Obituaries

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Methel Benroth

Methel I. Benroth, 91, of Bluffton died at 11:12 am Jan. 15, 2012, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born March 26, 1920 near Gomer to Oscar M. and Jessie M. Caskie Renner. On March 26, 1941, she married Merlin Benroth and he preceded her in death on May 30, 1987.

Mrs. Benroth owned Methel's Beauty Shop and M & M Beauty Shop. She has also worked at Evans Clothing Store and A-Z Meats. She was a member of the Bluffton Presbyterian Church and Past Worthy Matron of the former Bluffton Order of the Eastern Star. She was a graduate of Gomer High School.

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Donald E. Osborne

Donald E. Osborne, 77, of Columbus Grove died at 4 a.m. Jan. 14, 2012 at his residence. He was born Nov. 12, 1934 in Venedocia to Francis and Mabel Miller Osborne. On Oct. 20, 1962 he married Lou Ann Palte and she survives.

Donald retired from Phillips Corp., Ottawa. He attended St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bluffton and was an Army Veteran.

Survivors also include three children, Amy (Paul) Shoppell of Van Wert, Donald C. Osborne of Beaverdam, Anne Osborne of Beaverdam, a grandson, Joseph Shoppell and a granddaughter, Marcy Shoppell.

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Thelma Gratz 1919-2013

Thelma Gratz, 92, of Bluffton died at 10:05 p.m. Jan. 12, 2012, at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born May 1, 1919, in Warren, Ohio, to Laura Jane Medley Dailey and John Smith Dailey. On Sept. 5, 1943 she married Delbert Gratz and he preceded her in death on Aug. 24, 2000.

Mrs. Gratz graduated from Bluffton College where she majored in religion. She later earned a master's degree in education from Bowling Green State University.

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Robert E. Steiner

Robert Eugene Steiner, 74, formerly of Bluffton, died on Jan. 4, 2012, in Phoenix, Ariz. He was born on Jan. 20, 1937, to Wilford and Mabel Herr Steiner, who preceded him in death.

He was married to Sharon Black, who is deceased and survived by two children, Shaunna Sibbons and Andrea (Cory) Axness and five grandchildren.

He later married Coleen Steiner who survives. He is also survived by one brother, Bill (Joan) Steiner, of Bluffton.

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Donald Wymer

Donald Keith Wymer, 73, of Mt. Cory, died at 10:22 p.m. on
Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at his residence. Donald was born to the late
Howard and Pauline (Baney) Wymer in North Baltimore, on Jan. 30, 1938.

He married Eldora Kain in 1957, and they later divorced. In 1977, he married Erma Orians and they later divorced. On May 19, 1984, he married Marilyn (Welch) Wymer and she survives.

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Marcile Suter

Marcile Suter, 97, of Bluffton died at 6:40 a.m. Jan. 1, 2012, at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born Sept. 5, 1914, in Bucyrus, to Robert and Ida Auch Rindfuss. On June 30, 1940, she married Winford Suter and he preceded her in death on Feb. 18, 1997.

Marcile and Winford met at Bluffton College. Winford's entire career was with Nationwide Insurance, formerly known as Farm Bureau Insurance and so the family over the years made their home in six or seven different communities such as Brooklyn, Conn., Canfield, Ohio, and finally Dover, Ohio.

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