Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Mary M. Cramar, 72, a former resident of Blue Lake near Churubusco and widow of Daniel R. Cramar, passed away at 6:48 a. m. on Monday, January 10, 2011, at the home of her daughter in Gleason, Tennessee.  She had been in declining health for the past four years, and had been seriously ill since July.

Mrs. Cramar was born on May 9, 1938 in Marietta, Ohio, and was married in Noble County on August 13, 1961 to Daniel R. Cramar.  She spent most of her adult life at Blue Lake near Churubusco, and had moved to Gleason three and one-half years ago to be near her daughter there.

She had formerly worked at Essex Wire, and retired from Bluffton Rubber Company in Churubusco after 11 years.

Mr. Cramar preceded her in death on July 28, 1990.

The surviving relatives include her children Jerry L. (Vickie) Lloyd of Laud, Terry L. (Regina) Lloyd of Rochester, Lorean (Lendell) Smith of Gleason, Tenn., and Tina (Larry) Hardesty of Ithica, New York; a brother Fred C. Pabst of Celina, Ohio; a sister Betty (Donald) Waggoner of Marietta, Ohio; a sister-in-law Donna Cramar of Gleason, Tenn; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a. m. on Saturday, January 15, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Aaron Peer, pastor of Charter Oak Community 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 Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

***********************************

To leave an online condolence for the family in Mrs. Cramar’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .

Betty I. Gaff, 85, a former resident of Churubusco and more recently of Columbia City, passed away at 3:20 p. m. on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at Parkview Whitley Hospital in Columbia City.  She had been a patient there since December 31.

Ms. Gaff was born on April 23, 1925 in Churubusco, a daughter of Roy and Alice (Hull) Gaff.  She graduated from Churubusco High School in 1943, and was a lifelong resident of Churubusco until moving to Columbia City one year ago.

Upon completing her education, she became employed at General Electric in Fort Wayne and worked there for 44 years, retiring in 1985.

The surviving relatives include her sister Ellen Griffin of Fort Wayne; two sisters-in-law Dorothy Gaff of Phoenix, Ariz., and Mildred Gaff of Auburn; several nieces and nephews including Barbara Nelson of Phoenix, James E. Knafel of Albion, Jenice Klausing of Fort Wayne, Max Knafel of Portage, Mich., Howard Gaff and Edward Gaff, both of Phoenix, Carolyn Parker of Michigan, Scott Gaff of Auburn, and Jennifer Gates of Denver, Col.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers Robert E. “Gene” Gaff and Ralph Gaff.

Services will be held at 2 p. m. on Saturday, January 15, 2010, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Nancy Fergusson, pastor of Green Center United Methodist Church, officiating.

Friends may call at the mortuary one hour prior to the service Saturday afternoon.

Burial will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the donor’s choice.

**************************************

To leave an online condolence for the family in Mrs. Gaff’s memory, click on “Condolences” below. . .

Lucy (Bojrab) Surber, 89, a resident of  Fort Wayne and widow of the Rev. Herman E. Surber, passed away at 9:52 p. m. on Thursday, January 6, 2011, at Life Care Center in Fort Wayne.  She had been in failing health for some time, and had been a patient there for the past year and a half.

Mrs. Surber was born on August 9, 1921 in Eel River Township, a daughter of Samuel and Libby (Slyby) Bojrab, and spent her formative years on the family farm there.

She was united in marriage to the Rev. Herman E. Surber in Churubusco on June 19, 1949, and assisted her husband in his ministry in United Methodist Churches in Marion, Elkhart, Alto, Gaston, Muncie, and Kokomo.  Following her husband’s retirement, the couple moved to their present home in Fort Wayne in 1986.

Mrs. Surber had a love for children’s ministries, was a marvelous cook and homemaker, enjoyed traveling, and found great fulfillment in her role as a pastor’s wife and dedicated mother.  She was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne.

Rev. Surber preceded her in death on December 11, 2001.

