Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Gregory D. Taylor, 49, of Fort Wayne, passed away 10:48 a.m. May 29, 2011, at Lutheran Hospital, after a brief Illness.

Mr. Taylor was born to David V. & Joan (Marquart) Taylor on April 30, 1962, In Fort Wayne, where he spent his formative years. He married Robin (Perry) May 16, 2011. He worked for YRC Glen Moore as a Driver.

Mr. Taylor enjoyed working on cars a 1978 camaro was his latest. He liked making music on his guitar and watching his Green Bay Packers.

Surviving include his parents; wife Robin (Perry); daughters Diana (Donald) Rinehart of Fort Wayne, Amber Rae DeRaps of Fort Wayne;  Step- son Doug Petitt of Auburn; Step – Daughter Amber Lynn Petitt of North Manchester; a brother Tim Taylor of Fort Wayne; two sisters Mary Ayers of Churubusco & Julie (Brad) Larkey of Fort Wayne; ten grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a step – son Jeffrey Petitt.

The family will receive friends from 4-8p.m. on Wednesday June 1, 2011 at Sheets & Childs Funeral Home, Churubusco. No Services are planned.

Memorial Contributions directed to the family in care of the funeral home.

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

Judith A. Brown, 67, a resident of Fort Wayne and formerly of rural Churubusco, passed away at 2:05 p. m. on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.  Although she had been admitted to the hospital on Friday, her death was unexpected.

Mrs. Brown was born in Springfield, Ohio on October 18,1 943, a daughter of Richard and Betty (Boughier) Staley.  She spent her formative years there, and graduated from Springfield South High School in 1961.

On May 12, 1962 she was married in Springfield to Norman K. Brown.  The couple spent the early years of their marriage in Springfield, and moved to Fort Wayne in 1972.  A year later they moved to their home near Churubusco where they lived until returning to Fort Wayne in 2004.

A homemaker, she was a member of the Merriam Christian Chapel, sang in the church choir, and participated in its Tuesday morning Ladies Bible Study.  In her leisure time she enjoyed flowers, reading, crocheting, and had a special love for music.  Most importantly, she dearly loved her husband, children, and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

The surviving relatives include her husband Norman; three daughters Laura Brown of Bryan, Ohio, Darlene (Jeff) Brady of Fort Wayne, and Cheryl (Curtis) Ayers of Verdigris, Oklahoma; a brother Richard (Connie) Staley of Xenia, Ohio; a niece Mindy Creech of Xenia, Ohio; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at the Merriam Christian Chapel, with Pastors Terry L. Zolman and Steve Pulley, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco from 3 to 8 p. m. on Tuesday, or at the church one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Merriam Christian Chapel Choir Fund, 3985 South U. S. 33, Albion, Indiana  46701.

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

Fay A. Johnson, 69 of Urbana, passed away, Sunday, May 15, 2011 in Mercy Memorial Hospital Urbana, Ohio.

He was born February 12, 1942 in Allen County, IN the son of Oscar Lee and Leah M. (Smith) Johnson.

Fay retired from Navistar after 47 years of service.  He was a 20 + year member of the Abundant Life Church Springfield, Ohio.  He enjoyed coaching Youth Hockey in Ft. Wayne, IN for many years and was an avid Jeff Gordon NASCAR fan.

He is survived by his wife, Bonita (Troyer) Johnson; his sons, Timothy Howard Johnson of Huntertown, IN, Mark Alan (Debbie) Johnson of Ft. Wayne, IN and Ty Jason (Angela) Zimmer of Urbana, OH; his daughter, Keely Zimmer of Urbana, OH; his grandchildren, Joshua, Erica, Sarah, David “Kiddlehopper”, Adam, Tieler and Kameron; his brothers, Larry Johnson of Avilla, IN and Rex Johnson of Decatur, IN; his sister Kay Bugert of LaOtto, IN, as well as several nieces & nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Jennifer Lynn Johnson; his brother, Ken Johnson and his brother in-law, Bob Bugert.

Funeral procession will leave Sheets & Childs Funeral Home at approximately at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, 2011 for a graveside service at Riverview Cemetery with Pastor Phillip Paino officiating.  The family will receive friends from 12-2 p.m. at Sheets & Childs Funeral Home.

Burial will be held in the Riverview Cemetery, south of Churubusco.

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

Rosetta B. Mercer, 90, a resident of Fort Wayne, passed away at 9:34 a. m. on Sunday, May 8, 2011 at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home in Fort Wayne.  She had been taken there last Wednesday from Byron Health Center where she had resided for the past 20 years.

Mrs. Mercer was born in Hartford City on November 4, 1920, a daughter of William B. F. and Isabell (Emery) Boothby.  She moved to Marion as a young woman, and had lived in Fort Wayne since 1950.  As an adult she did catering at the National Guard Armory, and had also worked in the beauty salon at Byron Health Center.

While a resident at Byron, she was elected their senior queen on numerous occasions, and had also served on their resident’s council as president and secretary.

The surviving relatives include her daughters Rosalie (Bob) Adams, Ruth Mercer, and Rita White, all of Fort Wayne; a daughter-in-law Joan Mercer of Big Lake; two special daughters Marilyn Nickelson of Fort Wayne and Priscilla Scott of Marion; her grandchildren Beth (Paul Doan, Bill (Melissa) White, Russell (Janelle Miller) White, Rex J. (Melissa) Mercer, and Lisa (Mark) Doehrman; a granddaughter-in-law Lori Wilson; eleven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her former husband Rex P. D. Mercer; a son Rex P. Mercer; three brothers ; a twin sister Rosene Messe; and four other sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. on Thursday at Byron Health Center, 12101 Lima Road, with Pastor Michael Lederman, officiating.

The family will receive friends at Byron Health Center one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

Memorials may be directed to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Rd., Fort Wayne, IN  46814; or Keefer Creek Baptist Church, P. O. Box 545, Leo, IN  46765.

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

Lowell A. Schaefer, 55, a native of Fort Wayne and formerly of Boulder, Colorado, passed away at 9:20 p. m. on Friday, May 6, 2011 at Regency Place in Fort Wayne.  He had been in failing health since January.

Mr. Schaefer was born in Fort Wayne on May 10, 1955, a son of Marvin F. and Mildred (Gerbers) Schaefer, and spent his formative years in Washington Township in Allen County.  He graduated from Concordia Lutheran High School in 1976, attended IPFW, and moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1976.

While living in Boulder he was employed as a computer programer, retiring due to ill health.  He returned to Fort Wayne this past June, and had most recently worked as a courier for Fort Wayne Newspapers.  An avid sports fan, he enjoyed outdoor activities in Colorado, reading, and watching his nieces and nephews in their athletic events.

He was baptized and confirmed at the Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, attended City On the Hill Church in Boulder, and since returning to Fort Wayne had attended the Broadway Christian Church.

The surviving relatives include his son Evan Michael Schaefer of Boulder; his siblings Linda (Dennis) Schaefer of Fort Wayne, Leroy (Cheryl) Schaefer of Fort Wayne, Larry (Kim) Schaefer of Leo, Leona Schaefer of Fort Wayne, and Loren (Lisa) Schaefer of Fort Wayne; and several nieces and nephews.

His parents preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p. m. on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 6318 W. California Road, with Pastor William E. Mueller, officiating.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p. m. on Monday at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco, or at the church one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be in the church cemetery.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed  to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, 6316 Mutual Dr., Fort Wayne, IN  46825; or City On the Hill Church, 7483 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder, CO  80303.

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