USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Bessie White
Bessie E. Sill White, 86, of Rockford, died June 9, 2003, at her residence.
She was born Jan. 25, 1917, in Willshire Township, Van Wert County, to Abram and Hyla Dellinger Bienz. On Jan. 28, 1938, she married Charles Willis Sill who died Jan. 31, 1976. On March 25, 1979, she married Donald W. White who died Jan. 1, 2001.
Surviving are two sons, Stanley D. (Kathleen) Sill and Jerry L. (Marjorie) Sill, both of Rockford; two sisters, Mary Leasor, Rockford, and Jessie Hahnert, South Whitley, Ind.; four grandchildren, one stepgrandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She retired from the Kroger Company and was a member of New Horizons Community Church, Rockford.
Services are 10 a.m. Friday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, the Rev. Robert Loar officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the church.
Harold Ashman
Harold R. Ashman, 80, a resident of Valley Nursing Home and a former resident of 1015 Williams St., St. Marys, died 11:45 p.m. May 31, 2003, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
He was born Feb. 7, 1923, in Celina, to Harry and Erma Berry Ashman. On Dec. 22, 1945, he married Dorothy Stone who died Feb. 14, 2000.
Surviving are a son, Richard (Linda) of St. Marys; two daughters, Patricia (Gerald) Johns and Diana (Don) Martin, also of St. Marys; a sister, Madella Teeters, Celina; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Deceased are three half brothers, Carl, David and George, and three half sisters, Ruby Swank, Helen Hayden and Margaret Crouch.
He retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., St. Marys, after 42 years of service. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 767, St. Marys.
Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, St. Marys, the Rev. David Heinl officiating. Burial will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Miller-Long and Folk Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Contributions can be made to the church piano fund or the activities fund at Valley Nursing Home.
William Baggs
William S. Baggs, 90, a resident of The Gardens in Celina, died there June 6.
He was born March 17, 1913, in Portland, Ind., to Otis E. and Alberta B. Powell Baggs. On May 27, 1943, he married Mary Davis who survives.
Also surviving are a son, Tom of Florida; three daughters, Peggy Sheaks, St. Marys, Nancy (Robert) May, Celina, and Susie (Mark) Stoner, Greenville; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, John; a son-in-law, Mike Sheaks; three brothers, Jake, Holloween and Leonard; and three sisters, Mabel, Berniece and Goldie.
He retired from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Freuhauf Trailer Co. He also had worked as a U.S. Border Patrol guard. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a graduate of Celina High School and a member of the Fort Recovery Veterans of Foreign Wars Post.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Cisco Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Richard VanHorn officiating. Burial will follow at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Lawrence Bertke
Lawrence V. "Curly" Bertke, 90, formerly of 9020 Mason Road, Sidney, died at 4:15 a.m. June 8, 2003, at Heritage Manor Nursing Center, Minster.
He was born July 4, 1912, in Carthagena, to Joseph and Catherine Lehmann Bertke. On Oct. 18, 1941, he married Marcella Frilling who died July 9, 1998.
Surviving are five sons, Jerry (Jane) of St. Marys, Don (Rosemary) and Dale (Lois) of Anna, Roger (Susan) and Lavern of Fort Loramie; three daughters, Elfrieda (Bernard) Sanders, Fort Loramie, Elaine (James) Moorman, Chickasaw, and Irene (John) Huntzinger, Piqua; a sister, Loretta Link, Montezuma; 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Deceased are two brothers, three sisters and two grandchildren.
He retired from Avco New Idea, Coldwater, and farming. He was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church, the St. Joseph Men's Society and the Apostleship of Prayer, all of Fort Loramie.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church, the Rev. Steven Shoup officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Wednesday and 9-10 a.m. Thursday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Contributions can be made to Wilson Hospice Care or the Fort Loramie Rescue Squad.
Louis Goecke
Louis J. "Bing" Goecke, 76, 8376 Ohio 119, Maria Stein, died at 3 p.m. June 7, 2003, at his residence.
He was born June 25, 1926, in St. Henry, to Fred and Francis Albers Goecke. On July 9, 1949, he married Madonna Hausfeld who survives.
Also surviving are seven sons, Tom (Sue) of Rocky River, Fred and Mike of Maria Stein, Paul of Fort Loramie, Ken (Karin) of Middleburg, Pa., Phil (Karen) of Belle Center, and Tony (Lisa) of Liberty, Ind.; seven daughters, Jane (Scott) Goeller, Kettering, Kathy (Tim) Stonecash, Springboro, Judy (John) Townsend, Neptune, Doris (Carl) Hess, Maria Stein, Cindy (Dan) Chappie, Grier, S.C., Carol (Dave) Flora, Greenfield, Ind., and Marcia (Roy) Homan, Auburn, Ky.; a sister, Dottie Gavit, North Star; 44 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Four brothers and two sisters are deceased.
He retired from Monarch Machine & Tool Co. and was a self-employed salesman. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of St. John Catholic Church, Maria Stein.
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, Minster.
Samantha Heitkamp
Samantha J. Heitkamp, 2, 117 E. Broadway St., Fort Recovery, died at 6:11 a.m. Saturday at Childrens Medical Center, Cincinnati. Death was due to natural causes.
She was born May 31, 2001, in Cincinnati, to Rick and Christa Tobe Heitkamp.
Surviving with the parents are a brother, Andrew, at home; paternal grandparents, Elmer and Julie Heitkamp, Fort Recovery; maternal grandparents, Robert and Jane Tobe, Fort Recovery; and a paternal great-grandmother, Esther Rosenbeck, Coldwater.
