USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
DEWITT
Margaret Carol DeWitt, 68, of Convoy, died at 1:35 p.m. Monday, March 14, 2005, at her residence.
She was born January 25, 1937, in Portland, Ind., the daughter of the late Claude and Margaret Irene (Skinner) Hilton. She married Robert E. DeWitt, who died in 1988.
Mrs. DeWitt had worked for Wal-Mart in Fort Wayne, Ind., for the past six years. She was a member of the Jennings Road Church of Christ in Van Wert and a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Unit 5803, which she served as president from 1977-1989. She also volunteered the past eight years at the Fort Wayne Veterans Administration Hospital and also served as secretary, historian and junior and senior vice presidents of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Auxiliary, for which as county chairman she helped start the first health fair in Van Wert County (now know as Focus on Health). She attended Monmouth Grade School in Decatur, Ind., and Horace Mann Elementary and Van Wert High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She attended Northwestern Business College in Lima.
Survivors include three sons, Ronald (Gayla) DeWitt of Topeka, Kan., Harold R. DeWitt of San Francisco, Calif., and Jonathan P. DeWitt of Convoy; two daughters, Janet E. (Robert) Coker of Payne and Suzanne Albright on Montpelier; two brothers, Robert Hilton and Richard Hilton, both of Fort Wayne; two sisters, Ruth Parsons of Van Wert and Kate Schaadt of Fort Wayne; four grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at Jennings Road Church of Christ in Van Wert, with the Rev. David Ray officiating. There will also be a memorial service at the church by VFW Auxiliary 5803.
There will be no calling hours.
Arrangements were handled by Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert.
GOODWIN
Richard Ernest "Ernie" Goodwin, 76, of Rockford, died at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, March 13, 2005, at Colonial Nursing Home in Rockford.
He was born April 17, 1928, in Lima, the son of the late Elmer Ernest and Pauline (Ralston) Goodwin. On November 1, 1946, he married Mary Lou Bailey, who survives at home.
Mr. Goodwin was the past owner of Colonial Nursing Home in Rockford and the past owner of Ernie's Family Restaurant in Rockford. He was also formerly mayor of Rockford and a former Mason who belonged to Shane Lodge 377 in Rockford.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Randy (Belinda) Goodwin of Commerce Township, Mich.; one daughter, Bekkie (Rolland) Mowery of Van Wert; a sister, Jean (Jim) Pontius of Van Wert; four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Private family services will be conducted, with burial in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rockford EMS squad.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home in Van Wert.
UTRUP
Ronald Utrup, 67, of Delphos, died at 10:01 p.m. Sunday, March 13, 2005, at St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima.
He was born February 6, 1938, in Van Wert, the son of the late Lawrence F. and Mildred (Claypool) Utrup. He married Marilyn Fought on August 29, 1959, and she survives in Delphos.
Mr. Utrup was self-employed through the years, doing auto body work, carpentry work and car sales at Ronnies Auto Sales. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Delphos and Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 471. He enjoyed the outdoors, traveling and was an avid NASCAR fan. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Rhonda (Dave) Blockberger and Carrie (Chuck) Elwer, both of Delphos; six grandchildren, David (Kris) Blockberger, Denise (Larry) Lindeman, Stacey Blockberger, Stephanie Blockberger, Matthew Elwer and Travis Elwer, and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Delphos, with the Rev. David Howell officiating. Burial will be in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Delphos.
Calling hours are 2-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at Harter & Schier Funeral Home in Delphos.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
GRUNDEN
James F. Grunden, 63, of 14507 Glenmore Road, Ohio City, died at 8:05 a.m. Saturday, March 12, 2005, at his residence.
He was born May 17, 1941, in Sherwood, the son of the late James O. and Anna V. (Miller) Grunden. On September 18, 1976, he married Colleen Mottinger, who survives at home.
