Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Jimmy R. Geiger, 64, former Churubusco businessman and a resident of rural Churubusco, was pronounced dead on arrival at 1:24 a. m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2008, at Parkview Whitley Hospital in Columbia City, after collapsing unexpectedly at the family residence in Green Township.

Mr. Geiger was born on April 19, 1943 in Green Township in Noble County, a son of Tonny and Venus E. (Herron) Geiger. He spent his formative years on the family farm there, and graduated from Churubusco High School in 1961.

On September 31, 1963 he was married in Churubusco to Diane Boggess, and lived all of his married life in the Churubusco community.

As a young man he was employed at International Harvester in Fort Wayne for 23 years, and was the owner and operator of Geiger Amoco in Churubusco from 1986 until the station closed in 2004. He had been employed as a machinist at C&A Tool and Engineering in Churubusco for the past three years.

He was a member and trustee of the Sugar Grove Church of God, and bowled for many years with the Churubusco Men’s Bowling League. In addition to his church activities and bowling, he enjoyed fishing, country gospel music, and various sporting activities. He will long be remembered by his family as a wonderful and devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

The surviving relatives include his wife Diane; two daughters Amy (Cary) Blake of Decatur and Annette Pitz of Fort Mitchell, Ky; three sons Brent (companion J. R. Hopkins) of New York City, Deron Geiger of Decatur, and Brock Geiger of Churubusco; six brothers Jack (Joan) Geiger of Hernando, Miss., Bill (Wavelin) Geiger of Prescott, Ariz., C. L. “Pete” (Chris) Geiger of Marysville, Ohio, Larry (Kathy) Geiger and Roger “Hump” (Barbara) Geiger, both of Phoenix, Ariz., and Richard “Louie” (Valerie) Geiger of Churubusco; and nine grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Marilyn J. Fulk; and by five brothers J. D. “Jake” Geiger, Duane Geiger, Glenn Geiger, Don Geiger, and Gerald Geiger.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Sunday, January 20, at the Sugar Grove Church of God with Pastor Timothy Grable, officiating.

The family will receive friends at Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Saturday from 2 to 7 p. m., or at the church one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery, south of Churubusco.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Sugar Grove Church of God Benevolent Fund.

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Ruth Naomi (Leitch) Troyer, 92, a former resident of Green Township and widow of Allen R. Troyer, died at 1:55 a. m. Wednesday, January 16, 2008, at The Oaks in Columbia City. She had been in declining health for some time, and had been a resident at the nursing home for over two years.

Mrs. Troyer was born on January 13, 1916 in Green Township, the third of four children born to James and Ottie (Duglay) Leitch. Her older brother Dallas and sister Gladys greeted her, and later her younger sister Mary joined her in living at the family farm near Green Center.

On April 27, 1935 she was married to Allen Ross Troyer. After several years of marriage, the couple purchased the Leitch family farm in Green Township, where they spent all of their adult lives. As a young woman she was employed at Blue Bell in Columbia City, and retired in 1978 from General Electric in Fort Wayne after 36 years.

She was a member of the Albion Wesleyan Church, and attended the Green Center United Methodist Church. In her leisure time she enjoyed fishing, cooking, and gardening.

Mr. Troyer preceded her in death on August 21, 1980.

The surviving relatives include her two sons Harold A. (Joan) Troyer of rural LaOtto and Everett E. (Patricia) Troyer of rural Albion; her daughter Linda (Bob) Allman of Churubusco; and two sisters Gladys Strong of Berne and Mary Runyon of rural Albion. Also surviving are seven grandchildren Vicki (Barney) Dice of LaOtto, Tim (Julie) Troyer of LaOtto, Randy (Laurie) Troyer of Albion, Pam (Larry) Ellet of Albion, Sonya (Gregg) Ward of Augusta, Ga., Tony (Diane) Allman of Cherry Hill, NJ, and Dennis (Joni) Allman of LaOtto; and 18 great-grandchildren Troy (Jennifer) Dice, Jason Dice, Tara Dice, and Amanda Dice, Heather (Todd) Lortie, Marissa Troyer, Spencer Troyer, Nikolas Troyer, Kellie Troyer, Marcus Troyer, Lukus Troyer and Matthew Troyer, Ross (Sara) Ellet, Justine Ellet, Jordan Ellet, Kirsten Allman, Andrew Allman, and Korbin Allman. There are also three great-great-grandchildren Dailon Dice, Simon Ellet, and Bryce Ellet.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother Dallas C. Leitch.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a. m. Saturday, January 19, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Nancy Fergusson, pastor of Green Center United Methodist Church, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the mortuary on Friday from 2-4 and from 6-8 p. m.

Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery, south of Churubusco.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Green Center United Methodist Church.

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Bertha I. (Kumley) Lewis, 89, a former resident of Huntertown and more recently of Merriam, went to her Heavenly Home at 7:10 p. m. on Monday, December 31, at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home in Fort Wayne following a recent hospitalization. She had been at the hospice home since Wednesday.

Mrs. Lewis was born in Lagro in Wabash County on August 14, 1918, a daughter of William T. and Clara (Wintrode) Kumley, and spent her formative years in rural Wabash County. She was married to Glenn W. Lewis on August 15, 1935 at age 17, and the couple were married for 54 years.

In 1943 the family moved to Huntertown, where she raised her family and lived for over 61 years until moving near Merriam in 2004 to live with her daughter Loretta.

She was employed as a cook at the former Allen County Children’s Home in Fort Wayne from 1966 to 1977, and was famous for her homemakde noodles and yeast donuts. She was an expert seamstress, and enjoyed knitting and gardening. A member of the LaOtto Wesleyan Church, she had attended Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Merriam since 2004.

Mr. Lewis preceded her in death on January 25, 1990.

The surviving relatives include three sons Stewart (Arlene) Lewis of LaOtto, William (Sue) Lewis of Churubusco, and Larry Lewis of Fort Wayne; four daughters Glenna Robinson, Loretta (Walter) Pedigo, and Shirley Lewis, all of Churubusco, and Bettie (William) Beagan of Rossville, Ga; a sister Lillian Gebert of Fort Wayne; a daughter-in-law Bonnie Lewis of LaOtto; 24 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son David Lewis in 2000; by three brothers Gerald Kumley in 1927, Charles Kumley in 1971, and Joe Kumley in 1998; six sisters Velda Kumley in 1928, Hazel Rhodes in 1982, Mary Grimmer in 1987, Dorothy Woodring in 2000, Martha Loeffler in 2001, and Mildred Wade in 2005; a daughter-in-law Sandra Lewis in 2007; three grandsons Matthew Beagan, Karl Carpenter, and Brian Lewis; and two great-grandchildren Jasmine Fee and Joshua Carpenter.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Friday, January 4, at the Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Merriam with Pastor George Cecil, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 2 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Friday afternoon.

Interment will be in the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco.

The family requests that memorials be directed to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804

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To leave a condolence for the family in Mrs. Lewis’ memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .