He
was born July 11, 1926, in Adams County, Ind., the son of the late Vilas and
Ruth (Parr) Luginbill. On October 22, 1950, in Chattanooga, he married Norma Lee
(Smith) Luginbill, who survives.
LUGINBILL
Vilas Eugene “Gene” Luginbill, 82, of rural Willshire, died at 6:58 a.m. Friday, July 10, 2009, at his residence following an extended illness.
He
was born July 11, 1926, in Adams County, Ind., the son of the late Vilas and
Ruth (Parr) Luginbill. On October 22, 1950, in Chattanooga, he married Norma Lee
(Smith) Luginbill, who survives.
Other survivors include a son, Roger L. Luginbill of Willshire; three daughters, Jane M. (Phillip) Miller of Mendon and Deanna F. (Steven) Lugabihl and Michelle R. Sill, both of Willshire; three sisters, Alice Sirk of Fort Wayne, Ind., Kate (Clarence) Hamrick of Willshire and Marilyn (Gary) Simons of Decatur, Ind.; a sister-in-law, Patricia Luginbill of Decatur; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A brother, Robert L. Luginbill, also preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, at Willshire-Union United Methodist Church, with Pastor Phillip Miller and Pastor Richard Larimore officiating. Burial will be in Willshire Cemetery, with graveside military rites performed by members of Homer Pierson American Legion Post 207 in Willshire.
The family will receive friends from noon-3 and 4-8 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at Zwick and Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur and an hour prior to services Monday at the church.
Memorial contributions: Community Health Professionals-Hospice the Caring Way in Van Wert.
Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.zwickjahn.com.
FLICKINGER
L. Ruth (Mefferd) Flickinger, 83, of Van Wert, died suddenly at 12:28 p.m. Friday, July 10, 2009, at Van Wert County Hospital in Van Wert.
She was born October 11, 1925, in Union Township, Van Wert County, the daughter of the late Howard and Anna (Eddy) Mefferd. On August 24, 1946, she married Marhl Flickinger, who survives in Van Wert.
Other survivors include six children, Linda Nurrenbrock of Trotwood, Paul (Nanette) Flickinger of Alpharetta, Ga., Beth (John) Newland of Parma, Mich., Steve (Cindie) Flickinger of Jackson, Mich., Nancy (Chris) Boone of Carmel, Ind., and Scott (Monica) Flickinger of Rives Junction, Mich.; 10 grandchildren; 10 stepgrandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Two sisters, Jenny Stuckey and Wilma Russell, and two brothers, Frank and Glen Mefferd, also preceded her in death.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 14, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert, with Pastor Gregory Leigh officiating. Burial will immediately follow in IOOF Cemetery in Convoy.
The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Monday, July 13, and an hour prior to services Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions: Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.
Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family at agfhc@embarqmail.com.
KIRACOFE
Robert Lavonne Kiracofe, 74, of Van Wert, died at 7:49 p.m. Friday, July 10, 2009, at the Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center.
He was born June 6, 1935, in Tully Township, Van
Wert Co
unty,
the son of the late Dellas Marion and Edith Mae (Florence) Kiracofe. On December
13, 1968, he married Kathryn Ann (Wells) Kiracofe, who survives in Van Wert.
Mr. Kiracofe retired from the former Aeroquip Corporation in Van Wert after 27 years of service as a welder. He was also a driver for the Van Wert County Council on Aging for 10 years. He was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert, and a past member of the Eagles, Moose and Knights of Columbus lodges.
In addition to his wife, survivors include six children, Beverly (Randy Reed) Howard, Gary Kiracofe, Craig (Vicky) Kiracofe, Cindy (Darell) Anderson and Lolly (Dale) Boley, all of Van Wert, and Ronna (Rob) Drane of Mansfield; one sister, Barbara (Fred) Wisner of Willshire; seven grandchildren, Brand Michael Howard, Ashley Anderson, Amanda Louth, Coleman Drane, Reilly Drane, Casey Kiracofe, and Raegan Boley; and a great-grandson, Brandon Howard.
A stepson, Charles “Chuck” Smitley; and three grandchildren, Adam Kiracofe, Seth Dean Anderson and Emily Suzanne Anderson, also preceded him in death.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert, with Father Mike Zacharias officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.
The family will receive friends from 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, at Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert.
Memorial contributions: Community Health Professionals-Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center or Ohio Parkinson Foundation, Northwest Region Inc., 1930 N. State Route 19, Oak Harbor, OH 43449.
Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family at bricknerfuneralhome@bright.net.
HOTMIRE
Rachel M. Hotmire was born at home on a farm near Cowan, Ind., on July 1, 1921, and died Friday, July 10, 2009, at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Ind. She was the fourth of seven children: four girls and three boys.
Mrs. Hotmire graduated from Cowan High School in the Class of 1939 and was privileged to attend the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City on her senior trip, where television, in its infancy, was on exhibit.
Rachel married the love of her life, Hal S. Hotmire, on Easter Sunday morning, March 24, 1940, in Industry Evangelical United Brethren Church in Muncie.
She enjoyed working in retail and had been employed by White’s Grocery and Ball Stores, where she was named 1970 “Employee of the Year” and one of the top 10 sales people in 1973. She was also employed at Wiley Interiors, Country Manor and Life Stream prior to retiring in 2007.
Rachel was a member of Normal City United Methodist Church for 54 years. Her life modeled her Christianity in the giving of herself and her loving kindness to all who knew her. She doted on her family, especially the little children. We, the family, will greatly miss her.
Survivors include her son, Phillip (Juanita) Hotmire of Van Wert; her daughters, Beverly (Richard) Huyck and Judith (Otis) Sutton, both of Muncie; three brothers, Rex Humbarger of Hot Springs, Ark., Ross Humbarger of Fairborn and Byron Humbarger of Yorktown, Ind. Also surviving are eight grandsons, three stepgranddaughters; 12 great-grandchildren; seven stepgreat-grandchildren, with another due in August; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her grandma, Nancy Humbarger, who she adored; her parents, Allen and Hazel (Ross) Humbarger; a great-granddaughter, Lily Hotmire; and three sisters, Miriam Streich, Emogene Smith and Eleanor Hotmire.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 16, at Parson Mortuary in Muncie, with Rev. Donald Miller officiating. Burial will be in Gardens of Memory in Muncie.
The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions: Riley Children’s Foundation or Lily E. Hotmire Memorial Fund at the CJ Foundation for SIDS.
Online condolences may be sent to www.parsonmortuary.com.