Velma Hartke

Flood Warning issued September 20 at 5:21PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers...
St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHEN...Until Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...At 13.0 feet, State Route 117 near Route 118 north of Rockford is water-covered and closed.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 4:40 PM EDT Sunday the stage was 12.9 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 13.0 feet this evening. It will then fall below flood stage just after midnight tonight. - Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

Flood Watch issued September 20 at 1:07PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...Portions of Indiana, including the following counties, Dearborn, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Union and Wayne and Ohio, including the following counties, Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Licking, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union and Warren.
* WHEN...From 7 PM EDT this evening through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain will impact the area overnight. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. The heavy rain combined with saturated ground will lead to potential flash flooding.

Tuesday, April 29th, 2025

Velma Hartke

Velma Jean Hartke, age 94 of Coldwater, Ohio died on Monday, April 28, 2025 at Briarwood Village in Coldwater, which has been her home since 2017. She was born September 20, 1930, in St. Rose, Ohio to the late Aloys & Rose (Bruns) Meier. She married Richard G. Hartke on November 18, 1950, in St. Rose Church, St. Rose, Ohio and he preceded her in death on May 1, 1997.

Velma is survived by her children and in-laws: Kenneth & Mary (Broering), Versailles; Bill's wife Kathy (Ahrens), St. Henry; David & Diana (Heitkamp), Coldwater; Anne & Donald Pottkotter, Celina; Ronald & Susan (Brusman), Xenia; Kathy & Eugene Grieshop, Versailles; Cynthia & Gary Carr, Coldwater, MI; Samuel & Sandy (Prenger), Maria Stein; Mary Jane & Kevin Koesters, St. Henry. Velma was preceded in death by her children: Herbert (dec. as infant, 1951); William (dec. 2015), St. Henry; & James (dec. 2021), Celina. She had 35 grandchildren (2 step, 2 dec.) & 73 great grandchildren. Surviving siblings and in-laws: Julitta Overman, Edna Reichert, Marilyn Uhlenhake, all of Coldwater; Joan Hummel, St. Henry; Anita Homan, Larry & Mary Jane Meier, Nick & Marge Meier, Maria Stein; Diane & Don Albers, Osgood; Dale & Jane Meier, Versailles; Mary Lou Broerman & Tim Bergman, Minster.

Velma was preceded in death by siblings & in-laws: Lillian & Arnold Homan, Eileen & Ben Pleiman, Ben Overman, Ernie Uhlenhake, Lavern Reichert, Don Hummel, Rich Broerman, Lester Homan; infant siblings Marvin & Mary Magdalene.

Also preceded in death by Hartke in-laws: Vera & Lester Huwer, Alvin & Rita Hartke, Jill & Arthur Folino, Sylvester & Ruth Hartke, Norbert Hartke, and Bertha & George Beals. Velma was the last survivor of that generation in the Hartke family.

After graduation, Velma worked at New Idea until she started her family and then helped on the farm. She was a member of the St. Monica Sodality, Carthagena, Ohio. After her children left the house, she worked at Raffels Engine Service and volunteered at Community Hospital. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, puzzles, watching the Reds and spending time with her grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10.30 am. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Carthagena, Ohio on Friday, May 2, 2025. Burial in the cemetery will follow the funeral mass. Friends and family may call at the Hogenkamp Funeral Home in Coldwater, Ohio from 2pm to 7pm on Thursday and from 9am to 10am before the mass. Memorial contributions may be made to EverHeart Hospice.

Condolences for the family may be expressed at www.hogenkampfh.com.

Archive of
April 29th, 2025

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