Mr. Grunden was a truck driver for Aeroquip, the Van Wert County Transfer Station and National Servall. He was in the U.S. Army Reserves.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Tony (Kelly) Grunden of Convoy and Steven (Lisa) Grunden of Toledo; four daughters, Tara (Matt) Linton, Tia (Steve) Hittle, Chris Doster and Cheryl (Don) Doster, all of Van Wert; two brothers, Elwood (Norma) Grunden of Butler, Ind., and DeWayne (Lori) Grunden of Hicksville; two sisters, Imogene (Jeff) Hirsch of Onsted, Mich., and Sandra Hirsch of Antwerp; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Grunden, and two sisters, Madeline Ramsey and Linda Tolentino.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert, with Pastor Neil Hammons of Trinity Friends Church officiating. Burial will be in Fletcher Cemetery in Willshire Township.
Calling hours are 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Monday, March 14, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be to the family.
WAGNER
David W. Wagner, 70, of Convoy, died at 9:42 a.m. Friday, March 11, 2005, at Van Wert County Hospital.
He was born November 1, 1934, in Convoy, the son of the late Arthur and Ivy (Dawson) Wagner. On October 1, 1960, he married Barbara Gilliland, who survives at home.
Mr. Wagner retired from International Harvester Corporation of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Springfield after 47 years of service. He served on the Convoy Village Council from 1968 to 1979 and then served as mayor of Convoy from 1979-1987 and again from 1996 to the present. He served in the U.S. Army, was secretary of the Convoy Conservation/Fox Hunters Club, played semi-professional baseball in Fort Wayne and was a high school basketball referee for many years.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two children, Mark Wagner of Lake Worth, Fla., and Kim Wagner of Fort Wayne; a brother, Herb (Kathy) Wagner of Spokane, Wash., and a sister-in-law, Nadine Wagner of Convoy.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Donald Wagner.
Private funeral services will be held at a later date.
Calling hours are 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at Gearhart, Mack & Jurczyk Funeral Home in Convoy.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Convoy EMS squad or Community Health Professionals-Hospice
BINGEN
Lillian Bingen, 80, of Berne, Ind., died at 2 a.m. Friday, March 11, 2005, at Laurels of Shane Hill nursing home in Rockford.
She was born August 9, 1924, in Adams County, Ind., the daughter of the late Edwin and Dorcie (Brostock) Affolder. She was first married to Glen Grogg, who died in 1985. She then married LeRoy Bingen, who died December 24, 2001.
Mrs. Bingen was a homemaker.
Survivors include two daughters, Angela (Richard) Spieth of Ohio City and Lisa Baumgartner of Linn Grove, Ind.; a brother, Ray Affolder of Berne, and six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by three brothers and two sisters.
Graveside funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at MRE Cemetery in Berne.
Calling hours are from 1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert and from noon-2 p.m. Sunday at Yager-Kirchofer Funeral Home in Berne.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of donor's choice.
DEMPSEY
Elmer C. "Jack" Dempsey, 77, of Van Wert, died at 7:15 a.m. Friday, March 11, 2005, at Van Wert Manor nursing home in Van Wert.
He was born October 10, 1927, in Herson County, Ind., the son of the late Elmer W. and Mildred (Herminghuysen) Dempsey. He first married Marilyn Mengerink, who died May 27, 1995. He then married Sue (Reece) Harman in 1996 and she survives.
Mr. Dempsey was retired from International Harvester Corporation in Fort Wayne, Ind., after 19 years of service. He then worked for 10 years for Quality Farm & Fleet in Van Wert and then at Flatlands Supply Company in Van Wert for several years. He attended First Friends Church in Van Wert and served in the U.S. Army during the end of World War II. He was a member of American Legion Post 178 in Van Wert and the Fraternal Order of Eagles aerie in Lima.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Faith (John) Bowman of Fort Wayne; three stepsons, Mark (Chris) Harman and Larry Eber, both of Van Wert, and Terry (Linda) Eber of Decatur, Ind.; a stepdaughter, Brenda (Ron) Fackler of Van Wert; one brother, Richard Dempsey of Paulding; seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother and one sister.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, March 14, 2005, in Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home in Van Wert, with the Rev. Job Stagner officiating. Burial will be in Scott Cemetery.
Calling hours are 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made in First Friends Church in Van Wert.
