Obituaries

Jan 11, 2020

Larry L. Decker, 77, of Convoy passed away at 3:25 PM on January 11, 2020 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was born on December 15, 1942, in Grabil, Indiana, to the late Walter and Irene (Milkie) Decker. In 1993, he married the former Leonie O. (Weigl) Orsbon who survives. Larry served in the US Army during...

Jan 11, 2020

Mark R. Riggenbach, 63, of Van Wert passed away at 3:14 PM on January 11, 2020 at Lima Memorial Hospital. Born on February 29, 1956 in, Van Wert, Ohio, the son of the late Richard Riggenbach and Laura (Williamson) Riggenbach. Mark was a 1974 graduate of Van Wert High School. He retired from the Van Wert County Job and...

Jan 6, 2020

Mary "Kay" (Hill) Karnes, 68, of Oakwood, Ohio, passed away at 4:45 AM on Monday, January 6, 2020 at the Community Health Professionals Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born January 7, 1951 in Paulding, Ohio to the late Anson and Adella (Deroy) Hill. Kay was an S.T.N.A. and had formerly worked at the Amvets in Defiance. She was...

Jan 2, 2020

Ronald A. Snyder, 69, of Van Wert passed away January 2, 2020 during brief hospice inpatient care, Lima Memorial Hospital. Ron was born February 22, 1950 in Marion, Ohio the son of Eldon (Sam) Snyder, who has preceded him in death and Elizabeth (Betty) Snyder who survives in Van Wert. Ron was an athlete and a scholar. He graduated...

Jan 1, 2020

Freeman R. May, 65, of Van Wert, earned his angel wings at 6:56 PM on Monday, April 20, 2020 at Van Wert Health after a long, courageous 30 month battle with leukemia. Born in Defiance, Ohio, on July 16, 1954, to the late William R. May, Sr and Opal (Gribler) May, Freeman was raised by his late "mom", Maxine...

Jan 1, 2020

Larry L. Poling, 81, of Van Wert died at 9:14 AM on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at Van Wert Health. He was born February 22, 1938 in Van Wert to the late Dallas and Mildred (Hanby) Poling. On August 24, 1957 he married the former Joan Wortman. Larry was a lifetime Van Wert County farmer and a member of the...

Jan 1, 2020

Joan K. Bartz, 68, of Yakima, Washington passed away on January 01, 2020 at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Yakima. Born on April 19, 1951 in, Van Wert, the daughter of the late Verne Cadell Bartz and Marilyn Sue (Edwards) Bartz. Joan was a 1969 graduate of Van Wert High School. She received her undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State...

Dec 31, 2019

Esther M. Ley, 100, of Van Wert, Ohio, went to be with her Lord on December 31, 2019, at 8:11 PM in her home, surrounded by her family. She was born April 10, 1919 to Clifford Wilson Summersett and Hazel Ruth (Pollock) Summersett in Middle Point, Ohio, both who preceded her in death. On March 22, 1941 Ester married...

Dec 28, 2019

Justin Richard Wolford, 39, of Bronson, MI, passed away at 10:38 AM on December 28, 2019 at Parkview Regional Medical Center following an automobile accident going home to Michigan from Ohio on Christmas Eve. He was born on January 13, 1980, in, Lima, OH, to Steven R. Wolford and Sandy (Mason) Bechtol. A 1998 graduate of Pansophia Academy in Coldwater,...

Dec 25, 2019

Darin L. Hofacker, 45, of Van Wert passed away at 10:32 PM on December 25, 2019 at his home after a courageous battle with colon cancer. He was born on August 07, 1974, in,Van Wert, to Ray Hofacker and the late Nancy (Workinger) Hofacker. On March 24, 2006, he married the love of his life, Aimee Pontius. A graduate...

Dec 24, 2019

Kathy Ann Sink, "Gertie", 69, of Van Wert passed away at 12:48 PM on December 24, 2019 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. She was born on March 04, 1950, in Van Wert, to the late Herman Lawrence and Gloria Jean (King) Stittsworth. Gertie was a 1968 graduate of Enfield High School in...

Dec 22, 2019

DOLORES ANN (JOHNS) BALYEAT passed away early Sunday morning December 22, 2019. She was born December 31, 1929 in Ojai, CA to Robert A. and Goldie (Miller) Johns who both preceded her in death. A 1947 graduate and class secretary of Van Wert High School, Dolores continued to organize class reunions for many years. Following high school she worked...

Dec 20, 2019

Robert James Karcher, 90, of Van Wert passed away on December 20, 2019 at Lima Memorial. He was born in Findlay to the late Raymond A. and Rosella (Keckler) Karcher.

Robert went on to serve his country in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1949. He was stationed at Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL and...

Dec 20, 2019

Jeffrey L. Goins, 53, of Van Wert, formerly of Scott, passed away unexpectedly at 6:33 AM on December 20, 2019 at Van Wert Health after a brief illness. He was born on October 10, 1966, in Van Wert, to Jerry Goins and the late Judy (Hines) Goins. Jeff was a Navy veteran, having served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm....

Dec 19, 2019

Mary Marguerite "TUTS" Rahrig, 101, of Van Wert passed away at 11:25 PM on December 19, 2019 at Hearth & Home at Van Wert. She was born on April 18, 1918 in, Washington Township, to the late Arnold Mathias and Mary Elizabeth (Ruen) Nagel. Tuts worked for many years in the sewing room of Marsh Foundation. She was a...

Dec 14, 2019

Terel Christine (Arnett) Dias, 30, of Latty, Ohio, passed away Saturday afternoon, December 14, 2019 at the Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born August 12, 1989 in Paulding, Ohio to Fred Arnett of Haviland and Tonette (McDonald) Arnett of Paulding. On April 19, 2017 she married Devin J. Dias and he survives of Latty. Terel most recently...

Dec 14, 2019

Gregory A. Ebel, 63, of Van Wert, passed away at 11:17 AM on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at St. Joe Hospital in Ft. Wayne, Indiana He was born on January 30, 1956 in, Watertown, South Dakota the son of the late Earl and Ethel (Mendenwalt) Ebel. Greg was a 1975 graduate of Van Wert High School and retired from...

Dec 11, 2019

Linda M. (Klausing) Mitchell, 70, of Van Wert passed away Wednesday morning, December 11, 2019. She was born November 21, 1949, the daughter of Clarence Klausing and Viola (Klausing) Schaffner, who both preceded her in death. Survivors include her sons, Eric Metzger and Jason Mitchell, both of Van Wert; a brother Bob Klausing of Van Wert; and a granddaughter,...

Dec 11, 2019

Ezellia B. McIntosh, 92, of Convoy passed away on December 11, 2019 at Van Wert Health. Born on September 27, 1927 in Wilder Branch, Leslie County, Kentucky, the daughter of the late Woolery and Eva Bailey. On April 8, 1946, she married James McIntosh, who preceded her in death. Ezellia retired from the Dana Corporation. Ezellia loved music, dancing,...

Dec 8, 2019

Johnathan R. Murphy Jr., 34, of Van Wert passed away Sunday evening, December 8, 2019. He was born on February 11, 1985 to Johnathan Murphy Sr. and Tammy Cugliari. Johnathan enjoyed photography and being in nature, especially fishing. He was a member of Hope Chapel, and worked for the Salvation Army over the holiday season. His surviving family includes:...