Anspach
Opel Lucille Ream, 99
Ada
Services for Opel Lucille Ream Anspach will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Hanson-Neely Funeral Home in Ada by the Rev. Harrison Underwood. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Ada.
Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and until the time of services Wednesday.
She died at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 30, 2008, at Hardin Hills Health Center in Kenton.
She was born Aug. 30, 1908, in Allen County to Elihu S. and M. Chloe (Stober) Ream. On Aug. 6, 1941, she married SSgt.. Otis Leroy Anspach and he preceded her in death on March 31, 1974.
Surviving are two sons, Dan (Galina) Anspach of Ada and Jere (Kym) Anspach of Lakeview; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a grandson and five sisters, Marjorie Gaiffe, Alice Clark, Verda Pifer, Hazel Steward and Genevieve Amey.
She was a school teacher and her first school was a one-room country school. She was a fourth grade teacher for ten years at Allen East Schools prior to her retirement.
She also worked at Auto Lite in Toledo, Westinghouse in Lima during World War II, Oldaker Manufacturing Company of Dunkirk and she was also a homemaker.
She was a 1926 graduate of Bluffton High School and a 1931 graduate of Ohio Northern University with a degree in education.
She was a past member of the ONU Women, the Ada Business and Professional Women; the Hardin County Extension Club and the Ada Heritage Women's Club.
She was a current member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Ada Senior Citizens, Liberty Grange for more than 60 years, the Hardin County Retired Teachers Association and the Kenton Genealogy Club.
She started to attend the Bethel Church of Christ in 1916 and continued throughout her life.
Condolences may be sent to hansonneely@wcoil.com.
Memorials may be made to the Bethel Church of Christ Building Fund and/or Hardin Hills Center Activity Fund.
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Barnes
James "Jim", 78
Waynesfield
Arrangements for James "Jim" Barnes are incomplete at Arementrout Funeral Home in Waynesfield.
He died at 3:45 a.m. today, Monday, March 31, 2008, at his home.
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Blackburn
Madelyn F., 85
Arlington
formerly of Jenera
Services for Madelyn F. Blackburn will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Crates Funeral Home, Arlington, by the Revs. Alois Schmitzer III and Jeffery Bolwerk. Burial will follow in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Jenera.
Friends may call 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday.
She died Sunday, March 30, 2008, at Arlington Good Samaritan Center.
She was born Oct. 7, 1922, in Novelty to the late Harry and Bessie (Winkler) Beighley. She married Carl Blackburn on Aug. 29, 1938, and he died Dec. 24, 1992.
Surviving are five sons, Alan C. (Annita) Blackburn of Findlay, James M. (Laurie) Blackburn of Bluffton, Wayne W. Blackburn of Chillicothe, Jerry P. (Debra) Blackburn of Jenera and Jeffrey L. (Michelle) Blackburn of Northwood; four daughters: Alice (Jack) Rogers of Bucyrus, Judy (Bill) Gooding of Malinta, Kathy (James) Searfoss of Jenera and Evelyn M.(John) Howsden of Wendell, Idaho; a sister, Evelyn Campbell of Hagerman, Idaho; 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.
She retired from RCA with more than 20 years of service. She was a former Avon representative and Fashion-Frocks representative. She also was a volunteer for many years at Blanchard Valley Hospital and Arlington Good Samaritan Center. For many years she served on the elections board in Jenera.
Memorials may be made to Ohio Parkinson Foundation Northwest Region Inc., 424 Kentucky Ave., Mansfield, OH 44905.
Condolences my be sent to www.coldrencrates.com.
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Lay
Edward E. "Ed", 69
Belle Center
A celebration of life service for Edward E. "Ed" Lay will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the St. John's United Church of Christ in Kenton by the Rev. Scott Johnson and Pastor Church Zweizig. Burial will be at a later date at the Belle Center Fairview Cemetery.
The family will be present at the church one hour prior to the service. A luncheon will be in the fellowship hall following the service.
He died at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2008, at his home.
He was born Feb. 11, 1939, in Hardin County to Earl and Elizabeth (Sproul) Lay. On March 31, 1961, he married Lynda Campbell and she survives.
