Curtiss W. "Dutch" Henschen, 85, of Sidney, died at 3:30 p.m. July 26, 2006, at Wilson Memorial Hospital in Sidney.

He was born Oct. 7, 1920, in Botkins, to Henry and Hilda Lammers Henschen. On Nov. 24, 1949, he married Esther N. Boerger, who survives.

Also surviving are a son, Tony (Judy), Austin, Texas; four daughters, Bonnie (Robert) Brown and Jane (Mark) Ford, all of Dublin, Kathy (Scott) Lotz, Jackson Center, and Debbie (Joseph) Fornefeld, Fishers, Ind.

Deceased are two sons, Richard and Jerry; a daughter, Lisa; a brother, Robert; and a sister, Dorothy.

He was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired in the mid-1970s from Henschen Industrial. During World War II, he was a member of the 12th Defense Battalion and Sixth 1ss-mm Howitzer Battalion. At Henschen, he invented the Ohio Ditcher, the first ditching machine that could be pulled behind a tractor, and the Duraflex Axel, used by Airstream Corp.

He was a member of American Legion Post 493, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3316, Kiwanis International and village council, all of Jackson Center. For 25 years he was member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Rhine. He also served on its church council. For the past 31 years he was a member of Holy Angels Catholic Church, Sidney.

Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Monday at Holy Angels Catholic Church, Sidney, the Revs. Gerald E. Bensman and James O'Connor officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at St. Michael Cemetery, Fort Loramie.

Calling is 1-5 p.m. Sunday at Cromes Funeral Home, Sidney.

Contributions can be made to the Lehman Foundation or St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Rhine.