NAPPANEE — Carol Adams, 83, Nappanee, died at 3 a.m. Dec. 30, 2016, at Elkhart Hospice House, where she was admitted on Thursday following a long illness. 

MILFORD — Kimberly Ruth Conrad, 61, Syracuse, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 25, 2016. Arrangements are pending with Mishler Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Milford.

MILFORD — Stephen Thurlow Conrad II, 32, Syracuse, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 25, 2016. Arrangements are pending with Mishler Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Milford.

BOURBON — Candace J. Hedington 79, a faithful servant of God, has gone home to be with her Lord and Savior on Dec. 29, 2016, at home. She was surrounded by her husband, Delbert; her children; and her loving dog, Susie. She had been ill the past few months. She was born Jan. 31, 1937, at Etna Green, to Harley “Hod” and Lela Fern Taylor Mellott. She was a lifelong resident and attended Etna Green High School. She retired in 2001 from Kinder’s Manufacturing, Warsaw. She also was a Red Hat Lady and a member of the Thimble Club of Etna Green, and attended Warsaw Community Church. 

NORTH MANCHESTER — Kenneth R. Pratt, 77, North Manchester, died at 3:47 a.m. Dec. 28, 2016, at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, Fort Wayne. He was born Jan. 7, 1939, in Wabash, to Walter and Mary Lewis Pratt. He married Ann Keaffaber on April 18, 1959. She died Dec. 28, 2006.    He was a floor covering installer for 54 years. He also raised chickens for Strauss for 45 years, and received the Grower of the Year award in 1991. He was actively involved in his kids’ and grandkids’ 4-H projects for 36 years. He was a former member of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church. Survivors include two sons, Kim (spouse Marcy) Pratt, North Manchester, and Kevin (spouse Katie) Pratt, Denver; a daughter, Krista Pratt; two brothers, Vernon (spouse Maxine) Pratt, Wabash, and Herbert Pratt, Bluefield, W.Va.; two sisters, Marilyn (spouse Max) Benson, Princeton, W.Va., and Janice (spouse Gerritt) Brakkee, Henderson, Nev.; and six grandchildren.

NORTH MANCHESTER — Madene M. Simpson, 85, Wabash, formerly of North Manchester, died at 7:45 a.m. Dec. 28, 2016, in Miller’s Merry ?Manor East, Wabash. She was born Aug. 2, 1931, in Greensburg, Ky., to Burble H. and Della M. Wright Simpson. A private service is planned.

Rita Florence Rehus Kachlik, 81, Fort Wayne, died peacefully on Dec. 13, 2016, surrounded by loving family. “She was a very devoted wife, mother and grandmother.”   Born Feb. 27, 1935, in Chicago, Ill., she was the daughter of Stephan and Anna Zmrazek Rehus. On April 21, 1956, she married the late Robert George Kachlik in Chicago. They lived in Downers Grove, Ill., before moving their family to Warsaw in 1968.  She dedicated her life to loving and raising six children and giving them the gift of Catholic faith. She was an active parishioner at Sacred Heart Church and a founding member of Kosciusko County Right to Life. She loved reading, listening to music, cooking, shopping, and spending time with friends and family.

Yvonne “Melanie” Freel Ottenhausen, 53, Warsaw, passed away at 11:55 p.m. Dec. 25, 2016, at Mason Health & Rehabilitation Center, Warsaw.  She was born on Aug. 15, 1963, to Herbert and Martha Parrish Freel in Bartow, Fla. On June 30, 2007, she was united in marriage to David Ottenhausen in Lakeland, Fla.

The Rev. Robert M. Horne, 84, Winona Lake, passed away at 6:05 p.m. Dec. 26, 2016,  in Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw. He was born April 13, 1932, in Boston, Mass., to Charles and Dora Melbourne Horne. In 1955 he was married to Betty Joy Rankin in Port Huron, Mich. She died Oct. 24, 2016.

NORTH MANCHESTER — Rebecca A. Cook, 57, North Manchester, died at 5 a.m. Dec. 27, 2016, in her residence. She was born Aug. 19, 1959, in Kosciusko County, to Charles R. Jr. and   Beverly Petry French. She married Eldon R. Cook on June 21, 1980. He survives. Calling is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the mortuary, with calling one hour prior. The Rev. Kurt Stout will officiate, and burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester. ***** Memorials to the family for the grandchildren’s scholarship fund. Condolences may be sent at mckeemortuary.com.

PLYMOUTH — Jerome Christopher Posey, 36, Plymouth, passed away Dec. 23, 2016, in his residence. He was born Sept. 16, 1980, in Warsaw, to Rocky Dean and Shelly L. Owens Posey. He married Stefanie N. Baker on Aug. 1, 2015, in Rochester, but they spent the last 11 years together raising their family.

MENTONE — Doris L. Grubbs, 89, Bourbon, died at 7:37 p.m. Dec. 26, 2016, at Visiting Nurses Home, Fort Wayne. She was born July 3, 1927, in Mentone, to Seth and Mildred Robbins Flenar. On Sept. 25, 1945, in Mentone, she married Leslie G. "Tuffy" Grubbs, who preceded on May 25, 2013.

Donna L. Olinger, 83, Warsaw, passed away at 2 p.m. Dec. 26, 2016, in her residence.  On Aug. 8, 1933, she was born in Gary to Harold A. “Dutch” and Jean M. Dietel Ford. On Sept. 25, 1954, she was united in marriage to Jean R. Olinger, who preceded her in death.

 Dale E. Ellinger, 75, Bourbon, passed away on Dec. 22, 2016, in Signature Health Care, Bremen.  He was born Feb. 7, 1941, to Jess and Pansy Sitez Ellinger in Harrison Township, St. Joseph County. He was a lifelong member of the area and a member of Bourbon First United Methodist Church. He enjoyed repairing lawn mowers and woodworking, making crafts to sell at craft shows. 

AKRON — Shelby J. Smoker Wogoman, 75, Warsaw, died at 5:15 a.m. Dec. 27, 2016, at the Meadows Care Center, Warsaw. She was born Sept. 28, 1941, in Rochester, to Ernest and Francis Shriver Smoker.  She had been a dietitian for Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw. She was a 1959 graduate of Akron High School. She loved reading, collecting watches and angels, and also enjoyed nature.

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Robert Horne, 84, Winona Lake, died at 6:05 p.m. Dec. 26, 2016, in Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw. Arrangements are pending at Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw.  

Donna L. Olinger, 83, Warsaw, passed away Dec. 26, 2016, in her residence. Arrangements are pending with McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw.

COLUMBIA CITY — Janet A. Thompson, 67, South Whitley, passed away at 1:20 p.m. Dec. 23, 2016, at her home surrounded by family.  Born Jan. 3, 1949, in Warsaw, she was the daughter of William Harrison and Wilma Marie Fear Warren. She graduated from Warsaw High School with the Class of 1967. On April 26, 1969, she married Rick Thompson at the Warsaw United Methodist Church. She had w

Yvonne “Melanie” Freel Ottenhausen, 53, Warsaw, passed away at 11:55 p.m. Dec. 25, 2016, at Mason Health & Rehabilitation Center, Warsaw.  Arrangements are pending at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw.

FORT WAYNE — Lou Ann Merkler, 64, passed away Dec. 25, 2016, at her home in Warsaw.  Born in Fort Wayne, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Mary Beaver.  She earned an associate degree in business from Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne. She worked for Lincoln Life for 41 years prior to her retirement.  She absolutely loved "L

NAPPANEE — Rose Mast, 81, Nappanee, died at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 24, 2016, at Miller’s Merry Manor, Wakarusa.  She was born March 24, 1935, in Niles, Mich., to Charles and Lucy Kirk Richardson. On Feb. 19, 1956, she married Winifred Mast in Niles. He died Dec. 14, 2007.  Family and friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee, and one hour prior to the 10:30 a.m. funeral service Thursday at First Mennonite Church, Nappanee. The Rev. Janet McFall- Brown will officiate.  Burial will follow at South Union Cemetery.  ***** Memorials to First Mennonite Church, Nappanee. Online condolences may be given at www.tlyfh.com.

MENTONE — Doris Grubbs, 89, Bourbon, died at 7:37 p.m. Dec. 26, 2016, at the Visiting Nurses Home, Fort Wayne. Arrangements are pending at King Memorial Home, Mentone.

— Mary Irene Rager, 97, formerly of rural Akron, passed away Dec. 25, 2016, at Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester, where she had resided for six years.

Charles A. Lagoni, 83, Silver Lake, passed away at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 2016,  in Autumn Ridge Rehabilitation Center, Wabash. He was born Sept. 11, 1934, in Chicago, Ill., to Christian and Stella Bertronski Lagoni. He was a Silver Lake resident for 13 years and was formerly of the Chicagoland area. He was united in marriage to Elfriede J. Popp on Feb. 14, 1973, in Chicago. She preceded him on Oct. 6, 2013. He retired as a postmaster in Techny, Ill., with 40 years of service with the United States Postal Service. He faithfully served his country in the United States Navy as a radioman third class aboard the destroyer USS H.R. Dickson during the Korean conflict from June 1953 to June 1957.  He was an avid fisherman and a longtime fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears.