All Bluffton Icon News

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Lillian Irene (Koontz) Crates, 89, of rural Arlington, died at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013, in Findlay, Ohio. She was born in Jenks, Okla., on March 19, 1924, to Jasper and Linda (Lugibill) Koontz Dray.

On July 20, 1941, she married Herbert G. Crates and they were married for 67 years until his death on Nov. 8, 2008. They had five children: Sandra (Bruce) Dacre , Delaware, Ohio; Larry (Rindy) Crates, Arlington; Charles Crates, Arlington;  Mary (Tom) Phillips, Climax, Mich.; Jack (Elaine) Crates, Findlay.

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Herbert J. Bormuth, 92, of rural Rawson, died at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 at the Arlington Good Samaritan Center. He was born on Feb. 28, 1921, to the late Oliver and Alma (Schaller) Bormuth in Van Buren Twp., Hancock County. He married Ruth Ann von Stein on Jan. 11, 1942, and she survives.

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Is it true that you can see the Space Needle from the bathroom in your house? How does that compare to what you saw out the bathroom of your house on the rural Pandora farm where you grew up?

Yes! I can see the Space Needle from my bathroom window! Although a beautiful site, I am partial to the pond and pine trees I viewed from my Pandora farm.

You graduated from PGHS when? How did you choose to attend Anderson (IN) University? What was your major? What kind of extracurricular activities were you involved in?

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Two familiar Blaze of Lights icons - Junior Weihrauch of Arlington and John George. The two serve as Blaze parade announcers. In addition, Weihrauch is the parade director, a volunteer job that starts each year in July. George serves as the Blaze "town crier" and announces all events from the Blaze stage.

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BFR Director, Carole Enneking, reminds community members that the BFR Sports and Fitness is a partner in the Silver Sneakers Fitness Program.  

Silver Sneakers is a network of fitness facilities across the United States that offer free memberships to senior adults who have qualifying insurance plans. Currently, BFR has 145 Silver Sneakers members using its facility. 

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The annual Texas Roadhouse Restaurant holiday fundraiser is now underway at BFR Sports and Fitness. 

Gift Cards with values of $15, $25 and $50 are on hand in limited supply; large orders can be pre-paid and picked up at the Bluffton facility. The cards may be used at any Texas Roadhouse restaurant in the United States. 

BFR receives 10% of the total value of sales. Cards will be available through Dec. Contact BFR by calling 419-358-4150 for more information.

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