Rev. Ralph Gallagher The Rev. Ralph A. Gallagher, 96, 11640 Heron Lane, St. Marys, died at 5:55 p.m. Aug. 14, 2004, at Otterbein St. Marys Retirement Community.
He was born Nov. 27, 1907, in Shreve, to Martin and Ella Lewis Gallagher. On June 19, 1936, he married Fern Beieler who died Nov. 7, 2000.
Surviving are a son, Ralph of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Gretchen (Floyd) Hughes, Rochester, N.Y.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a daughter, Marlene Kay; a brother, Charles; and four sisters, Nellie, Mary, Phyllis and Marjorie.
A retired Methodist minister, he had served in the Sandusky Conference of the former Evangelical United Brethren Church as well as the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. He was an instructor at Fort Wayne Bible College for 15 years following retirement from the ministry. A graduate of Cleveland Bible College and Huntington College, he received a master of arts degree from Bowling Green State University.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday in the Otterbein chapel, the Rev. Don Ricard officiating. Graveside services are Saturday at Smithville Cemetery, Smithville, the Rev. Dwight Hayes officiating.
Calling is after noon Friday at the chapel.
Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, has charge of arrangements.
Maxine Laffin
Maxine J. Laffin, 87, 06359 County Road 33A, St. Marys, died at 2:58 p.m. Aug. 16, 2004, at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys.
She was born May 3, 1917, in St. Marys, to William and Zelia Dixon Goodwin. Her husband, Orville Laffin, died in 1987.
Surviving are three sons, Bill (Bev) of Wapakoneta, Rex of Naples, Fla., and Kim of Elida; three daughters, Constance (Harold) Nance, Cincinnati, Karen (Billy) Smith and Becky Matthews, all of Naples; a brother, Robert Goodwin, St. Marys; 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Deceased are three brothers, William, Frank and Eric Goodwin, and a grandson.
She retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., St. Marys.
Private services will be held with burial at Resthaven Memory Gardens near St. Marys.
Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys, has charge of arrangements.
Contributions can be made to the American Heart Association.
Tommie Runneals
Tommie A. "Tom" Runneals, 74, of Cairo, died at 6 p.m. Aug. 16, 2004, at Lima Memorial Hospital.
He was born April 1, 1930, in Lakewood, to Harold and Anna Murray Runneals and raised by Sherman and Ruby Garner. On July 28, 1948, he married Dorothy Jennings who survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Terry (Susan) of Cairo, Larry (Nadean) of Lima, and James (Cyndi) of Rockford; two daughters, Janice (Thad) Jesko and Linda K., both of Cairo; 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
He retired from the Lima Ford Engine Plant in 1988. He joined the Cairo Volunteer Fire Department in 1949 and retired in 2001, after serving 14 years as chief and 29 years as an emergency medical technician and fire instructor. A 1948 graduate of Columbus Grove High School, he was a member of Cairo United Methodist Church, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2772 and United Auto Workers Local 1219. He also served in the U.S. Naval Reserves and coached youth baseball programs in the Bath school district.
Services are 11 a.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. Rich Rakay officiating. Burial will follow at Cairo East Side Cemetery.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. today and Thursday at Hartman Sons Funeral Home, Columbus Grove. The fire department will conduct services there at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Contributions can be made to the fire department, church or the American Heart Association.
Cletus Stoepfel
Cletus F. Stoepfel, 85, of Leipsic, died Aug. 16, 2004, at St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima.
He was born March 30, 1919, in Leipsic, to Lucas and Amelia Siebeneck Stoepfel. On July 2, 1952, he married Clela Alt who died Nov. 2, 2002.
Surviving are a son, Cletus D. (Ruth) of Celina; a daughter, Shirley (Edward) Kline, Deshler; a stepdaughter, Viola (Bill) Hofackler, Scott; three sisters, Rita Knoll and Maggie Butler, both of Leipsic, and Betty Weichart, Delphos; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are a son, Gerald Lee; six brothers, Victor, Tom, Richard, Felix, Raymond and Lawrence; a sister, Loretta; and a granddaughter.
In addition to owning and operating several mobile home courts, he was the owner and salesman at the former Clete's Appliances in Celina. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Leipsic, and the American Legion.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, the Rev. George Wenzinger officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery with military rites by the Leipsic American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Love Funeral Home, Leipsic. The rosary will be recited there at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Contributions can be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Bernard Wilker
Bernard Wilker, 71, of St. Marys, died at 6 a.m. Aug. 17, 2004, at his residence.
He was born March 7, 1933, in St. Marys, to Julius and Gertrude Kramer Wilker. On Nov. 5, 1955, he married Marceil Brunswick who survives.
Also surviving are four sons, Ben (Cristy) of Elida, Dan (Traycee) of Lima, Don of Dublin, and Andy of St. Marys; and five daughters, Doris (Doug) Knapke, New Bremen, Norma (Jeff) Hostetler, Cedarville, Lill (Steve) Borchers, Versailles, Angela (Steve) Putman, Wilmington, Sandra (Todd) Miller, Troy; and 25 grandchildren.
Other survivors include seven brothers, Martin of Celina, Jerome and Wilfred of New Bremen, Lester of Tennessee, Charles of St. Marys, Gerald of Versailles, and Paul of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and a sister, Carolyn Mangen, Versailles.
A son-in-law, Daniel Goubeaux, is deceased.
He was a retired pipefitter and plumber, working with Local 776 out of Lima for 35 years. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, where he had been a communion distributor and a member of the church building and maintenance committees, and the Knights of Columbus Council 1592, both of St. Marys. He served 15 months in Korea in the U.S. Army.
Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Leo Hoying officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery, St. Marys.
Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at Miller Funeral Home, St. Marys.
Contributions can be made to State of the Heart Home Health & Hospice, Celina Area Visiting Nurses or the Rev. James Byrne Vocational Fund. |
