Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Debra L. Reimund, 57, a resident of Blue Lake near Churubusco, passed away unexpectedly at 5:50 a. m. on Monday, June 6, 2011 in the emergency room at Parkview Whitley Hospital in Columbia City after becoming suddenly ill at her home.

Ms. Reimund was born on December 12, 1953 in Fort Wayne, a daughter of Herbert E. and Blanche (Smith) Reimund, Sr.  She spent her formative years in Fort Wayne and graduated from Northside High School in 1971.  She had lived in the Churubusco-area since 1989, moving here from Holland, Michigan where she had lived for eight years.

She was a member of the Gilbert Davis American Legion Post 157 Ladies Auxiliary in Churubusco.  Referred to by her family as a “professional grandma,” she dearly loved her family and also enjoyed her flower garden, going to garage sales, and helping others.

The surviving relatives include her two sons Joseph (Victoria) O’Brien of  Clayton, N. C., and Ethan (Bree) O’Brien of Churubusco; a daughter Danielle Wehrle of Fort Wayne; her companion James Wehrle of Churubusco; three sisters Marilyn (Darwin) Werling of Holland, Mich., Nancy Werling of Bremen, and Yvonne (Nick) Ciocca of Fort Wayne; a brother Edward (Paulette) Reimund of Colorado Springs; an uncle and aunt Richard and Beverly Smith of Wolcottville; and eight grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers Herbert Reimund, Jr. and Larry R. Reimund.

Funeral services will be held at 8 p. m. on Saturday, January 11, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Joyce Gerwing, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Columbia City, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home after 5 p. m. on Saturday until the time of the service.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the family for her grandchildren.

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

John M. “Jake” Cramar, 79, a resident of rural Churubusco, passed away at 9:30 p. m. on Friday, June 3, 2011, at his home.  He had been in declining health for the past four years, and had returned to his home from the hospital on Tuesday.

Mr. Cramar was born in Fort Wayne on April 3, 1932, a son of David L. and Lola Mae (Cook) Cramar, and moved to Churubusco at age 9 with his parents.  He graduated from Churubusco High School in 1950, and as a young man served with the U. S. Navy during the Korean Conflict.

For several years he worked in the meat department for the former Shelton’s IGA in Churubusco and later for Egolf’s IGA in Churubusco.  He retired in the early 1990’s as a floor inspector for Zolner Piston in Fort Wayne after 28 years.  Following his retirement he was employed by the Eel River Golf Course near Churubusco.

Always a community spirited person, he was instrumental through the Jaycees in establishing both the football field at Churubusco High School and the first Little League diamond in the Churubusco Park.  He was a member of Columbia City American Legion Post, and Churubusco Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Turtle Post 3846.

The surviving relatives include his daughters Dawn Cramar of Albion and Debbie Geiger of Fort Wayne; a sister Donna Mae Cramar of Gleason, Tenn; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers Daniel Cramar and Pat Cramar.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p. m. on Saturday, June 11, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with his grandson David Beard, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

For those who wish, memorials should be directed to the family.

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

Mary Lortie Melkus, 62, of Churubusco, passed away at 10:40 p. m. on Friday, June 3, 2011, at Lutheran Hospital. She had been declining in health but her passing was unexpected.

Ms. Melkus was born in Goshen on March 26, 1949, a daughter of Gerald and Eleanor (Middaugh) Kistler.  She spent her formative years in Elkhart County where she graduated for Goshen High School.

She worked for Washington Product near Cromwell and at Dekko Wire in North Webster.

The surviving relatives include two sons Shawn (Sephora) Lortie of Churubusco and  Scott Lortie of Columbia City; a daughter Rose (Matt) Boger of Auburn; two sisters Anita (Ron) Howard of Fort Wayne and Dori Lowers of Gainesville, FL; five grandchildren and one great – granddaughter.

Ms. Melkus was preceded in death by her parents and a brother Jimmy Kistler

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p. m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday 1 hour prior to the service.

Interment will be at New Paris Cemetery.

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

Leroy Lawson, 85, a resident of Churubusco, passed away at 3:45 a. m. on Thursday, June 2, 2011, at his home.  He had been in failing health since April, and had returned home two days ago after being hospitalized.

Mr. Lawson was born in Wolf Lake on May 11, 1926, a son of Homer and Blanche (Reed) Lawson, and spent his formative years in Noble County.  As a young man he served with the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II, and was a war hero.  Following his military discharge he was married to Ruth L. Schroeder on December 26, 1947.   He was then engaged in farming, and was also a sheet metal worker.

He lived in South Milford for a portion of  his adult life.  He retired in 1988 as a construction foreman for Hagerman Construction, and was involved in many major building projects throughout Fort Wayne during his career.  Following his retirement he enjoyed traveling throughout the continental United States and beyond.

He was a lifetime member of American Legion Post 97 in Auburn and the Churubusco Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Turtle Post 3846.  He was also a member of the First Marine Division, and was proud to be a part of the Cherokee Nation Northern Tsalagi tribe in West Virginia.

His first wife preceded him in death on October 1, 1981.  On November 13, 1983 he was married to Betty J. (Walker) McClure.  She survives.

Also surviving are his children Corrine Caulfield of Sarasota, Fla., Roy Lee (Cheri) Lawson of Auburn, Betty (Bill) Bridge of Kendallville, Gale (Michael) Kissinger of West, Tx., Joan (Creager) Smith of Fort Wayne, and Jay (Deb) Lawson of Kalamazoo, Mich; eight step-children June Houlton of Auburn, Linda (Duane) Barth of Columbia City, Beverly (Joe) Gray of Archbold, Oh., David McClure of Columbia City, Aaron (Cyndi) McClure of Churubusco, Wanda Van Horn of Auburn, and Carol Butler and Gloria Hughnett, both of Fort Wayne; and a sister Geneva Wagner of Kendallville.  There are 30 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

In addition to his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by a step-son Alden Ray “Sonny” McClure; a brother Forrest Lawson; a sister Odra Bailey; and by two grandsons Jeremy Ray Hoffman and Jeffery Everage.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a. m. on Monday, June 6, 2011, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Timothy Grable, pastor of Sugar Grove Church of God, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday from 2 to 6 p. m., or one hour prior to the service.

Interment with military graveside rites will be in the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Sonny McClure Scholarship Fund for Churubusco High School.

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To leave an online condolence for the family in Mr. Lawson’s memory, log on to www.sheetsandchilds.net