William "Bill" Cochran, 83, Mentone, died at 5:40 a.m. Thursday, March 15, 2018, at his residence.

Donald Frantz, 92, Winona Lake, died Thursday, March 15, 2018, in Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake.

Claude V. “Butch” Myers Jr., 65, Pierceton, died Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at his home.

Janice M. Taylor, 83, Winona Lake, died at 2 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, 2018, at Miller’s Merry Manor, Wakarusa.

Daryle L. Hill, 83, Columbia City, passed away at 2:28 p.m. Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne. He was born Jan. 18, 1935, in Columbia City, to Ira Raymond and Mildred L. “Peg” Bills Hill. He was a lifetime resident of Whitley, Noble and Kosciusko counties. He graduated in 1953 from North Webster High School and was a United States Army veteran.

Richard E. Lowe, Warsaw, entered the gates of heaven Monday evening, March 5, 2018, at the age of 62. There was a distinct look of enlightenment in his eyes prior to taking his last breath. He was surrounded by an adoring mother, loving daughter and an army of siblings. He was loved by all for his humble spirit, zest for life, and kind and gentle nature. He made time for everyone and greeted all with a warm welcoming smile. “Ricky” made the world a better place and will be sadly missed in the community.

Heinz W. Blessing, 92, Tega Cay, S.C., died Sunday, March 11, 2018, in his home.   He was born in Felbach, Germany, to Julius and Emily Blessing. His wife, Edith, survives.

Marilyn Lou Ferverda Bayak, 75, Goshen, died 9:28 p.m. Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Elkhart General Hospital. She was born July 17, 1942, to Harold and Marie Sunday Ferverda. She was raised by her grandfather, Roscoe Ferverda and Ruby Burton. On Oct. 6, 1963, she married Roger Francis Bayak; he died Feb. 20, 2017.

James E. ”Jim” Lough, 96, passed away Sunday, March 11, 2018, at Warsaw Meadows in Warsaw. He was born in Angola on July 17, 1921, to Coy O. and Martha Pollock Lough. On Sept. 12, 1944, he married Virginia J. Hicks in Indianapolis. They lived in several locations before making their final home on Lake Papakeechie.

Larry A. Homan, 77, Nappanee, died at 7:17 a.m. Monday, March 12, 2018, at Elkhart Hospice House, where he had been admitted Saturday after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.    He was born Feb. 13, 1941, to Charles E. and D. Louise Mason Homan in Nappanee. Larry spent his lifetime in Nappanee. On July 28, 1962, he married Janet S. Moore in Nappanee. She survives.

Marilyn A. Anderson, 80, Bourbon passed away peacefully Thursday, March 8, 2018, at home with her family at her side. Marilyn was born the daughter of Forst and Georgia Sechrist Lutes in Kosciusko County on Oct. 16, 1937. On Feb. 9, 1957, in Fort Wayne, she became the bride of Gerald Anderson, who survives. She graduated from Atwood High School with the class of 1955, and she attended Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Atwood. She worked many years in the banking business with banks such as Twinsburg (Ohio) Bank; Old Phoenix Bank, Akron, Ohio; and the Etna Green Bank; and as a bookkeeper for Bourbon Lumber Co.

Robert James Ruhlen, 67, Sidney, died unexpectedly Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Peabody Retirement Community, where he was in physical rehabilitation. He was born Feb. 21, 1951, in Kenton, Ohio, a son of the late Richard and Marian Arnett Ruhlen. His formative years were spent in the Kenton area, where he graduated from Hardin High School, Kenton, in 1969.

Ruby F. “Penny” Wallace Ross Shively, 93, Fort Wayne, formerly of Warsaw, passed away at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, at Heritage Park Assisted Living & Garden Homes, Fort Wayne. She was born Nov. 26, 1924, to Frank and Pearl Bennett Wallace in Argos. Penny moved to Fort Wayne in 2006 to be near her son and daughter. She has two daughters, Jeanetta Greathouse Addington, Mishawaka, and Wendy Ross Hill, Fort Wayne; and two sons, Steve Ross, Hernando, Fla., and Herb Ross, Leo. She has nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Mildred P. Gray, 89, Leesburg, passed away at 10 a.m. Friday, March 9, 2018, at her home. She was born Oct. 9, 1928, in Fort Wayne, to Paul P. and Pauline E. Ritter Lamprecht. She was a lifetime Kosciusko County area resident, graduated in 1946 from Mentone High School and attended Fort Wayne Business College. On June 10, 1949, in Bremen, she married Melvin L. “Ledru” Gray, who preceded her on Sept. 19, 2015.

Grace Azbell, 82, North Manchester, died at 11:45 a.m. Friday, March 9, 2018, at Peabody Healthcare Center, North Manchester. She was born Oct. 26, 1935, in Salyersville, Ky., to Dorton and Dollie Mullins Manns. She married Merrill Azbell in Silver Lake on July 10, 1953; he died Dec. 5, 2013.

Wesley Lynn “Wes” Darting, 57, Milford, died at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, at his home.

Ernie Rogers, 84, Syracuse, died Sunday, March 11, 2018, at his home.

Daryle L. Hill, 83, Columbia City,  formerly of North Webster, died at 2:28 p.m. Saturday, March 10, 2018.

Kenneth Ray Boggs, 73, South Whitley, passed away at 5:45 a.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, at his residence. Born Aug. 3, 1944, in Kosciusko County, he was the son of Ralph and Helen Norris Boggs. He graduated from Pierceton High School with the Class of 1962. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1965 and was stationed in Germany.  Upon being honorably discharged in 1967, he returned home as Sgt. Kenneth R. Boggs.

Joan “Joni” Renee Clay, 48, Warsaw, passed away Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne. She was born Aug. 5, 1969, in Huntington, to Greg D. and Jane E. Underhill Smith. She has been a Warsaw resident since 1977 and was formerly of Huntington.

Ruby “Penny” Shively, 93, Fort Wayne, formerly of Warsaw, died at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, at Heritage Park Assisted Living & Garden Homes, Fort Wayne.

Mildred P. Gray, 89, Leesburg, died Friday, March 9, 2018, at her home.

Michael A. Kline, 40, North Manchester, died March 6, 2018, in North Manchester. He was born Sept. 26, 1977, in Warsaw, to Billy E. and Sandra A. Kline. He graduated from Wabash High School in 1995. He was a carpenter for several years. He was an avid golfer and fisherman. He also enjoyed breeding and raising American pitbulls. He loved helping people.

Norma Wells, 60, Rochester, died at 12:41 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at Parkview Regional Hospital, Fort Wayne. She was born July 16, 1957, in Worchester, Mass., to Albert E. and Ruth Ryan Boucher.

Joan “Joni” Clay, 48, Warsaw, died at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne.