August 2015

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Classes at Trinity Lutheran School, Jenera began on  Aug. 17.  The school has classes for Pre-school through Grade 8.

Valarie Tharman joins Traci Hummer (Pre-school and Kindergarten), Connie Krueger (Grades 1-2), Jeremy Dennings (Grades 5-6) and Steve Strong (Grades 7-8 and Principal) as the teacher of Grades 3-4. Valarie is a graduate of Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota.

 

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Bluffton Public Library will have a special Storytime for children who are just about to start school/kindergarten.

In addition the library will launch a playgroup and crochet group for youth.

The Storytime is Monday, Aug. 24, at 6:30 p.m. or Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m.  at the library.

According to Esther Birkey, youth services coordinator, "Starting Kindergarten can be an exciting, yet anxious experience for a child. Bluffton Public Library would like to support local families in preparation for this new chapter.

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On July 25 Bluffton High School Class of 1960 held its 55th reunion at the town hall in Bluffton. Seventeen class members were present.

Row I: Sandra (Diller) Rinnert, Karen (Anderson) Garmatter, Karen (Gerber) McKanna, Nancy (Patterson) Tripp, Connie (Patterson) Kear, Lucille (Amstutz) Fawley

Row II: Betty (Stratton) Ziessler, Marylin (Dillman) Basinger, Emily (Hochstettler) Crawfis, Terri (Preto) Wilch, Dave Bash, Vera Basinger, Terry Marshall

Row III: Doug Reichenbach, Jan Emmert, Jim Luginbihl, Larry Core

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Based on Monday's Bluffton school board agenda, you'd think that school is about to start. Of course, it is.

The agenda includes offering of several last-minute back-to-school agenda items.

Among these are:
• Activity account transfers
• Contracts and assignments for several supplemental positions
• Substitute teacher contracts
• Saturday school supervisors

The entire Monday agenda is in an attachment at the bottom of this story.

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A major change is coming to several Main Street intersections this month.

During Monday’s council meeting, Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, will update council on a Main Street street marking project scheduled to take place before Aug. 31 by Zimmerman Painting.

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Ruth Fritschi, 88, died Aug. 15, 2015, at Richland Manor, Bluffton. Arrangements are incomplete at Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, Bluffton.

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J. Irene Hamman, 94, died Aug. 6, 2015, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton.  Irene was born July 1, 1921, in New York City to Tracy and Mary (McKnight) Baseley who preceded her in death. On Oct. 1, 1944, she married Raymond Hamman who preceded her in death on April 11, 2000.

She was an active member of her church in each community where she lived, teaching Sunday school, VBS, singing in the choir, working on various committees, and hosting as needed. She served as a Girl Scout leader for several years and chaperoned more than one Junior Prom.

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Charles E. "Chuck" Shepler, 97, died Aug. 14, 2015, at Bridge Hospice Care Center, Findlay.  Chuck was born June 3, 1918, in Rockford to the late Robert and Marintha (Roberts) Shepler. On Oct. 14, 1939, he married Augusta "Mim" (Kill) Shepler who preceded him in death on April 16, 2009.

Chuck had worked for Buckeye Pipeline for 45 years. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bluffton. Chuck was a member of the Columbus Grove Eagles #2772, Bluffton Senior Citizens and the Ada VFW.  He was also a member of the Northwest Ohio Antique Machinery Association. 

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Lawrence Amstutz Jr., 87, of Pandora died 12:35 p.m., Aug.13, 2015, at the Hilty Memorial Home, Pandora.  Lawrence was born July 11, 1928, in Pandora to the late Lawrence and Verna Miller Amstutz.  On Dec. 9, 1960 he married Betty Dew at the Grace Methodist Church, Lima, and she survives. 

Lawrence retired from the Ford Engine Plant, Lima.  He was a member of the Pandora United Methodist Church. Lawrence was a graduate of Pandora High School and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. 

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Where’s the town hall? Where’s the swimming pool? Where’s the library?

Help in answering these questions is on the way, thanks to the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce.

This fall the chamber will create the first two of several large mounted full-color maps of Bluffton.

Each mounted map is three feet wide by two feet tall. The maps will be mounted on easy-to-read stands to be placed throughout the village. In addition, maps will be available for businesses to post inside their stores.

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