Frederick Cecil Amstutz worked in computers
Frederick Cecil Amstutz, 89, passed away into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
He was born on July 20, 1936, in Bluffton, Ohio, to the late Irvin and Leola (Suter) Amstutz.
Fred enjoyed living and working on his family farm. He was content to work the bean and corn fields and tend to the animals and expressed a special love of the baby pigs. He was passionate about baseball in school and found success on the pitcher’s mound on his Bluffton High School team. As an adult, Fred played for many years on adult rec teams. Ohio State and Cleveland football and baseball were his favorites to follow. He also loved to travel around the United States and took many scenic photos, especially of flowers and nature.
Fred’s adult work life away from the farm found him in Chicago, in the payroll department of a hospital. He showed a knack for computers, so in the 1960s was sent to California where it was all happening. While there, he met and in 1965 married Christine Blumenshine. They had two daughters, Bonnie and Nancy, and moved back to the family farm in Ohio and also lived in Lima, Ohio. In 1974, Fred was remarried to Jean Burchfield, who also had two grown daughters, Dawn and Wendy. He always worked in computers, even past retirement, when he started a computer business, working out of his home, helping folks in their retirement community with their computer issues.
Fred’s work and love of travel saw them live in many places: OH, OK, PA, SC, and FL (their favorite). In 2019, they moved back to Ohio to be closer to daughter Dawn. Fred was loved wherever he lived and was known for his quiet, polite, humble, honest, dependable, friendly and loving ways. He and his wife, Jeannie, were known to be so very close and always holding hands and wearing matching clothing. His church was a very important part of his life and even his final words were about going home to Jesus.
Fred is survived by his daughters, Bonnie (Morgan) Gautreaux of FL, Nancy (Scott) Hamilton of WA; his stepdaughter, Dawn (Bill) of Hamman of OH; two grandchildren, Chris and Josh; five step grandchildren, Adrianne and Morgan III, Chad (Leah) and Marc (Alissa), Kelly (Armand); 13 step great-grandchildren, including, Ryan, Marissa, William, Angela, Daniel, Noah and Grace and a stepson-in-law, Chuck Gunsallus.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Wendy Burchfield.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family.
The family requests any memorial donations be made to a charity of your choosing.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.
Stories Posted This Week
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Bluffton area Women in Business meeting October 15
- Leo club glasses collection
- Night at the (Swiss Historical) Museum, October 24
- Woodcarving ornament workshop at Swiss Heritage Center
- Barefoot nature walks at the Nature Preserve
- Pirate volleyball seeded 4th
- Beavers sports roundup, October 6-11
- Bluffton leaf pickup scheduled for last week of October
- Pirate boys soccer shuts out Bellefontaine
- Watch an after school movie at the Bluffton Public Library
- Dunlap awarded OSBA humanitarian award
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Friday, October 9, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 9
- Pirate girls soccer loss vs. St. Marys
- Pirate volleyball sweeps Carey
- “The Trumpet Player” sculpture at Bluffton University receives conservation grant
- October 13 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Plenty of action at Oct 10 Dillinger robbery reenactment and motorcycle show
- Caitlyn Couch junior piano recital, October 16
- Bluffton community survey opens for Active Transportation Plan