William J. “Bill” Hoffer, 70, died on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, at 12:45 p.m. at his residence in Ada, surrounded by his family.
He was born on March 13, 1950 in Bluffton to the late Roy and Mary (Dunbar) Hoffer, Jr. On Feb. 2, 1979, Bill married Diana M. Newland and she survives in Ada.
Bill worked as a custodian at Ohio Northern University, Ada. He was a member of the Bluffton High School class of 1968.
Former Bluffton resident Lance Jay Pearch, 80, of Cumming, Georgia, died on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020.
Lance was born in Stone Creek, Ohio, on July 26, 1940, to Donald and Anna (Lab) Pearch. He was a graduate of Findlay College and retired from management at the Ford Motor Co. Engine Plant in Lima after 28 years.
Lance and Karen moved to Cumming to be closer to their children after living in Bluffton for 30 years. Lance was a volunteer to the Lutheran Church, member of the Elks Lodge and an active Bluffton Athletic Booster while his children were in school in Bluffton.
Former Bluffton resident Paula E. Monroe, 76, of Maumee, Ohio, died on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, in Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo.
She was born Nov. 16, 1944, in Bluffton, to Paul and Martha Greding. After graduating from Bluffton High School in 1962, she attended Toledo Hospital School of Nursing and graduated in 1965. She married Larry Monroe on March 26, 1966, in Lambertville, Mich.
Mark Douglas Ritchie, 36, died on Tuesday, Nov.17, 2020, at 6:41 p.m. at his residence in Bluffton.
He was born on July 22, 1984 in Kenton to Dale Ritchie of Alger and Shelly (Carmean) Ritchie of Ada.
Mark worked for A-Z Meats in Bluffton.
Also surviving is his maternal grandmother, Nancy Tarr; two sisters: Amber Ritchie of Ada and Lindsey Ritchie of Spencerville; and a niece, Bayleigh Gay.
Mark was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents: Ervin and Dorothy Ritchie; maternal grandfather, Jim Carmean; and a niece, Autumn Nicole.
Betty J. Baumgartner, 88, died Nov. 21, 2020, at the Hilty Memorial Home in Pandora, where she resided with her husband, Bernie. She was born on Oct. 19, 1932 in Lima to the late Howard and Alice (Oard) Busick. On Feb. 14, 1949, she married Bernard W. Baumgartner and he survives.
Robert W. Hower, 92, died Nov. 21, 2020, at Mercy Health - St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima. Bob was born Aug. 21, 1928, in Bedminster, Pennsylvania, to the late William and Clara (Schwartz) Hower. He married A. Jean Roark Hower who preceded him in death.
Bob graduated from Bangor High School in Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Bluffton College and later his teaching certificate from Ohio Northern University.
