Archive
June 15th, 2011
Debra L. Reimund, 57, a resident of Blue Lake near Churubusco, passed away unexpectedly at 5:50 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2011 in the emergency room at Parkview Whitley Hospital in Columbia City after becoming suddenly ill at her home.
Ms. Reimund was born Dec. 12, 1953 in Fort Wayne, a daughter of Herbert E. and Blanche (Smith) Reimund, Sr. She spent her formative years in Fort Wayne and graduated from Northside High School in 1971.
COLUMBIA CITY — Thea K. Fry, 63, of Columbia City, passed away at 7:37 p.m., Saturday, June 4, 2011 at Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home, Fort Wayne. Born Feb. 8, 1948 in Allen County, she was the daughter of Jasper G. Styles and Theadora G. (Koutras) Harmon.
She lived in Allen County moving, to Whitley County in 1981. She graduated from South Side High School, Fort Wayne with the Class of 1966.
On August 23, 1974, she married David L. Fry in Fort Wayne. She worked at Fort Wayne Community Schools and Whitley County Consolidated Schools as a bus driver with 15 years of service.
WOLF LAKE — Cecil J. Harrison, 56, of rural Wolf Lake, died quietly at home surrounded by his loving family at 10:11 a.m. Sunday, June 5, 2011. He had been in failing health.
He was born July 26, 1954 in Columbia City, the son of the late Cecil J. and Mildred (Hursey) Harrison. His formative years were spent in Thorncreek Township and he graduated from Columbia City Joint High School in 1972.
On March 16, 1996 he was united in marriage to Kathy L. Appleton.
CHURUBUSCO — Mary L. Melkus, 62, of Churubusco, died at 10:40 p. m. Friday, June 3, 2011, at Lutheran Hospital.
Melkus was born in Goshen March 26, 1949 to Gerald and Eleanor (Middaugh) Kistler. She spent her formative years in Elkhart County where she graduated from Goshen High School.
She worked for Washington Product near Cromwell and at Dekko Wire in North Webster.
Carolyn J. Kessie, 74, of Columbia City, passed away at 5:35 p.m., Saturday, June 4, 2011 at her residence surrounded by her loving family.
Born Nov. 11, 1936 in Whitley County, she was the daughter of Paul C. and Violet M. (Dolly) Boggs.
She was a lifetime resident of Whitley County. She attended Thorncreek School and graduated from Larwill High School with the Class of 1954. On June 9, 1957, she married Dick D. Kessie at Troy Presbyterian Church, Whitley County.
Gary P. “Soup” Wolf, 57, of Columbia City, died at 1:35 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011 at his residence.
Born Oct. 26, 1953, he was the son of Joseph and Joan (O’Keefe) Wolf.
A life time resident of Columbia City, he graduated from Columbia City Joint High School with the Class of 1972. On Nov. 28, 1992 he married Vicki Zorger. He worked in agricultural-related fields for 35 years with 27-plus years being at AgPlus Peabody.
He was a member of St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, Nix Settlement and attended St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, Columbia City.
Wilma Jean (Barger) Burkett, 61, of Pierceton died June 2, 2011 at 5:01 pm in Lutheran Hospital, Ft. Wayne.
She was born May 26, 1950 in Greenville, Ohio to Glen and Lena (McGaughey) Barger. She resided in Pierceton for 43 years and on July 25, 1970 in Pierceton she married Gene Burkett, who survives. Burkett worked at Whitley Products for 15 years and was a homemaker. She was a longtime member of the Pierceton Fireman’s Ladies Auxiliary and was a 1968 graduate of Columbia City High School.
Gary Lee Kneller, 66, of Silver Lake, died Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 7:55 p.m. in Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw.
Kneller was born May 6, 1945 in Huntington to Edward and Dorothy (Jones) Kneller. He lived most of his life in the Kosciusko County area.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1963-1965.
Kneller married Jennifer Gough Sept. 28, 2002 in Anderson.
Leroy Lawson, 85, a resident of Churubusco, passed away at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, June 2, 2011, at his home. He had been in failing health since April, and had returned home two days ago after being hospitalized.
Mr. Lawson was born in Wolf Lake May 11, 1926, a son of Homer and Blanche (Reed) Lawson, and spent his formative years in Noble County. As a young man he served with the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II, and was a war hero. Following his military discharge he was married to Ruth L. Schroeder Dec. 26, 1947. He was then engaged in farming, and was also a sheet metal worker.
LaDonna (Ness) Schroeder, 71, of Ligonier passed away Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 3:15 a.m. at Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville.
She was born Feb. 7, 1940 in Whitley County to Edward Peter and Florence (Harkenrider) Ness.
On Feb. 23, 1963, she married Alva Eugene Schroeder. He preceded her in death Feb. 28, 1989.
Mrs. Schroeder was a lifetime area resident and graduated from Larwill High School.
