Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Kevin D. Brudi, age 35, a resident of Chandler, Az. passed away Saturday December 13, 2008 of injuries relating to a Motocross accident.

Kevin was a former resident of Churubusco, Indiana until 2002.

Kevin was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 30, 1973 a son of Ken Gaff and the late Karen Jean (Trahin) Brudi. His father lives in North Carolina.

As a child, he moved from Fort Wayne, to Churubusco, Indiana where he graduated from Churubusco High School with the class of 1992. After moving to Arizona he became the owner/operator of a tool and die company in Phoenix and recently purchased a second company in Tucson.

He is also survived by his sister Kelly (Tim) Robertson of Oro Valley Az, nephews Trey and Trevor Robertson, grandmother, Marilyn Trahin of Columbia City, aunt Ladonna (Joel) Hoehn of Ossian, uncles, Randy (Diane) Gaff of Churubusco, Dan (Brenda) Trahin of Arcola, Rick (Brenda) Trahin of Columbia City, Tim Trahin of Fort Wayne, and Rod (Kate) Trahin of Arcola and many cousins.

Funeral services will be held Monday December 29, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. at Sheets and Childs Funeral Home.

The family will receive friends in the funeral home on Monday from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. and 5:00 to service time.

Marie L. Campbell, 89, a former resident of Churubusco and widow of Joseph G. Campbell, died at 7:03 a. m. on Monday, December 15, 2008 at Renaissance Village in Fort Wayne.  She had been a resident there for over three years.

Mrs. Campbell was born in Green Township in Noble County on September 9, 1919, a daughter of Milton and Minnie (Martin) Herendeen, and spent her formative years there.

On October 21, 1937 she was married to Joseph G. Campbell.  She lived much of her adult life in Noble County, and lived in Fort Wayne for 12 years before moving to Churubusco in 2003.  She had been employed at Dana Corporation in Churubusco for ten years, retiring from there in 1976.

Mr. Campbell preceded her in death on October 23, 1996.

The surviving relatives include a son Jerry L. (Karen) Campbell of Kimmell; two daughters Jeannette (John) Winebrenner of Fort Wayne and Jane Gray of Churubusco; nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and spouse, she was preceded in death by eight brothers and three sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p. m. on Thursday, December 18, 2008, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Father Rick Leone, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the mortuary on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Thursday afternoon.

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

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the Arthritis Foundation.

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Russell J. Egolf, 79, widely acquainted Noble County dairy farmer and community leader and a resident of rural Churubusco, died at 1:40 a. m. on Saturday, December 13, 2008, at the family residence in Green Township after a brief illness.

Mr. Egolf was born on September 29, 1929 on the Egolf Family Homestead in Thorncreek Township in Whitley County, a son of Dewey and Eva (Winebrenner) Egolf.  He moved as a child with his parents to Merriam and spent all of his formative years in Noble Township, graduating from Wolf Lake High School in 1947.

On October 1, 1950 he was married in Churubusco to Martha Ann Nestel.  He lived all of his married life on the family farm northwest of Churubusco, and was a dairy farmer all of his working years.  For the past 15 years the couple wintered in Apache Junction, Arizona.

In addition to his agricultural endeavors, his life was marked by community service and memberships in several organizations.  He was a member of the Churubusco United Methodist Church, where he had served in a variety of administrative capacities, including a trustee of the church.  He served for eight years on the board of trustees of the Smith-Green Community School Corporation in Churubusco, was involved in the American Dairy Association, and had also been a member of the Boots ‘n Bonnets Square Dance Club for many years.  He was an avid sports enthusiast, having played baseball and basketball for several years.

He is survived by his wife Martha, to whom he was married for over 58 years; his children Jann (David T.) Johnson, Mel (Susan) Egolf, and Ned (Cathy) Egolf, all of Churubusco, and Brian (Judy) Egolf of Albion; a brother J. D. Egolf of Albion; a sister Faith Richards of Gainsville, Fla; two sisters-in-law Connie Nestel Teghtmeyer of Fort Wayne and Janet Nestel of Orlando, Fla; ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Sylvelda (Harold O.) McCoy.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a. m. Wednesday, December 17, 2008, at the Churubusco United Methodist Church with Rev. Corinne K. Boruff, officiating.

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

Interment will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

The family requests memorials be directed to the Churubusco United Methodist Church Food Pantry, or to Parkview Home Health & Hospice.

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Robert F. McDowell, 80, a resident of rural Avilla, died at 10 p. m. on Thursday, December 11, 2008, at the family residence in Green Township following an extended illness.

Mr. McDowell was born in fort Wayne on March 19, 1928, a son of Rosswell C. and Carrie Inez (Fusselman) McDowell, and spent his early years in Ohio.  As a youth he moved to Noble County near Merriam with his parents, and graduated from Wolf Lake High School in 1946.

On January 9, 1949 he was married in Merriam to Mary Lou Harlan, and had lived at his present farm home in Green Township for the past 50 years.  Engaged in farming in Noble County for much of his adult life, he had also been employed as a machinist at Dana Corporation in Fort Wayne for 30 years, retiring from there in 1992.

He was a member of the Merriam Christian Chapel, Noble County Farm Bureau, had previously served on the board of directors for the Noble County Fair, and served for eight years and was past president of the Indiana State Fair board of directors.

The surviving relatives include his wife Mary Lou; three sons Rick (Sharon) McDowell and Brent (Lib) McDowell, both of Avilla, and Gary (Vikki) McDowell of Albion; two daughters Jill (Terry) Shively of Columbia City and Holly (Wayne) Gibson of Churubusco; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters Pauline Clark and Marceil Scott.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a. m. Tuesday, December 16, 2008, in the Merriam Christian Chapel with Pastor Terry L. Zolman, officiating.

The family will receive friends at the church multi-purpose room on Monday from 2 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Tuesday morning.

Interment will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the Merriam Christian Chapel Missionary Fund.

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

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Lillian P. Gordon Foote, 92, a former resident of Churubusco, died at 5:50 p. m. on Saturday, December 6, 2008, at the Provena Sacred Heart Home in Avilla.  She had been a resident there since 2001.

Mrs. Foote was born on October 23, 1916 in Chrisman, Illinois, a daughter of Felix David and Rose (Meeks) Amolsky.  As a young girl she moved to Fort Wayne and lived there until moving to Churubusco in 1949.  She moved to LaVerna Terrace in Avilla in 1988 and lived there until entering the nursing home.

She had been previously employed at the former VanOrman Hotel in Fort Wayne, and retired in 1979 as an inspector for Essex Wire in Fort Wayne after six years.

She was a member of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco and its Rosary Sodolity.  She was also a eucharistic minister and a member of the St. Vincent dePaul Society.

Her first marriage took place on November 26, 1936 to George W. Gordon, Sr.  He preceded her in death on July 24, 1967.  On November 25, 1971 she married Willard J. Foote.  He died on November 6, 1992.

Surviving are her children Thomas J. (Sharon) Gordon of Fort Wayne, Michael J. (Virgie) Gordon of Culman, Alabama, Carolyn (Willard) Shively of Columbia City, Nancy (Monte) Gaff of Churubusco, George William Gordon, Jr. of Columbia City, and Robert N. (Mona) Gordon of Churubusco; a step-daughter Jackie Brown of Hudson; a son-in-law John Cazier of Rome City; 33 grandchildren, 83 great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren; and several step-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and two husbands, she was preceded in death by a daughter Mary Cazier; four step-children Alton Foote, Jr., Phyllis Weaver, Martha Longardner, and David Foote; and by a sister.

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 2-4 and from 6-8 p. m.  The Rosary will be recited at 8 p. m. Tuesday at the mortuary.

Interment will be in the Ege Catholic Cemetery, Noble County.

For those who wish, memorials may be directed to St. Vincent dePaul Society, or to masses.

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