Also surviving are a son, Brian Lay of Delaware; two daughters, Tracy (Glenn) Miller of Columbus and Lisa (Mike) Stamos of Westerville; seven grandchildren, Tasha and Chelsi Lay, Jack and Gary Miller and Hannah, Jessica and Leah Stamos; a brother, Don (Jane) Lay of Belle Center; two sisters, Dorothy (Jim) Kelley and Evelyn Jones, both of Belle Center; many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and a special friend, Bill W.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Lloyd Lay; a sister-in-law, Joan Lay and a brother-in-law, Ralph Jones.
He was a teacher, principal and an elementary executive director with the Columbus Public Schools for 30 years. He was the education coordinator at the Stevens House - House of Hope for 10 years and adjunct professor at Columbus State for two years.
He graduated from Belle Center High School in 1957, the Ohio Northern University in 1963 and received his masters degree from Ohio State University in 1965.
He was a member and former elder at the St. John's United Church of Christ in Kenton. He was a member of Pheasants Forever of Hardin County and was a chapter sponsor. He was a member of the Kenton Elks Lodge 157.
He died peacefully at his home after a brave, courageous and short journey with pancreatic cancer surrounded by his loving family.
He was a devoted husband, proud father and doting grandpa.
He loved traveling, reading and tending to his vegetable and flower gardens. He especially enjoyed growing pumpkins for his annual Halloween Weekend with family and friends preparing his Brunswick Stew and Bean Soup over an open fire.
He was a proud recipient of the Keep Hardin County Beautiful Award. His 50 acres is full of prairie grass and many beautiful flowers. He will be dearly missed, but heaven has a creative gardener.
The Schindewolf Stevens Stout Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to stoutfh@alltel.net.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Ed's memory be made to Hardin County Hospice, 15 N. Detroit St., Suite 4000, Kenton, Ohio, 43326.
(Pd. 033108)
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Loth
Emily, 88
Harrod
Services for Emily Loth will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Park Cemetery by Pastor Edward Jarrell.
Friends may call 12:30-2 p.m. Wednesday at Armentrout Funeral Home in Waynesfield.
She died 5:07 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2008, at her home.
She was born May 26, 1919, in St. Cloud, Wis., to Stephan and Camilla (Spal) Kodai. On Nov. 13, 1943, she married Roger Loth in West Allis, Wis., and he preceded her in death on May 26, 1998.
Surviving are a sister-in-law, Gertrude Kodai, of Wisconsin and a brother-in-law, Charles Wedel of Wisconsin.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Edward and Charles Kodai and three sisters, Marie Musil, Valentina Dreyfus and Anne Wedel.
Memorials may be made to St. Rita's Hospice.
Condolences may be sent to www.armentroutfuneralhome.com.
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Johnston
Lowell (Charles), 90
Boulder, Mont.
formerly of Mount Victory
Services for Lowell (Charles) Johnston will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Boulder, Mont.
He died Thursday, March 26, 2008.
He was born in 1917 in Mount Victory to Fannie and Harley Johnston.
Surviving are two sons, Michael (Betty) of Albany, Ore., and John (Myrtle) of Boulder, Mont.; a sister, Annabelle (Maynard) Penhorwood of Hamilton; two sisters-in-law, Lela Johnston of Elk Grove, Calif., and Louise Johnston of Kenton and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise; and two brothers, Rev. John Johnston and Robert Johnston.
He was a 1936 graduate of Mount Victory High School and served as class secretary.
He worked at several construction jobs before moving to Galesburg, Ill., where he was employed as a machinist at the Rock Island Arsenal.
He enlisted in the Navy and saw World War II as a member of the 110th Construction Battalion (CBs) traveling to Hawaii, the Eniwtok Atolls, Sipan, Tinian and other theaters in the Pacific.
The family moved from Illinois to Davenport, Iowa, where they remained until 1974. He sold beauty supplies on for several years and became general manager for the Miller Beauty Supply Co.
He retired first in 1974 from managerial office work and moved to Boulder, Mont. His second retirement came after he managed the Boulder State Liquor Store for several years.
Memorials may be made to the American Legion Post 46, P.O. Box 346, Boulder MT, 59632 or the Boulder United Methodist Church, Box 389, Boulder, MT, 59632.
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