Obituaries courtesy of the News-Banner Publications, posted with permission.
Nov. 8, 2002
Zola M. Bunner Freeman, 92
Mother of Earl Bunner of Ossian, Zola M. Bunner Freeman, 92, died Monday, Nov. 4, at Ossian Health Care. A homemaker, she was born in Grant County. The son is the sole survivor. There will be no service or calling hours. Burial will be in Mount Tabor Cemetery. Memorials to the
Fort Wayne Rescue Mission. Arrangements are by D.O. McComb & Sons Foster Park Funeral Home in
Fort Wayne.
Oren L. Fouts, 90
Oren L. Fouts, 90, who was born at Markle and formerly resided at
Huntington, died Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Towne House Health Center in
Fort Wayne. Mr. Fouts was chairman of the board of directors of the
Huntington County Chamber of
Commerce, chief of Flint Springs Tribe, vice chairman of the board of the American Red Cross Inc., president of Riverfork Development
Corp., past president of the
Huntington Kiwanis Club, and past treasurer of the administrative board of Independent Insurance Agents of
Huntington County. Surviving are his wife, Mildred; a son, Dr. John B. Fouts of
Fort Wayne; and six grandchildren. A daughter, Judy Shideler, is deceased. Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at Trinity United Methodist Church in
Huntington and burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery at
Huntington. Calling hours at D.O. McComb & Sons Covington Knolls Funeral Home,
Fort Wayne, will be Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the church Monday for one hour prior to services. Memorials to Community Harvest Food Bank or to American Cancer Society.
Richard E. Beaty, 71
Huntington real estate agent and auctioneer Richard E. Beaty, 71, died at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, at Lutheran Hospital in
Fort Wayne. Mr. Beaty was a realtor for 40 years, having founded the Dick
Beaty Realty, and was co-owner of Century 21 The
Beaty Company. He was a real estate broker since 1957 and an auctioneer since 1954, being named Realtor of the Year by the
Huntington County Board of Realtors and for the Indiana Farm & Land Institute. He was a member of the National Association’s board of directors. He was a graduate of Lancaster High School in
Huntington County and in 1954 of Purdue University, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. He graduated from the Reppert School of Auctioneering in 1954. Mr. Beaty was a member of the Advisory Committee for Farm Credit Service in
Huntington County from 1978 to the present. He was a former director of the
Huntington County Medical Memorial Foundation and chairman in its formative year of 1983 of the
Huntington County Chamber of
Commerce, which evolved into the Lime City Economic Development
Corp. He was a director in the
Huntington County Chamber of
Commerce Economic Development Committee in 1960 and director in the Riverfork Development
Corp. in 1978-79. He served in 1955 and 1956 as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was born in
Huntington County June 26, 1931, a son of Everett R. and Flossie A. Huffman
Beaty. Surviving are his wife, the former Lois J. Clark of Huntington; two daughters, Pamela Green of South Bend and Melissa Tempest of Columbus, Ind.; two stepchildren, Steven Brooks of
Huntington and Dana Burns of Sheridan, Wyo.; and a brother, Robert L. of
Huntington. Services were at 11 a.m. today at McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home in
Huntington, with Rev. Barry Humble officiating. Burial was in Gardens of Memory Cemetery in
Huntington. Calling hours at the funeral home were Thursday and today for one hour prior to services. Memorials to the
Huntington County Humane Society.
Ronald O. Barcus, 60
Father of Tonia L. Paxson of Bluffton, Ronald O. Barcus, 60, of rural Portland, died Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Lutheran Hospital in
Fort Wayne following a stroke at his home. Mr. Barcus was the owner and operator of the Barcus Small Engine business firm. He was a 1960 graduate of Poling High School and a member of Union
Chapel Church in rural
Bryant. He was born in Van Wert,
Ohio, Aug. 12, 1942, a son of Floyd and Leota Stemen Barcus. His marriage on May 23, 1988 was to Donna
Holbrook, who survives. His mother also survives and resides in rural
Bryant. Additional survivors are two sons, Brian L. of Spencerville and Tony L. of Kendallville; a stepson, Charles
Holbrook of Logan, Ohio; a brother, Kenley O. of Pennville; a sister, Mrs. Max (Charlene) Blowers of rural Bryant; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson. A twin brother, Donald, and a daughter, Barbara L. Barcus, are deceased. Services will be at 11 am. Saturday in the Pennville
Chapel of the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home with
Pastor Bob Sutton and
Pastor H.R. Burkett officiating. Burial will be in IOOF Twin Hills Cemetery at Pennville. Calling hours at the Pennville
Chapel are today from 4 to 8 p.m. Memorials to the Union
Chapel Church, rural
Bryant.
Grace L. Grover, 94
Grace L. Grover, 94, with relatives in the Wells County area, died Monday, Nov. 4, at Miffin Care Center in Mansfield,
Ohio, after an extended illness. Mrs. Grover, who was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Marion,
Ohio, formerly resided at Nevada,
Ohio, and had made her home the last five years with a son and daughter-in-law, Robert B. and Janet Grover of Lucas,
Ohio. She was born Aug. 3, 1908 in Robinson, Ill., to Clyde J. and Birdie Jacobs Burns. Her marriage in Hillsdale, Mich., on Jan. 3, 1925 was to Clyde L. Grover, who died Feb. 18, 1969. Surviving, in addition to the son in Lucas,
Ohio, are two daughters, Mrs. Richard (Loraine) Rengert of Morral,
Ohio, and Mrs. Frank (Norma J.) Fanello of Marion, Ohio; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 14 great-great-grandchildren; and four stepgreat-grandchildren. A brother, a sister and a grandson are deceased. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Ontario (
Ohio) funeral home of Wappner Funeral Directors of Mansfield with Rev. Brian L. Dadlow officiating. Burial will be in Grand Prairie Cemetery in Brush
Ridge,
Ohio. Calling hours at the Ontario chapel will be Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials to Hospice of North Central
Ohio.
Nov. 9, 2002
Jay
Rice, 61
A self-employed contractor, Jay
Rice, 61, of rural Uniondale, died at 6:43 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Lutheran Hospital. Mr. Rice, who owned
Rice & Son Construction, also had been employed the past four and one-half years with Hiner Transport of
Fort Wayne. Mr. Rice was a 1959 graduate of Rockcreek High School. He attended the First United Church of
Christ in Bluffton and served as a church deacon. He also was an umpire in Industrial
League, Girls Junior
League and Church
League Softball for a period of 41 years. Mr. Rice was also an avid fisherman. Born Nov. 15, 1940 in
Huntington County to Fred H. and Fae Stogdill
Rice, his marriage on June 2, 1963 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church was to Diane Cupp, who survives. In addition to the wife, who resides at 5879N, 400W, Uniondale, other survivors are two sons, Joseph E. Rice of Bluffton and Bruce L. Rice of Hickory Corners, Mich.; a brother, Neal
Rice of Markle, and three grandchildren. Services will be held at Goodwin Memorial
Chapel on Monday at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Neil Wilson and Rev. Gary Williamson officiating. Burial will be in St. Paul Cemetery at Uniondale. Calling at the funeral home will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 8 p.m. Memorials to the First United Church of
Christ.
B. Olen
Whisenhunt, 73
B. Olen
Whisenhunt, 73, who owned an auto parts business in Albuquerque, N.M., for 15 years before retiring in 1989 and returning to reside in
Huntington, died at 5:45 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Parkview
Huntington Hospital. Mr. Whisenhunt owned and operated Wholesale Auto Parks in Albuquerque from 1975 to 1989. He had worked also for at H-K Porter and Schacht Rubber Co. in
Huntington for several years. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a member of ALPCA License Plate Collectors Club 7908. He was born in Foreman, Ark., Oct. 6, 1929, a son of John and Ida Tedder
Whisenhunt. His marriage on Nov. 5, 1979 in Arkansas was to Rita Jane Homier, who survives. Additional survivors are five sons, Robert O. of Keys, Fla., Thomas O. and Bobby O., both of Dierks, Ark., John O. and Roger, both of Albuquerque; four daughters, Mrs. Tim (Teri) Beeks of
Huntington, Jo
Whisenhunt of Dierks, and Pam Dennis and Deb Arquette, both of Huntington; two brothers, Bill L. of Tucson, Ariz., and Jim of Minden, La.; 24 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. A sister is deceased. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Myers Funeral Home
Huntington Chapel with Father Gary Sigler officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in
Huntington. Visitation hours will be at the
Huntington chapel Monday from 2 to 8 p.m. Memorials to the Leukemia Foundation.
Beulah Faye
Wolfenberger, 86
Funeral services for Beulah Faye (Stacy)
Wolfenberger, 86, of Dayton,
Ohio, will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11 at the Rogers Funeral Home in Trotwood,
Ohio. Mrs. Wolfenberger, who has a daughter living in Bluffton, died Thursday, Nov. 7. She is survived by two sons, Earl
Wolfenberger and Anthony Kentwood Wolfenberger; six daughters, Brenda Joyce, Patricia Jo Baumgartner, Selma Fay Buckner, Doris Ann Mandusky, Barbara Sue Cadle and Gloria Jean Baublet; a brother, Herbert Stacy; a sister, Rachel, 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant son, five sisters, three brothers and a granddaughter. Burial will be in Bear Creek Cemetery and the family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10 a.m. Monday until time of service.
Elizabeth Marcile
Shelton, Infant
Elizabeth Marcile
Shelton, 13-day-old daughter of Brian and Camilla
Ferrell Shelton of
Sullivan, died Thursday, Nov. 7, at Regional Hospital in Terre Haute. She was born Oct. 25, 2002, and in addition to the parents, she is survived by a sister, Cassandra K. Shelton, at home. Also surviving are grandparents Greg and Vicky
Shelton of
Sullivan, Don and Charlene
Ferrell of Ossian, great-grandparents Mick and Patsy Wright of
Sullivan, Melvin and Bertha Jo Kendall of Dugger, Clinton and Helen Doctor of Hoagland, and Robert and Sarah
Ferrell of Andrews. Funeral services will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Banks and Brust Funeral Home in
Sullivan with
Pastor Phulip Meyer officiating. Burial will be in Center
Ridge Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. Monday until time of services.