Archive - Jan 24, 2011 - Obituary
Joe W. Yoder, 71, retired Whitley County Consolidated School teacher, died Wednesday evening, Jan. 19, 2011 in Cape Coral, Fla. after battling cancer for nine months. He taught many years at the Marshall Middle School.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Dee of Cape Coral; a son, Michael (Lynn Hoffman) Yoder of Green Bay, Wis.; a daughter, Shannon (Richard) Berry of Salt Lake City, Utah; and three grandchildren, Jacob, Abigail and Elliott Berry.
A local celebration of life is being planned in June at the Smith and Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.
Lucille B. Keck, 87, formerly of Columbia City, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2011 at Lee Memorial Hospital in Lehigh Acres, Fla. after a lengthy battle with pneumonia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
She was born Dec. 12, 1923 in Deadwood, S.D., a daughter of Glen L. and Bertha E. (Winckler) Witmer. When Lucille was four years old, her family moved to Indiana. She attended Washington Township School in Noble County, Etna School and graduated from North Webster High School in 1943.
David A. Benbenek, 67, of Fort Wayne, passed away Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, at Parkview North Hospital. Born in Evansville, he was a son of John and Ruth Benbenek. He was a retired Journeyman, and a member of the Local 20 Sheet Metal Workers.
William J. “Bill” Kocher, 72 of Huntington, passed away at 2:55 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, 2011 at his home. He graduated from West Rock Creek High School. He worked as a Line Operator at International Harvester/ Navistar, retiring May 31, 1996, and at Erie Department Store until they closed. He was a member of Etna Avenue Wesleyan Church.
Born Sept. 28, 1938 in Huntington County, he was a son of Paul D. and Edna L. (Veilhauer) Kocher.
Gail R. Bowman, 91, of Pierceton, IN passed away at 8:55 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, 2011 at Kosciusko Community Hospital in Warsaw. He was born Sept. 1, 1919 in Decatur, to Charles A. and Velma O. (Lenhart) Bowman.
He was married to Betty L. Weicht who preceded him in death. He was a World War II Navy Veteran.
Survivors include a son, Samuel E. Bowman; and a brother, Jim Bowman.
Lee J. “Joe” Perry, 87, of Columbia City, died at 11:03 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 at Canterbury Nursing & Rehab, Fort Wayne where he had been a resident for the past year.
He was born Jan. 22, 1924 in McKinley Township, Taylor County, Wisconsin a son of Lee J. and Mayme B. (Smith) Perry Sr. In 1934 his family moved to Union Township, Whitley County. He completed his education at Coesse High School.
On Oct. 26, 1943 he was inducted in the United States Army Railroad Battalion, serving in the European Theater during World War II. He was honorably discharged Feb. 14, 1946.
