Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Albert Joe Wauer, 79, a resident of rural Churubusco, died at 5:21 a. m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2008, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.  He had been in declining health for some time, and had been a patient there for the past nine days.

Mr. Wauer was born on January 23, 1929 in Essex, Missouri, a son of Henry Albert and Clara Marie Anna (Ossenfort) Wauer, and spent his formative years in Missouri.  As a young man he lived in the Detroit-area from 1948 to 1968 and later moved from Fort Wayne to Churubusco in 1975.

A long-time employee of the Norfolk & Southern Railroad, he retired in 1989 as a water service foreman after 37 years of service.

He was a member of Findlater Lodge 475 F&AM in Dearborn, Mich; Scottish Rite, Valley of Fort Wayne; and the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne.

On December 17, 1949 he was married in Bellville, Michigan to Joan Bailey.  She survives.

The other surviving relatives include his daughters Christine (Jan) Griggs of Churubusco, Sandra (Dick) Greene of Fort Wayne, and Candice (Rick) Oribello of New Haven; his son Douglas (Sandra) Wauer of New Haven; a sister Dora Baker of Richwood, Tx; ten grandchildren and 22-plus great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, two sisters and six brothers are deceased.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. Saturday, October 4, 2008, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Pastor Paul Shoemaker of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the mortuary on Friday from 2 to 8 p. m.  Churubusco Lodge 515 F&AM will conduct memorial services at 7:30 p. m. Friday at the mortuary.

Interment will be in the Highland Park Cemetery in Fort Wayne.

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Paul A. Schmidt, 74, a resident of rural Churubusco, died at 9:45 p. m. on Friday, September 26, 2008, at his residence following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Mr. Schmidt retired in 1987 after a 30-year career serving his country, first in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict, and later with the Social Security Administration.  He had been regional manager of the Fort Wayne office for 14 years.

Paul was born on January 15, 1934 in Chicago, a son of Arthur and Marie (Dietz) Schmidt, graduated from Evansville Reitz High School in 1951, later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Evansville College in 1961.  He was married in San Diego, California on February 11, 1956 to Joy A. Sellers, and moved to Churubusco in the summer of 1973 from Lostant, Illinois.

A member of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco, he had served on the parish council, and was a lector and Eucharistic Minister.  He was extremely active in many charitable causes throughout the community, and was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Mrs. Schmidt preceded him in death on September 29, 2001.

The surviving relatives include his children Linda (Mike) Boyd of Westminster, CO., Vicki (Chris) Andreas of Columbia City, William Schmidt of Gilbert, Ariz., Nancy (Jim) Ritchie of Fort Wayne, and Jim A. (Patty) Schmidt and John H. (Jeni) Schmidt, both of Churubusco; a sister Dorothy Brooks of Allen, Tx; and two brothers Ed (Phyllis) Schmidt of Evansville and Bob (Jennie) Schmidt of North Port, Fla.  There are twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents and spouse, he was preceded in death by two sisters Norine M. Reinhart and Genevieve F. Minar.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a. m. Wednesday at St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco with Father Danney Pinto, the celebrant.  

The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Tuesday from 2 to 8 p. m.  The Rosary will be recited at 8 p. m. Tuesday at the mortuary.  

Interment with military graveside rites will be in the Ege Catholic Cemetery, Noble County.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Paul A. Schmidt Churubusco Football Scholarship, 4388 N. Sheldon Rd., Churubusco, IN  46723

To leave a condolence for the family in Mr. Schmidt’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .

Bernadean “Bonnie” Nickey, died on November 9, 1990 in Ames, Iowa.  She was born in Fort Wayne on April 17, 1909, a daughter of Benjamin and Ruth (Melott) Bennett, and had been a school teacher for ten years.  Her father had been a widely-acquainted Fort Wayne businessman and six-term city councilman.  At her death she was 81.

Howard E. Nickey, died on October 3, 1993 in Ames, Iowa.  He was born in Churubusco on November 24, 1907, a son of Alfred J. and Mildred (Allen) Nickey.  The Nickey family were a pioneer farm family in Whitley County.  At his death he was 85.

The couple were married in Fort Wayne on August 31, 1940.  They moved to Ames in 1955 when Mr. Nickey opened a Mutual Benefit Insurance office there.  He retired in 1972 as vice president of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, and manager of Farm Loan office in Ames.

Mrs. Nickey was a member of Collegiate United Methodist Church and its United Methodist Women in Ames; Alpha Omocron Pi, a social sorority at Indiana University; Ames Women’s Club; and Mary Greenley Hospital Auxiliary in Ames.  She was also a founding member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority at Iowa State University.

Mr. Nickey was a summa cum laude graduate of Purdue University in agricultural economics.  He was a member and past trustee of the Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames, and was a member of Arcadia Lodge 249 F&AM, Ames Kiwanis Club, and the Ames Elks Lodge.  In addition, he was past president of the Ames Golf and Country Club, and president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of the United States.

The couple are survived by two sons Don Nickey of Kingman, Ariz., and Mike Nickey of Auburn, Calif; two daughters Karen Gross of Urbandale, Iowa and Linda Hildreth of San Diego, Calif; and 13 grandchildren.

Mrs. Nickey was preceded in death by a sister Dorothy Ward.  Mr Nickey was preceded by a sister Isabell Huber and a brother Robert Nickey.

Joint graveside services for Mr. and Mrs. Nickey will be held at 3 p. m. on Friday, September 26, 2008, at the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco.  Rev. Corrine K. Boruff, pastor of Churubusco United Methodist Church, will officiate.  Interment of the  remains will follow in the family plot.  

Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco is in charge of the arrangements.

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

Arden D. Mantle, 61, a resident of rural Kendallville, died at 8:12 a. m. on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne following a lengthy illness.

Mr. Mantle was born on January 25, 1947 in Wolf Lake, a son of Harley E. and Valetta (Morrissey) Mantle.  He spent his formative years in Eel River Township in Allen County, and graduated from Huntertown High School in 1965.

On June 7, 1970 he was married at Bear Lake to Jean L. Peters, and spent all of his adult life in Noble County.  As a young man he was employed at Essex Wire in Kendallville, and later was a semi truck driver for several years.  He retired in 2005 from the maintenance department of the Indiana State Highway Department.

A member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Albion, he enjoyed all sorts of outdoor activities, fishing, and was always known as a “people person.”

The surviving relatives include his wife Jean; his three children Martin (Kendra) Mantle of Kendallville, Aron (Carrie) Mantle of Orland, and Karla Mantle of Kendallville; his father Harley E. Mantle of Kendallville; a sister Ramonda (Hugh) DeLong of Albion; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother Valetta Mantle; and by a sister Vickie Mantle.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p. m. Thursday, September 25, 2008, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Pastors Brett Frymier and Austin Fergusson, officiating.

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

Interment will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Noble County.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Asbury United Methodist Church, 605 E. Main Street, Albion, IN  46701; or American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 1130, Fairfax, VA  22038-1130. 

To leave a condolence for the family in Mr. Mantle’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .