Merlin R. Zimmerly, 93, of Lima died at 1:35 pm June 7, 2011 at Lost Creek Care Center, Lima. He was born October 22, 1917 in Richland Township to Melvin R. and Lavina Gratz Zimmerly. On March 5, 1941 he married R. Cleora Burkholder and she survives.
Mr. Zimmerly was a dairy farmer and a life member of the Holsiein-Friesion Association of America. He worked for Cookson Marathon and retired from the Ohio Dept. of Transportation in 1986. He was a member of Lima Mennonite Church and was a past president of the Allen County Dairy Board.
Before March 2, 2007, Allen Slabaugh was admittedly focused on baseball. But like others on the Bluffton team bus that crashed that morning in Atlanta, killing seven-including five of his teammates-he was changed by the experience.
"The accident redirected me a lot," says Slabaugh, 24, who calls it "a miracle" that he escaped with only cuts on his back and a few stitches on one knee. No longer feeling invincible, he realized "I was blessed to be able to play baseball, and for each day on Earth I'm given," he explains.
Just in time for Bluffton's sesquicentennial, Terry Mullenhour recently showed the community sesquicentennial quilt to the 150th anniversary planning committee. The quilt will permanently hang in the town hall.
BFR will offer a basketball skills camp for boys and girls entering grades 3-6. The camp will be held June 28-30; boys from 10 a.m. to noon and girls 1-3 p.m., according to Carole Enneking, BFR director.
The camp leader will be Adam Burris, BFR sports coordinator. Deadline to register is June 20. For more information, contact BFR Sports & Fitness by calling 419-358-4150 or visit the www.bfronline.com website.
