Funeral services for lifelong Plymouth resident, Thelma Burns Collins, 95, will be on Monday, July 2, 2001, at 10 a.m. in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.  Grand nephew, Mike Burroughs, will conduct the service. 

        Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, July 1, 2001, from 3 to 7 p.m., after which an Eastern Star Service will be held in the funeral home at 7 p.m. 

Thelma, who resided 6785 N. Michigan Rd., Plymouth, died of natural causes at 7:10 a.m. on Friday, June 29, 2001, in the Pilgrim Manor Nursing Home, Plymouth. 

She was born in Plymouth on September 10, 1905, the daughter of Elmer G. and Mary Louella Ebel Burns.  She attended Plymouth High School. 

On October 19, 1956, in Plymouth, at the E.U.B (Trinity United Methodist Church) Thelma and George Collins, the owner of a hearing aid company in town, were married.  George died on January 4, 1976. 

For 35 years Thelma was office manager of the Security Loan Company, now AVCO Finance, retiring in 1970. 

Serving people was her joy. 

A devoted lifetime member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, she was a Sunday school teacher and a dedicated member of the Band of Hope class.  She was a 50-year active member and a past Worthy Matron and office holder in all positions of the Eastern Star, Judy Grover Chapter #26.  Thelma was also active in the Business and Professional Women's Club and the hospital auxiliary. 

She enjoyed traveling and crochet.  She did her own yard work and, remained active during her senior years. 

Thelma is survived by four nieces and a nephew.  They are: Joan and Wallace Whitcomb, Bunker Hill, Ind., Richard and Marilyn Shreve, Huntington, W. Va., Mary Sue and Willis Burroughs, Argos, Betty Lou and Mearl Yockey, Ft. Wayne, Ind., and Peggy and Dell Fast, Roanoke, Texas. 

Other survivors include several great-nieces and nephews, step-children and their families. 

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and two sisters, Helen Hatfield and Gladys Shreve and Ford Burns, a brother. 

Burial will take place in Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth. 

Memorial gifts in Thelma's memory may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church's Elevator and Handicap Entry Fund. 

Nina V. Hassler 

October 1, 1925 - July 3, 2001 

Lifetime Plymouth resident Nina Virginia Hassler, 75, who lived at 16369 Pretty Lake Road, Plymouth, since 1956, died, following a courageous three-year battle with cancer, at 4:50 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3, 2001.  Nina died in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend, where she had been a patient for three weeks. 

She was born the daughter of Harvey E. and Alice D. Bolenbaugh Grunawalt on October 1, 1925, in Donaldson, Ind.  She graduated from West High School with the class of 1943, and later took business and computer courses at Ancilla College. 

On July 20, 1945, Nina and Dewey J. Hassler were married in Crown Point, Indiana. 

Her work career started at the old Glove factory; she later worked at Meck's, then Schlosser Brothers Creamery-Hawthorne Mellody until its' closing.  She retired in 1990, following ten years of service in the offices of the Del Monte Corp. 

She loved music, reading the latest fiction books and strolls around Pretty Lake.  An accomplished pianist, she played at her church, the Trinity United Methodist, and sometimes she and her daughter, Nancy, would play duets. 

A fifty-year member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, she was active in the Builders Class and with the United Methodist Church Women, helping with dinners and other projects. 

A member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, always concerned for others, she volunteered clerical work for all of the veterans service organizations.  She also assisted with her husband at Northern Indiana Legal Services and together they were members of the Michiana Gem and Mineral Society. 

Nina is survived by Dewey, her spouse of almost 56 years and by their two daughters: Nancy L. and Don Ferris, Plymouth and Nanette L. and Jim Saboski, South Bend. 

Dicky L. Grunawalt, a brother of Norfolk, Virginia, and several nieces and nephews also survive. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and by a brother, Gerald Grunawalt, who was killed while in the service of his country in 1944. 

Visitation with Nina's family will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 5, 2001, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, Ind. 

Funeral services, conducted by Mike Burroughs of the Trinity United Methodist Church, will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 6, 2001, in the funeral home. 

Burial will be in the Tyner Cemetery, Tyner, Ind.

Memorial gifts in Nina's memory may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church's Elevator Fund. 

Jane Levett 

July 25, 1923 - July  4, 2001 

Jane Levett, devoted wife, mother and grandmother,  300 Baker St., Plymouth, a resident of Plymouth since 1956, coming from Allegan, Michigan, has died. 

Jane died on Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at 8:05 a.m. in St. Joseph Medical Center, Plymouth.  She was 77 years old. 

Her enduring strength and courage, her dedication to the highest principles and her willingness to help those around her, will be long remembered by her family and friends. 

She was born Betty Jane Arnold on July 25, 1923, in Marshall, Mich., the daughter of Bates W. and Elizabeth Arnold.  She graduated from Marshall, Mich. High School with the class of 1941.  She attended Michigan State University, which is where she met Milan J. Levett, her husband. 

  Their 56th wedding anniversary would have been on July 7, 2001. 

The couple was married in Junction City, Kansas, where Milan, in the service at the time, was stationed. 

Jane was active in the family business from 1960 to 1980.  She served as the Center Township Assessor of Marshall County from 1983 to 1995 and remained involved in the Republican Party. 

Her family and friends were important to Jane.  She was a wonderful cook and excellent baker and enjoyed sharing this gift with her friends and church.  She enjoyed traveling and watching athletic events. 

A longtime active member of the First United Methodist Church, Plymouth, Jane was involved in many church groups and activities, freely giving of her time to worthy causes.  For many years she served on the church Memorial Committee. 

Jane is survived by her husband, Milan, and by a daughter, Sue A. and Dick Stinson, Plymouth, and a grandson, Eric Stinson, Crawfordsville, Ind. 

Two sons and their families also survive: Mark A., and Marabeth Levett of Columbus, Ind., and their three daughters: Jenny Levett, Indianapolis, Amy and Mitch Unger, Evanston, Ill., and Megan Levett, Columbus, Ind.  Paul E. Levett and his daughter, Whitney and son, Adam, all of Plymouth, survive as well. 

A sister- in- law, Gloria Arnold of Marshall, Mich., and several nieces and nephews also survive. 

Her brother Edward Arnold preceded her in death. 

Visitation with the family will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 6, 2001, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

The Dr. E. Dean Fager, of the First United Methodist Church, will officiate at memorial services for Jane at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 7, 2001, at the church, 400 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

Memorial gifts in Jane's memory may be made to the church or to the Marshall County Hospice. 

Joyce P. Morris 

July 6, 1939 - July 6, 2001 

   An area resident most of her life, Joyce P. Morris, 62, 11240 9A Road, Plymouth, rose up into the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father at 5:50 p.m., on July 6, 2001.  As was her wish, she died at home in the loving company of her family and members of the Marshall County Hospice team. 

Born in Gary, Ind., on July 6, 1939, she was the daughter of William and Pearl Erickson.  Raised by her aunt and uncle, Alvin and Hulda Holm from the age of five until adulthood, Joyce fondly remembered and was grateful to the couple.  She said that she looked forward to greeting them in heaven. 

On Nov. 2, 1958, Joyce and Richard C. Morris were married in Tyner, Ind. 

Joyce raised her children while working alongside her spouse in the family-owned business.  Hardworking, she kept the books and managed the office, first at Morris Motors and Carwash to the present Gold Coast Motors. 

After helping her family to become happy and secure adults, Joyce gave her maternal love and skills to her grandchildren.  She experienced pure joy in spending time with them and participating in their activities. 

For the past 17 years, "Grandma" has beamed with the pride, joy and love in having Kara, Rick, Sam, Matt, Holly, Emily, Sydney and Grace.  Joyce had great respect and love for her daughters-in-law, Monica, Lynn and Paula, enjoying a special relationship with each. 

This past year, Joyce became a member of the Koontz Lake Missionary Church, Walkerton, Ind.  The spirit of God, the strength of the ministry and the love of the congregation served to strengthen her faith and offered her great comfort. 

Among her favorite hobbies were decorating cakes for family and friends and collecting photos of her family.  She was also an avid reader and a firm supporter of the Plymouth Public Library. 

Joyce is survived by her husband, Richard and her three sons and their wives: Michael and Paula Morris, James and Monica Morris and Joseph and Lynn Morris.  A daughter, Julie Morris, eight grandchildren, a brother, Joseph William Erickson and many nieces and nephews survive as well. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her  aunt and uncle, Alvin and Hulda Holm, a sister, Mary Ann Allen, and a nephew, William G. Erickson. 

Family services were held on Monday, July 9, 2001.  Entombment was in New Oakhill Cemetery. 

Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, was in charge of arrangements. 

Memorial gifts in Joyce's memory may be made to the Koontz Lake Missionary Church of Walkerton, Ind., to Friends of the Library, Plymouth or to the Marshall County Hospice. 

Floyd E. Burkett 

April 21, 1906 - July 8, 2001 

A proud pioneer of the telecommunications industry and a lifetime resident of the Plymouth area, Floyd E. Burkett, 95, who lived for the past 71 years at 612 E. LaPorte St., Plymouth, has died. 

In failing health for the past two years, Floyd died at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 8, 2001, in Millers Merry Manor, Plymouth, where he had been a resident for just over a year. 

Born in Culver, Ind., the son of George and Pearl Wolfe Burkett, on April 21, 1906, Floyd attended grammar school in Burr Oak and was a member of the  West High School class of 1924. 

On June 28, 1930, in Plymouth, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary I. Welborn, his bride of 71 years. 

  Floyd was considered to be an authority on the history of northern Indiana telephones by everyone in the business. 

He could fix anything.  He said he started at the bottom of the business.  As a "squeak" or groundsman, he dug postholes and set poles by hand.  His first job was to string a line of eight copper wires from Warsaw to Knox. 

  Floyd started moving up; climbing the poles as a linesman and cable splicer. 

During World War II, Floyd was in a profession vital to the welfare of the country and was exempt from service.  United Telephone went to war.  They handled, among other things, the Western Union. 

Floyd was District Manager and Traffic Engineer for United Telephone for 42 years, retiring in 1969. 

He has always kept busy, doing his own yard work and, with the neighbor's help, took care of the snow until just a few years ago. 

He enjoyed deer hunting in Montana and traveling to Canada each year for fishing trips until his age of 92.  He taught each of his great-grandchildren how to fish.   The Burketts spent many winters in Texas and then Florida. 

Floyd had a great interest in his family and his church.  A lifetime member of the Church of the Brethren, most of his years at the Plymouth church, where he was a former trustee and member of the Loyal Builder's Class. 

A past president of the Plymouth Lion's Club, he was a life member and past president of the Independent Telephone Pioneers and a life member of the  National Association of Independent Telephone Pioneers.  He was also a life member of the Marshall County Historical Society and for twenty years, a Plymouth Fire Department volunteer. 

Floyd is survived by his devoted wife, Mary, and by their two daughters and their families: Joyce E. and Frank Howard, Plymouth and children: Debbie Caudell, Springville, Ind., and Susan Wendel, Plymouth.  Daughter Carol A. Magoon-Blane, her husband Mark of Indianapolis, Ind. and her children:  Julie Desaulniers,  Manitoulin Island, Canada, Bonnie Helton, Indianapolis, Maggie Magoon, Athens, Ohio, Ryan Magoon, and Andrew Magoon, Vancouver, British Columbia. 

  Eleven great-grandchildren also survive along with a sister, Rachel Wenino, Plymouth. 

Floyd was preceded in death by his a brother, Clarence Burkett. 

Friends may visit with the family to celebrate the life of Floyd Burkett on Tuesday, July 10, 2001, from 4 to 8 p.m., in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

Visitation will be continued for one hour prior to the service at the Plymouth Church of the Brethren, 1130 N. Michigan St., on Wednesday, July 11, 2001, at 11 a.m.  The Rev. Dave Kerkove, pastor of the church, will officiate. 

Burial will be in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth. 

Memorial gifts in Floyd's memory may be made to the church or to a charity of the donor's choice. 

Jane E. Young 

March 18, 1929- July 11, 2001 

   Jane E. Young, 72, 1013 Highland Ct., a resident of Plymouth, Ind. for the past 41 years died, following an illness, at 11:25 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11, 2001.  Jane died in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth.

   Keith Nash, a "forever friend" of forty years, of Jane and Bob Young, said, " Jane was a special person.  Very generous and very kind and thoughtful of other people.

   "She had a terrific sense of humor and even though she had been ill, she never lost it." 

   Born in Canton, Ohio, on March 18, 1929, Jane was the daughter of Fred and Elizabeth Reiber.  She was a 1947 graduate of Redford High School in Detroit, Michigan.  She worked as a telephone operator for several years after her graduation.

   On October 25, 1952, in Detroit, Jane and Robert Young were married.  Bob died on June 13, 1992. 

   Jane was a vivacious and active woman.  Accomplished in sports, she was an avid golfer and fierce competitor.  She and her husband, Bob, co-founder of Young Door Company, Plymouth. Now operating as Doorcraft of Indiana a Jeld-Wen Corporation.

   A member of Tri-Kappa, she was also an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Plymouth. 

   Jane is survived by a daughter and a son: Nancy Harper, Chelsea, Michigan, and Robert S. and Trish Young, Bloomington, Ind.

   A devoted and doting grandmother she is also survived by two grandsons, Andrew Robert, 9, and Alexander James, 7. 

   A sister and brother-in-law, Gail and Richard Corsette, Grayling, Michigan, also survive. 

   Jane was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. 

   There will be no visitation. 

   A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 14, 2001, at 1 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church, 401 N. Walnut St., Plymouth, Ind.  The Rev. Les Johnson will officiate.  Arrangement by the Johnson - Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St. Plymouth.

   Memorials in Jane's memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice. 
 

Bertha I. Schmeltz 

July 25, 1915 - July11, 2001 

Lifetime area resident, Bertha Irene Schmeltz, formerly of 9216 Suter Rd.  died of natural causes at 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11, 2001, in Walnut Creek Care Center where she had lived since 1999.  Bertha would have celebrated her 86th birthday in two weeks. 

Born in Teegarden, Ind., on July 25, 1915, Bertha was the daughter of George Washington and Ida May Weaver Thomas.  She attended Teegarden schools. 

On December 31, 1937, in South Bend, she married Cecil Paul Lewis Schmeltz. 

A homemaker....and a good one.  Bertha was an outdoor person.  She enjoyed gardening, vegetables and flowers.  She canned the fruits of her garden and was an excellent cook. 

She liked to crochet and sew and made much of the family's clothing. 

A former member of the Teegarden Brethren Church, Bertha attended the Pretty Lake United Methodist Church.  A 25-year member of the Women of the Moose, #1355, she was a Past Chairperson of Moose Heart and was an Escort to the Academy of Friendship in the Moose. 

Bertha is survived by Cecil, her spouse of 63 years, and their four daughters.  The daughters are Sharon L. and Gale Lowry and Donna K. and Donald Wood, all of  Walkerton: Margaret M. Birk and Gloria I. and Charles Krieg all of Plymouth. 

Eighteen grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren together with Bernice Odaffer, a sister-in-law of Plymouth, also survive. 

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers: Willard and Clarence Thomas and Nancy Mangun, a sister.  An infant son, Paul Lamar Schmeltz and an infant grandson, David Louis Wood, have also died. 

Visitation with her family to celebrate Bertha's life will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 13, 2001, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.   A special Moose Ladies Ritual will be held at 8 p.m. following visitation. 

Funeral services for Bertha will be at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2001, in the funeral home.  The Rev. Charles Krieg, Bertha's son-in-law and pastor of the Pretty Lake United Methodist Church, will officiate. 

Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Walkerton. 

Memorial gifts in Bertha's name may be made to Moose Heart or a charity of the donor's choice. 

Zelma R. Mercer 

January 26, 1912 - July 11, 2001 

Zelma R. Mercer, 89, formerly of 619 E. LaPorte St., where she made her home with her devoted son, Michael, died of natural causes at 4:35 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11. 2001.  Zelma died in the Walnut Creek Nursing Home where she had lived for the past two and a half years. 

Born January 26, 1912, in Huntington, West Virginia. 

After her high school graduation in 1928, she attended the South Bend College of Commerce and worked for the Westinghouse Corp.  When Westinghouse left South Bend, Zelma became the secretary of the First Christian Church of which she was a member.  She worked with its' beloved pastor, Dr. Elmer Ward Cole. 

Throughout her life, she remained a faithful and active member of First Christian, serving in many capacities. 

The church was the central focus of her life and the life of her family. 

On Nov. 19, 1933, in the First Christian Church, Zelma became the bride of Harold A.. Mercer.  She devoted the next 17 years to being a full-time wife and mother. 

For 27 years, from 1950 until her retirement in 1977, and part-time until 1982, Zelma was a teller, then head teller for the St. Joseph Bank and Trust in South Bend.  It was work she dearly loved. 

Zelma was known for her sense of humor, her quick intelligence and her strength of character. 

She is survived by a son and daughter: Michael K. Mercer, Plymouth and Marilee A. Mercer-Wead, and son-in-law, Gordon R. Wead of Wilmette, Ill.  A sister-in-law, Helen Mercer, Plymouth, also survives as well as a niece, Betty Howard, of Lakeland, Florida . 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold who died on Nov. 2, 1988, a sister, Edith Gunter and twin brothers, Harold and Gerald Runyon. 

Visitation with Zelma's family will be on Saturday, July 14, 2001, from 12 to 2 p.m. in the First Christian Church, 1101 E. Jefferson Blvd., at Eddy Street, South Bend. 

Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary.  Bert Handwork, an Elder of the church, will officiate. 

Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery, South Bend. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Zelma's memory may be sent to First Christian Church, 1101 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, IN., 46617. 

Marshall A. Craig 

November 24, 1917 - July 12, 2001 

Marshall Alexander Craig, 84, 2313 Benham Ave., Elkhart, Ind., a Marshall and Elkhart County resident all of his life, died, following an illness, at 7:07 p.m. on Thursday, July 12, 2001.  Marshall died in the Rosewood Terrace Nursing Home, Elkhart. 

Born on November 24, 1917, in Plymouth, Marshall was the son of Frank and Eliza Annabelle Greer Craig.  He was a 1936 graduate of Lincoln High School, Plymouth and attended various technical schools. 

During World War II, Marshall was a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corp.  He was a member of the Plymouth V.F.W., and the American Legion. 

In January, 1943, in Indianapolis, Ind., Marshall and Ellamae Ennis were married.  Ellamae died in Nov. 1961.  In Dec. of 1968, in Elkhart, he and Loretta Zimmer Gang were wed. 

Marshall retired on April 1, 1984, after 44 years with the McCords Corp. in Plymouth where he had worked in the Service Plate and Layout departments. 

He was a member of the Plymouth Moose, Lodge and of a gun club in Elkhart. 

An amateur ham radio operator, his call letters were "K9MSP." He had been a private pilot since the late 1940s and was a member of the Mishawaka Pilots club. 

Marshall is survived by his wife, Loretta of Elkhart, and by two daughters.  The daughters are Julie Floyd and friend Warren Moore, Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte and Phillip Fifer, Sr., Riverview, Fla. 

A granddaughter, Kay Graf, Riverview, Fla., and a grandson, Phillip and Jean Fifer, Jr., Hanover, Md., together with four great-grandsons also survive. 

A step-daughter, Shirley and Roger Rhodes, Ft. Wayne, Ind., and a step-son, Robert and Alice Gang, Dewey, Ariz., survive as well. 

Marshall was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Ellamae, two brothers and two sisters. 

There will be no visitation. 

Memorial services in the New Oakhill Chapel, Plymouth, will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17, 2001. The Rev. Mark Kloess, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, will officiate. 

The Plymouth V.F.W.  Post 1162 will give full military graveside honors at Oakhill Cemetery in Plymouth. 

Memorial gifts in Marshall's name may be made to the Plymouth V.F.W. Post 1162 or the Elkhart County Hospice. 

Eva R. Lemert 

March 19, 1904 - July 13, 2001 

A dynamic professional business woman, Eva R. Lemert, 97, and lifetime Plymouth resident, has died. 

Eva, who drove a pink Cadillac with the license plate, "Foxy Lady," died of natural causes, on 2:10 p.m. on Friday, July 13, 2001.  In failing health for the past eight years, she died in Pilgrim Manor Nursing Home, 222 Parkview Drive, Plymouth. 

Born on the family homestead on 11th Rd., Plymouth, Eva was the daughter of William H. and Nancy V. Bowell Reed.  She attended Inwood grade schools, graduating from Lincoln high school in Plymouth in 1920. 

On Oct. 9, 1920, Eva and Loren E. Lemert were married in Plymouth.  Loren died on Dec. 13, 1962. 

After she was married, Eva worked in the first Montgomery Ward Store for a salary of $12 for a sixty hour week.  Later she worked in the Recorder's office in the Court House. 

She and her spouse owned and operated the Marshall County Sale Barn-Livestock Auctions north of Plymouth. They were also agents for John Deere Farm Equipment and operated Oldsmobile Cadillac Sales and Service from 1942 through 1950. 

  In 1948, she confidently ran the Lemert Engineering firm with her spouse until his death, continuing as president of the company until her retirement in 1986.  Some of the innovative products developed by Lemert Engineering were: Sea Trim Afterplanes, Airflex Riveters, Selectrol Water Injection System and the Level Air Shock Absorbers. 

She was a horsewoman and the first secretary of the Marshall County Horse Association, serving for six years.  She showed horses in the Three and five Gaited as well as the Five Harness Classes in Plymouth and throughout the state. 

  Eva was a past matron of the Eastern Star #26 and Past Mother Advisor of Rainbow Girls, serving many additional years as Advisor.  She was a Past Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of Business and Professional Women, Marshall county Historical Society, a member of the Farm Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce and was written up in "Who's Who." 

Eva loved traveling and fishing with her family in Canada and Florida. 

She is survived by two daughters: Bonita M. Gehring, Plymouth, and Sue E. and Mike Gill, Warsaw.  Six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren also survive. 

In addition to her parents and her husband, Eva was preceded in death by a brother, James Reed and a sister, Helen Stockman. 

Visitation with her family in a celebration of Eva's remarkable life will be on Monday, July 16, 2001, from noon to 2 p.m. in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

An Eastern Star Service will follow visitation at 1:45 p.m. and the funeral service will be held at 2 p.m.  The Rev. Father John Schramm, pastor of St. Thomas Episcopal Church of which she was a lifetime member, will officiate. 

Burial will be in Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth. 

Memorials in Eva's memory may be made to St. Thomas Church or to a charity of the donor's choice. 

Mary Jane Knepper 

May 6, 1940 - July 14, 2001 

Mary Jane Knepper, 61, 307 N. Indiana St., Bremen, died at 9:25 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2001.  Mary Jane died in the Bremen Community Hospital of a cancer-related illness following a brave five-year battle with the disease. 

For the past 15 years Mary Jane had shared a home with her mother in Bremen, coming from Plymouth. 

Born on May 6, 1940, in Plymouth, she was the daughter of Howard A. and Margaret E. Metheny Knepper.  She graduated from Plymouth High School in the class of 1958. 

Mary Jane worked in production at Bremen Wire for 12 years. 

She loved children and did a lot of baby sitting for her family and for children in the area. 

She liked to read and do needlepoint and counted-cross stitch work.  She crocheted and gardened and was an avid sports fan, especially Cubs baseball.  She was fond of animals, particularly dogs. 

Mary Jane was an active member of the Bremen Church of the Brethren and had taught a seniors Sunday School class. 

She is survived by her mother, Margaret Knepper, Bremen, and two brothers: Richard A. and Shurla Knepper, Inwood, and Ronald E. and Susan Knepper, Plymouth.  Three sisters also survive.  They are: Sally A. O'Dell, Orriville, Ohio;  Linda K. and Edward  Krecik, Knox, and Judy M. Dildine, Round Rock, Texas. 

Several nieces and nephews survive as well. 

Mary Jane was preceded in death by her father and James E. Knepper, a brother. 

Family services for Mary Jane were held on Sunday evening, in the Bremen Church of the Brethren, Pastor Tom Hostetler officiated.  There will be no visitation. 

Memorial gifts in Mary Jane's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Marshall County Hospice. 

Martha G. Barth Ogden 

September 1, 1904 - July 14, 2001 

Martha G. Barth Ogden, 96, of 17421 18th Road, died at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, July 14, 2001, in Culver, Indiana.  Mrs. Ogden was born September 1, 1904, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the daughter of William J. Barth, Sr. and Marie Catharinas.   She was a graduate of Fort Wayne Art School and attended the Snow Froelich School of Industrial Art in New York, the Chicago School of Art Education and the University of Chicago.  From 1924 - 1927, Mrs. Ogden was the art supervisor in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  She was an art teacher in South Bend from 1927 - 1930, and then taught in Fort Wayne Junior High School. 

On June 18, 1936, in Chicago, she married George R. Ogden, who died in 1950.  Surviving are one son, George R. Ogden, of Knox, Indiana, one daughter, Martha Ogden Arnold, of Boulder, Colorado, and three grandsons.  Three sisters and a brother preceded her in death. 

Mrs. Ogden had lived in Culver since 1948.  For seven years she taught art in area schools until retiring in 1970.  She was a world traveler and an avid bird watcher.  She was a member of the Culver City Federated Club and the Associate Tri Kappa. 

There will be no visitation or services.  Mrs. Ogden had requested cremation.    Contributions may be made to the Culver Union Township Public Library or the Audubon Society. 

Anna Marie Montague 

December 31, 1922 - July 16, 2001 

Anna Marie Montague, 78, formerly of Bourbon, Ind., died at 9:55 p.m. on Monday, July 16, 2001.  Anna who lived at 719  37th. St. W; Bradenton, Fla., for the past 15 years, died in St. Vincent's Hospital, Carmel, Indiana, following an illness. 

She was born in Plymouth, the daughter of Harry Wallace and Fay McCollough King.  Anna graduated from Plymouth High School with the class of 1940. 

On March 10, 1943, in Columbia, S.C., Anna and Winston G. Montague, who was in the service at the time, were married. 

Anna will be remembered as a caring and loving mother and homemaker.  Her greatest joy was watching her family grow and, later, traveling to visit her children and grandchildren. 

She was a member of the First United Church of Christ, Bourbon, and a Past Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star in Bourbon. 

Anna is survived by her husband, Winston, Bradenton, Fla., and by their eleven surviving children. One son, Jimmy Montague, preceded her in death. 

Their sons and daughters and their spouses are: Sally and Roger McPeak, Pittsburgh, Texas, Jeanene and Troy McGuire, Bothell, Wash., Tom and Valentina Montague, Englewood, CO., Aleta Montague, Warsaw, Ind., Karen and Randy Horoho, Kokomo, Ind., Elaine and Bud Wetzel, Pierre, S.D., Richard and Becki Montague, Westfield, Ind., Debra and Marvin Eberly, Warsaw, Ind., Michael and Karen Montague, Downers Grove, Ill., Cheryl and Richard McDonald, Warsaw, Ind., and Nancy Rockhill, Westfield, Ind. 

Thirty-seven grandchildren and thirty-eight great and great-great grandchildren also survive. 

Four sisters and two brothers survive as well.  They are: Phyllis and Roscoe Markwith, Reelsville, Ind., Charles W. and Virginia King, Lakeville, Ind., Carol and Larry Verrill, Carmel, Ind., Doris and Harold Barnett, Lost Creek, Ky., Sara and Rudy Grumbacher, Carmel, Ind., and Glen M. and Wanda King, Kokomo, Ind.  Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Jimmy, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a brother, Malcolm King, and a sister, Rowena Kemery. 

Friends may call on the family from 3 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 19, 2001 at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

Funeral services for Anna will be in the funeral home on Friday, July 20, 2001, at 11 a.m.  Brother-in-law Harold Barnett, pastor of the Brethren church in Lost Creek, Ky., will officiate. 

Burial will be in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth. 

Memorial gifts in Anna's memory may be made to the American Lung Association or to a charity of the donor's choice. 

Des Neiges H. "Denny" Swisher 

December 6, 1921 - July 20, 2001 

   Des Neiges "Denny" Swisher, 79, a Plymouth resident most of her life, died at 4:17 p.m. on Friday, July 20, 2001.  Denny died of natural causes at her home, 905 Berkley St., Apt. 22, Neidlinger Garden Court. 

She was born in Plymouth on Dec. 6, 1921, the daughter of J.R. and Agnes Nanick Klapp.  She graduated from Plymouth High School with the class of 1941. 

On Dec. 26, 1942, in Plymouth, Denny became the bride of R. Richard Swisher.  Dick died on October 13, 1996. 

Denny was the former co-owner of the Plymouth Office Supply.  They sold the business in 1965 and moved to the Venice/Naples, Florida area, returning to Plymouth in 1983. 

Denny was a lady of many talents with a great sense of humor. She was a people-person, very social and helpful to family and friends. 

She liked to shop for antiques and enjoyed playing golf and doing arts and crafts, especially ceramics.  She enjoyed bird watching and playing bridge. 

  She was a former member of Delta Theta Tau, a philanthropic sorority and a member of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. 

Denny is survived by four daughters, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

Her daughters are: Pamela J. and Dean Kennedy, Clinton, Ind., Peri J. and Arleigh Nelson, Dayton, Minn., Paula J. Swisher, South Bend and Patrice J. Swisher, Niles, Mich. 

