeth Roessner. She married Ferd Rosenbeck who died in 1955.
Survivors are a son and his wife, Bill and Judi of Dayton; two grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
She was a longtime employee of the Maria Stein Retreat House.
Funeral Mass is 2 p.m. Thursday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Coldwater, the Revs. Lloyd Schmit and Les Schmidt officiating. Burial is at St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Coldwater.
Calling is 12-1:30 p.m. Thursday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Contributions can be made to Glenmary Missions.
Marianna Schmitmeyer
Marianna J. Schmitmeyer, 83, 11430 Ohio 119, Anna, died at 9:15 p.m. April 7, 2002, at Wilson Hospital, Sidney.
She was born Feb. 20, 1919, in Shelby County, to Herman Louis and Loretta Theresa (Luthman) Winner. On June 14, 1940, she married Lawrence H. Schmitmeyer who died July 16, 1970.
Survivors are two sons Gerald Leo and Nicholas Vernon, both of Anna; two daughters and their husbands, Diane Lauratine and Richard Naseman, New Bremen, and Judith Ann and Wayne Krebs, Botkins; a brother and his wife, Ernest and Mary Winner, Columbus, and a brother, Vernon Winner, Versailles; two sisters and their husbands, Louise and Purcey Grilliot, Versailles, and Elizabeth and Donald Nutt, Vandalia; a brother-in-law, Bill McKim; nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and a stepgreat-grandchild.
Deceased is a sister, Treva McKim.
She was a housewife and farmer and sold Stanley Home Products for many years. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, McCartyville and its Ladies Sodality. She was a past member of the Farm Bureau and National Farmers Organization.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. Leo Hoying officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Thursday and 9-10 a.m. Friday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Contributions can be made to the Anna Rescue Squad.
Hubert Schmitz
Former Fort Recovery resident Hubert F. Schmitz, 76, who resided at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home, Coldwater, died at 4:43 a.m. today, April 9, 2002, at Community Hospital, Coldwater.
He was born May 17, 1925, in Sharpsburg, to Nicholis and Magdalena (Wagner) Schmitz.
Surviving are seven daughters and their husbands, Nila and Dick Newton, Salamonia, Ind., Marsha and Greg Elliott, and Pat and Ted Hunt, all of Union City, Anita and Tony Jutte, Fort Recovery, Teresa and Tony Homan, and Denice and Kevin Bettinger, all of Coldwater, and Lori and Rick Jenkinson, Union City, Ind.; a son, Mike of Celina; a sister, Mary Ann Armstrong, Greenville; and 14 grandchildren.
Deceased is a brother, Vincent, and a grandchild.
He was a retired farmer and was formerly employed at Midwest Poultry, Fort Recovery. He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Sharpsburg.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. Matt Jozefiak officiating. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Thursday and 9:30 a.m. Friday until time of services at Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery.
