ROANN – Ardith Joan “Dolly” Gaff Pontious-Maggart, 76, of rural Macy, died at 3:25 p.m. May 2, 2011, in her home. She was born May 21, 1934, in Kosciusko County, the youngest daughter of William Henry and Manilla VanHouten Gaff. On Nov. 20, 1953, she married William E. Pontious, who died April 14, 1993. On May 13, 1995, she married E. Max Maggart of Tucson, Ariz. He died June 6, 2002. She was better known to her friends as “Dolly,” a nickname given to her at birth by her father. She and Max spent summers in Indiana at her home and winters in Tucson in his home. She graduated from Roann High School in 1952 and lived most of her life in the Gilead, Miami County area. She retired from Eaton Corp., Controls Division, where she worked for 35 years as the accounting secretary and timekeeper. She also served on the board of directors of the CCA North Manchester Employees Federal Credit Union for 27 years and 22 of those years as treasurer manager. She was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church near Gilead where she served as assistant organist. She was also a member of the Perry Do-Rites Home Economics Club and Pony Creek Basket Guild. She enjoyed making baskets and working with stained glass. Surviving are two daughters, Cheri Lewis, Roann, and Patti Westafer, Silver Lake; two sons, Steve (and spouse Vicky) Pontious, Monroe, Mich., and Eric (and spouse Diane) Pontious, Akron; a stepson, Dwaine (and spouse Carol) Maggart, Moorpark, Calif.; two grandsons, Jason Lewis, Wabash, and Patrick Pontious, Monroe; eight granddaughters: Cassandra Pontious (and Todd Kiser), of Salt Lake City, Utah; Erica (and spouse Darek) Snyder, Mentone; Melissa (and spouse Christopher) Knecht, Indianapolis; Amy Pontious and Kendra Pontious (and spouse Jon Miller), all of Monroe; Amber Lewis, Roann; and Brandi (and spouse Patrick) Starkey, Fort Wayne; and Ashlee Farmer, North Manchester; seven great-granddaughters: Rylie Knecht, Indianapolis; Haylee Brown and Kyra Kiser, both of Salt Lake City; Brooklynn and Izabella Starkey, both of Fort Wayne; and Allee and Carlee Snyder, both of Mentone; and seven great-grandsons: Nathan and Reyner Knecht, both of Indianapolis; Tayde and Tyran Kiser, both of Salt Lake City; Aiden and Jonathan Miller, both of Monroe; and Jayden Jimenez, North Manchester; a brother, Lee (and spouse Dorothy) Gaff, Roann; and one stepsister, Marjorie Stoffer, Wabash. She was preceded in death by her parents; a stepfather, Dwight Rosenthal; a sister, Lona Leedy; a brother, Pierre Gaff; and a great-granddaughter, Emma Knecht. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Home, 335 S. Chippewa Road, Roann, with Pastor Carolyn DeWitt officiating. Burial will be in Roann Community Cemetery. Call is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home ***** Memorial may be made to Emmanuel United Methodist Church, c/o Roberta Struck, Roann, IN or Hope Hospice of Rochester. Condolences may be sent via www.grandstaff-hentgen.com
