By Joshua Kauffman,
Middle school principal This column is reprinted in part from the spring school newsletter.
If there has ever been a year where we can all be grateful that we live in Bluffton and truly do come together as a village to ensure our students are taken care of by working together, this one has been it. .
Since mid-year, our students have been hard at work despite the restrictions and limitations they have faced.
Sharon Sue Niswander, 81, died May 10, 2021, at St. Catherine's Manor of Findlay. Sharon was born Aug. 16, 1939, in Lancaster, Ohio, to the late Gould and Viola (Krogh) Ackerman. On Oct. 9, 1960, she married Edward Niswander who survives.
Sharon graduated from Cory-Rawson High School. She worked at Kohl's Distribution Center in Findlay. Sharon also worked as a nurse's aide at Bluffton Hospital and was bill of lading clerk at Gate's in Sherman, Texas. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, baking especially pies, cakes and cookies.
Gerald "Jerry" Duane Yoakam, 84, died May 11, 2021, at Lima Memorial Health System. Jerry was born Feb. 20, 193,7 in Bluffton to the late Jesse and Lillian (Kennel) Yoakam. On June 7, 1958 he married Rachel DeVier Yoakam who preceded him in death on Aug. 12, 2014.
On May 9, First Mennonite Church dedicated 23 comforters made by members during the pandemic, to be sent to Mennonite Central Committee. MCC will distribute these to persons in need around the world. Last year, MCC sent 32,131 comforters to persons in North Korea, Ukraine, Iraq, Zambia, Syria, Lebanon, Haiti, Canada and the U.S.A. Sarah Basinger and Pat Sheidler lead FMC's longtime comforter projects. At this time, 30 additional completed comforter tops are being prepared for knotting at FMC.