The surviving relatives include her daughter Suzanne K. Surber of Fort Wayne; her dedicated sister Mary Bojrab of Fort Wayne; and her two loving brothers Norman Bojrab, Sr. and George (Gloria) Bojrab, both of Fort Wayne.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son Steven C. Surber on May 8, 1992.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. on Monday, January 10, 2011, in Trinity United Methodist Church, 609 Putnam Street, with Pastors Matthew Leffler, Sr. and Robert Dexter, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Sunday from 2 to 8 p. m., or at the church one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be in the Eel River Cemetery, Allen County.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Trinity United Methodist Church, 609  Putnam Street, Fort Wayne, IN  46808

***************************************

To leave an online condolence for the family in Mrs. Surber’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .

Pat Peters, 71, a resident of Churubusco and wife of Mahlon E. Peters, passed away at 7:10 p. m. on Tuesday, January 4, 2011, at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.  She had been in failing health since November.

Mrs. Peters was born on February 13, 1939 in Swan Township in Noble County, a daughter of Ralph B. and Fae E. (Butler) Carter, Sr., and graduated from Woodburn High School in 1957.

On November 12, 1960 she was married in Columbia City to Mahlon E. Peters, and lived there until moving to her present home in Churubusco in 1968.

Employed as a nurses aid, she had worked in the obstetrics department at Whitley County Hospital in Columbia City for 30 years until 1985.   During the formative years of her children, she was a volunteer for both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and also for 4-H.  She had a special talent for sewing, enjoyed crafts and camping, and most especially loved and cherished her family.

The surviving relatives include her husband Mahlon; five children Dan (Lisa) Peters of Churubusco, Doug (Cindy) Peters of Albion, David (Jenny) Peters of Churubusco, Tina (Vaughn) Fulk of Columbia City, and Bethann (James) Richard of Crowley, Tx; her mother Fae Carter of Columbia City; a sister Stella Egolf of Columbia City; two brothers Larry P. (Dolly) Carter of Roanoke and Ralph (Marsha) Carter of Columbia City; a sister-in-law Barbara Carter of Roanoke; 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by two sons Dennis Peters in 1964 and Darren Peters in 1991; a brother James Carter; a sister Cathy Perry; and a brother-in-law Dick Egolf.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a. m. on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Pastors Larry Schmoekel and George Cecil, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 2 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Saturday morning.

Interment will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Columbia City.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to a charity of the donor’s choice, or by simply doing an act of kindness for someone in need.

***************************************

To leave an online condolence for the family in Mrs. Peter’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .

Mary Ann Pund, 85, a former resident of Eel River Township and widow of Charles Edward Pund, passed away at 8:43 p. m. on Tuesday, January 4, 2011, at the St. Anne Home in Fort Wayne following a lengthy illness.

Mrs. Pund was born in Wapaknetta, Ohio on March 22, 1925, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Higgins) Kohler.  She spent her formative years there, and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1943.  At age 18 she moved to Lima, Ohio where she was employed at Westinghouse Electric.

On September 3, 1955 she was married to Charles Edward Pund, and moved to Cleveland, Ohio.  The couple then moved to Allen County in 1959, where she spent all of her adult life.

She had formerly been employed in the catalog department at Montgomery Ward at Northcrest, and retired in 1989 from Syfert’s Foods in Fort Wayne.  She was a member of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco, and had also attended St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church in Fort Wayne.

Mr. Pund preceded her in death on June 22, 1983.

The surviving relatives include her children James C. (Betsy) Pund, Keith G. (Sarah) Pund, and Patricia (Kurt) Poling, all of Huntertown, and Lynn Haire of Fort Wayne; three sisters Nelle Gault of Marysville, Wash., and Edith (Harold) Stroh and Alice (Joe) Schwer, both of Wapoknetta, Oh; eight grandchildren Jeremy (Anna) Haire, Amie (Benjamin) Klinger, Jennifer (Aaron) Lee, Nicholas Pund, Nicole (James) Fuller, Meghan Henschen, Lorah Pund, and Ryan Poling; and five great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by five brothers.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p. m. on Saturday, January 8, 2010, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Father John Overmyer, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, January 6, 2010, from 5 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Saturday afternoon.   There will be no visitation on Friday.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the St. Anne Home, 1900 Randallia Drive., Fort Wayne, IN  46805

*************************************

To leave an online condolence for the family in Mrs. Pund’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .