USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Veceslav Sesek
Veceslav Sesek, 96, 426 Magnolia St., Celina, died at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2002, at The Gardens at Celina.
He was born Sept. 25, 1906, in Ljubljana, Austria, to John and Helena Breskvar Sesek. On Dec. 21, 1966, he married Cecelia Ungruhn who survives.
One brother is deceased.
He immigrated from his native Austria prior to 1950 and worked as an accountant in Chicago. He was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church, St. Rose, and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Celina.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Rose church, the Rev. John Zvijak officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Calling is 3-7 p.m. Monday and 9-10 a.m. Tuesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Minster.
Mary Figert
Mary J. Figert, 75, of Portland, Ind., died the morning of Feb. 27, 2004, at Jay County Hospital.
She was born Feb. 22, 1929, in Portland, to Godfrey and Edith Ankrom Wallischeck. Her husband, Russell Figert, survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Allan (Carolyn) of Tulsa, Okla., and Matthew (Rose) of Binghamton, N.Y.; a brother, Joe Wallischeck, of Portland; a sister, Betty (Richard) Faller, of Coldwater; and four grandchildren.
A member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Portland, she was a bookkeeper and had worked for Carl Steed and Associates, Naas Foods and Jay County Abstract Office. She was past president of American Legion Auxiliary Post 211 in Portland and was president of the Legion Auxiliary 5th district. She was past president of Portland Kiwanis Club and past lieutenant governor of the district. She also was past president of Budget Belles Homemakers Club, Portland, and was a frequent participant in Old Time Fiddlers contests.
Private family services will be held at Baird-Freeman Funeral Home, Portland, with the Rev. Marty Sandhage presiding. Burial will follow at Green Park Cemetery, Portland.
Contributions can be made at the donor's choice or to the church Mass fund.
John Perez
John S. Perez, 51, of Defiance, died at 1:45 p.m. Feb. 23, 2004, at his home. Death was due to cancer.
He was born July 4, 1952, in Wauseon, to Herlinda Santos Perez, who survives in Celina, and the late Juan Perez. In 1975, he married Rose Mary Garcia, who survives.
Also surviving is a son, John of Columbus; a daughter, Melisa of Defiance; four brothers, Alfonso of Stryker, Roberto of Columbus, Ramon of Toledo, and Esteban Castillo Jr., of Coldwater; four sisters, Linda, of Stryker, Yvette (Donald) Schlarman, of Columbus, Isabel (David) Giesige and Brigette (D. Andrew) Cron, both of Celina.
Services were held Thursday at First Baptist Church in Defiance, with the Revs. Tim Yazel and John McFarland officiating. Burial was at Riverside Cemetery, Defiance.
Mast-Mock-Hoffman Funeral Home, Defiance, had charge of arrangements.
Donna Hays
Former Coldwater resident Donna K. Hays, 54, of Blacklick, died at 2:19 p.m. Feb. 23, 2004, at her home east of Gahanna. Death was due to natural causes.
She was born Aug. 23, 1949, in Beloit, Kansas, to Ross D. and Violet Knarr Clingman. Her father survives in St. Henry. On June 23, 1971, she married Dennis K. Hays who survives.
Also surviving are two sons, James (Kristin) of Blacklick and Frank (Lanie) of Laurelville; a daughter, Angelia (Bob) Leopard, Gahanna; two brothers, Vaughn (Diane) Clingman, Hilliard, and Daryl (Carol) Clingman, Pataskala; three sisters, Linda (Steven) Howes and Cheryl Hoover, all of Pleasant Grove, Utah, and Patricia (Al) Bertke, St. Henry; and six grandchildren.
She graduated from Coldwater High School and worked at Huffy Corp. before becoming a ceramics instructor and homemaker in the Columbus area.
A wake will be held Sunday afternoon at the Hays home, with burial to follow at a later date in Jewell, Kan.
Contributions can be made to James Cancer Hospital in Columbus or the American Cancer Society.
Patrick McKirnan
Patrick O'Neil McKirnan, 84, 120 S. Vine St., Celina, died at 1:20 p.m. Feb. 25, 2004, at his residence.
He was born Dec. 9, 1919, in Celina, to Daniel J. and Hazel O'Neil McKirnan. On Sept. 13, 1941, he married Irma Quilling who survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Dan of San Diego, Calif., and Mike (Sharon) of Celina; three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
A brother, William R., is deceased.
He owned and operated Celina Coffee Shop for 47 years. Elected to Celina City Council in 1954, he served as a guiding force in the city's recreation program during his 15-year tenure. He reportedly was the oldest volunteer for the Ohio Lake Management Society testing the water quality of Grand Lake St. Marys.
He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, the Lions Club, Masonic Lodge 241, Free & Accepted Masons, and the Lake Improvement Association, all of Celina, a charter member of the Mercer County Sportsman's Club and a member of the National Rifle Association. A 1938 graduate of Celina High School, he received a degree from Bliss College.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Robert Metheny officiating. Burial will follow at North Grove Cemetery.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at Lehman Funeral Home, Celina, and after 10 a.m. Saturday at the church.
Contributions can be made to the Mercer County Sportsmen's Association.
Glen Miller Jr.
Glen Miller Jr., 56, of Celina, died early today, Feb. 26, 2004, at his residence. Death was due to natural causes.
He was born April 4, 1947, in Celina, to Glen E. and Dorothy E. Sealscott Miller. His father survives in Rockford. On June 17, 1967, he married Suzanne Howell who also survives.
Other survivors include a son, Mike (Kelly), and two daughters, Patty (David) Hipply and Amee, all of Celina; a sister, Judy (John) Farmer, Rockford; and four grandchildren.
A son, Charles Eugene, is deceased.
He was a farmer and a retired employee of General Dynamics in Lima. He was a member of Rockford United Methodist Church.
Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, the Rev. Mike Berne officiating. Burial will follow at North Grove Cemetery.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Friday and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Contributions can be made to the church, the Parkway Booster Club or Celina Area Visiting Nurses and Hospice.
Mark Gast
Coldwater native Mark A. Gast, 45, of Cloverdale, Ind., died Feb. 23, 2004, at Clarian Health University Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind. Death was due to lung cancer.
He was born Oct. 19, 1958, in Coldwater, to John Lewis and Marjorie Elaine Buschur Gast. His father and stepmother, Martha Gast, survive in Fort Myers, Fla. On June 26, 1982, he married Denise Owings who survives.
Other survivors include two sons, Joseph and Jonathan, and a daughter, Anna, all of Cloverdale; two brothers, Charles of Dayton and Richard of Greenfield, Ind.; and three sisters, Nancy Holle, Indianapolis, Becky Adams, Clay City, Ind., and Jennifer of Greenwood, Ind.
A daughter, Ashley, is deceased.
He was employed as a machine repairman at Allison Transmission, Indianapolis. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church, Coatesville, Ind.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. Wayne L. Dafoe. Burial will follow at Cloverdale Cemetery.
Calling is 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Whitaker Funeral Home, Cloverdale.