She was a member of Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, Fort Recovery.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. Paul Wohlwend officiating. Burial will be at St. Marys Cemetery, Fort Recovery.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and after 9 a.m. Wednesday at Brockman & Boeckman Funeral Home, Fort Recovery.
Eugene Hemmelgarn
Eugene E. "Weenie" Hemmelgarn, 79, 1113 Yorkshire Court, Celina, died at 5:06 a.m. June 7, 2003, at his residence.
He was born Feb. 1, 1924, in Fort Wayne, Ind., to Anthony and Frances Pleiman Hemmelgarn. On June 25, 1949, he married Kathleen Link who survives.
Also surviving are a son, Jeff (Dianne) of Sarasota, Fla.; a daughter, Jane Seibert, Celina; two sisters-in-law, Rosemary Link, Celina, and Evie Link, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and four grandchildren.
Deceased are two brothers, Cletus and Richard, and three sisters, Madonna Corbin, Rose Mary and Margie Hemmelgarn.
He retired from New Idea in 1982 after 36 years of service as a material planning manager. He served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during World War II and was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Mercer County Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and the American Legion Post, all of Celina.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, the Rev. Richard Riedel officiating. Burial will be at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, Celina, with military rites conducted by the VFW and American Legion.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina.
Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, Mercer County Hospice or the church endowment fund.
Debra Maxwell
Celina native Debra A. Maxwell, 44, 834 S. Shank St., Portland, Ind., died June 6, 2003, at her residence. Death was due to cancer.
She was born Nov. 18, 1958, in Celina, to Donald and Joyce Schott Shively. They survive in Celina. On May 23, 1980, she married Sheldon Maxwell who survives.
Also surviving are a son, Heath, and a daughter, April, both of Portland; and three sisters, Diane Neargarder, St. Marys, Dawn Jaggers, Nappanee, Ind., and Della Shively, Celina.
Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at Baird-Freeman Funeral Home, Portland, the Rev. Phil Jellison officiating. Burial will follow at Gardens of Memory, Muncie, Ind.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to St. Judes Hospital.
Kenneth Moorman
Mercer County native Kenneth F. Moorman, 78, 7589 S.E. Bay Cedar Circle, Hobe Sound, Fla., died June 6, 2002, at Hospice House in Stuart, Fla.
He was born Aug. 12, 1924, in Coldwater, to Ferd and Cecila Weyer Moorman. His wife, the former Edna Mays, survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Gary (Liz) of Tipp City, Mike (Bianca) of Louisville, Ky., and Ken of Celina; a stepdaughter, Karen Krieger, Michigan; a brother, Edgar (Rosemary) of Coldwater; a sister, Alberta (Clarence) Eckstein, Celina; a brother-in-law, Merle Schlosser, Vinita, Okla.; two sisters-in-law, Lillian and Pauline Moorman, both of Coldwater; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Deceased are four brothers, Sylvester, Wilfred, Arthur and Anthony; and two sisters, Dolores Schlosser and Virgene.
A graduate of Coldwater High School, he retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Services will be held later at the convenience of the family.
Leona Schmidt
Leona C. Schmidt, 95, South Third Street, Coldwater, died at 1 a.m. today, June 9, 2003, at Briarwood Manor Nursing Home, Coldwater.
She was born Jan. 29, 1908, in St. Peter, to Anthony and Rose Miller Siegrist. On May 6, 1930, she married Henry Robert Schmidt who died Dec. 20, 1999.
Surviving are five sons, Charles (Vera) and Ivo (Roseann) of Coldwater, Virgil (Velma) of Chickasaw, and Paul (Janet) and Urban (Sandy) of Goshen, Ind.; two daughters, Virginia Walterbusch, Celina, and Eileen (Clem) Eckstein, Greeville; 24 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren.
Other survivors include two brothers, Urban Siegrist, Fort Wright, Ky., and Edwin Siegrist, St. Peter; a sister, Imelda Wilker, St. Marys; and five sisters-in-law, Mary Catherine and Delores Siegrist, both of St. Peter, Rose and Johanna Siegrist, both of Fort Wright, and Romania Ranly, St. Marys.
Deceased are a son-in-law, Elmer Walterbusch; three brothers, Otto, Odilo and Ivo; two sisters, Barbara Kreutzjans and Celine Homan; and three grandchildren.
She was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and a member and past president of St. Ann Rosary-Altar Sodality, St. Cecilia Knights of St. John and the Community Hospital Volunteers, all of Coldwater.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church. Burial will be at St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Coldwater.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Wednesday and 9-10 a.m. Thursday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Coldwater.
Contributions can be made to Mercer/Darke County Hospice.
Helen Hime
Helen Hime, 79, of Celina, died at 3:28 p.m. June 5, 2003, at the Miller House in Celina.
She was born March 8, 1924, in Penfield, Ill, the daughter of William and Margaret Marron Dorsey. On June 26, 1945, she married Irvin Hime, who died in April 1975.
Survivors include three daughters, Linda (Jerry) Piper, of Celina, Deborah (Ron) Weitzel, of New Weston, and Cheryl Gossetts, of Nevada; a brother Joe Dorsey, of Penfield, Ill.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, two sisters and a grandson.
A member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Celina, she was a retired nurse from Shane Hill Nursing Home and also retired as a nurse with the Mercer County Health Department.
Services are at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church, with the Rev. Thomas Brenberger officiating. Burial will follow at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, Celina.
Calling is from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Cisco Funeral Home in Celina.
Contributions can be made to the church restoration fund.