A sister, Jayne Derf, of Naples, Fla., Joy Klapp, a sister-in-law of Boca Raton, Fla., and Loreen Pinney, a sister-in-law, Knox, survive as well. 

Denny was preceded in death by her parents, her spouse and Robert Klapp, a brother. 

Visitation with the family will be on Monday, July 23, 2001, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. 

Funeral services will be held in the New Oakhill Chapel, Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2001.  Burial will be in New Oakhill Cemetery. 

Memorial gifts in Denny's memory may be made to the Kidney Foundation. 

Virginia J. Bollhoefer 

October 22, 1929 - July 24, 2001 

Virginia J. Bollhoefer, 71, of 4821 French St., Tyner, Ind., died at 5:56 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2001.  Virginia, a Marshall County resident all of her life, died in Pilgrim Manor, Plymouth, following a brief illness. 

She was born in Argos, the daughter of Lott E. and Corene Hagenbush Grossman on Oct. 22, 1929,  and was a 1947 graduate of Argos High School. 

On September 14, 1947, in Argos, Virginia and Henry C. Bollhoefer were married.  Henry died less than two months ago, on May 31, 2001. 

Virginia had been a bus driver for John Glenn schools for 23 years.  She also had worked in the kitchen at Swan Lake Golf Club for 13 years.  She worked with her husband, Hank, in his repair business as well. 

Active in the Marshall County 4-H program, she was a leader for over 32 years and a 40 year member of the Home Extension club.  She was a member for over two decades of both the Polk Township's Fireman's Auxiliary and the Walkerton Community Pantry. 

She liked to crochet and was an avid gardener.  Virginia enjoyed canning the vegetables she grew and showing her flowers.  She also liked to walk and did some hiking. 

Virginia is survived by a daughter, Linda and Douglas Cannan, Brandon, Fla., and a son, David and Emilia Bollhoefer, Tyner, Ind. 

Five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one step-great-grandchild also survive. 

In addition two sisters, Leona and Jerome Young, Niles, Mich., and Donna and Robert Loop, LaPorte, Ind., survive, together with three brothers: LeRoy and Donnabelle Grossman, Talma, Ind., Lowell and Bonnie Grossman and Merle and Dorothy Grossman, all of Argos, Ind. 

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Hank, a daughter, Margaret Decker, four brothers and one sister. 

Visitation with the family will be at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, on Friday, July 27, 2001, from 4 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to services at the church. 

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 28, 2001, in the Blissville Church of the Brethren, 6250 Spruce Trail, Plymouth, where Virginia was a member for more than 40 years.  The Rev. Jimmy Baker, pastor of the church, will officiate. 

Burial will be in the Tyner Cemetery, Tyner, Ind. 

Memorial gifts in Virginia's memory may be made to the Marshall County Cancer Association or the Blissville Church of the Brethren. 

Harry L. Kamp 

Septmeber 14, 1913 - July 25, 2001 

Lifetime Plymouth area resident Harry L. Kamp who lived in the Pilgrim Manor Nursing Center, 222 Parkview St., Plymouth, died of natural causes on July 25, 2001, at 5:05 a.m.  Harry was 87 years old. 

Born on Sept. 14, 1913, in Plymouth, Harry was the son of Hiram and Nellie Powers Kamp.  He attended Plymouth schools. 

A self-employed truck driver for over 40 years, Harry loved race cars.  He liked to race himself ( his car number was 66) and to watch other people race. 

Harry is survived by two sons and three daughters.  His sons, both of Plymouth, are Kenneth and Sondre Kamp and Dale and Sharon Kamp.  His daughters are: Carolyn and Dale Manuwal, Plymouth and Margaret and John Cartright and Lynda Clemons, all of Naples, Fla. 

Thirteen grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren also survive together with Hiram Kamp, a brother, of South Bend, Ind. 

Harry was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, George Pressler and two grandchildren. 

There will be no visitation. 

Graveside funeral services will be on Friday, July 27, 2001 at 10 a.m. in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Argos, Ind.  The Rev. Charles Krieg, pastor of the Pretty Lake Trinity United Methodist Church will officiate.

Indiana Obituary Links

Marriage Search Engines

FamGen.net

GenealogyBuff.com