2-11-1951
Gary Korney (Infant)
2-20-1951
Mary Wurst
Mrs. Mary Wurst, 83, of Ottoville, died in Lima St. Rita’s Hospital at 2 a.m. Tuesday. She had been a
patient in the hospital since January 24.
Mrs. Wurst was born September 18, 1866, a daughter of John and Mary Eberle. She married Andrew W.
Wurst, and he died on October 1, 1943.
Tow sons, Andy, of Ottoville; and Isadore Wurst, of Detroit, survive. There are six grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren.
She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville where funeral services will
be held at 9 a.m. Friday. Rev. Henry Gerwert will officiate and burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Anthony A. Ruen
Anthony A. Ruen, 44, a carpenter, died in his home at Continental at 2:45 a.m. Thursday of last week from
a heart attack. He had not been previously ill.
A son of Henry and Mary Ruen, he was born at Ottoville on October 16, 1906. His father survives in
Ottoville.
Mr. Ruen married Mary E. Breece on August 18, 1931 and moved to the Continental vicinity in 1941.
besides his father, he is survived by his wife and four children, James, Eugene, Norbert and Connie Kay, all at
home.
Sisters and brothers living are Mrs. Mary Felkey and Mrs. Dorothy Mesker, both of Delphos; Mrs. Clara
Brinkman, of Lima; Mrs. Henrietta King, of Ottoville; Mrs. Frances Walke, of Cleveland; Albert and William
Ruen, of Ottoville. Two brothers are deceased.
Mr. Ruen was a member of the Continental Fish and Game Club.
He belonged to St. John’s Catholic Church at Continental, where the funeral was held at 9:30 a.m.
Saturday. The Rev. David Moore officiated. Burial was made in St. Paul’s Cemetery at Hamler.
2-22-1951
Joseph J. Eickholt (Infant)
Joseph John Eickholt, six-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Eickholt, of Ottoville, died at the family
home at 5:50 a.m. Tuesday following a serious illness of three days. The baby was born August 15, 1950.
The following brothers and sisters survive; Thomas, Robert, Gerald, and Jane. Also surviving are the
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Leo. J. Eickholt and Mr. and Mrs. William Turnwald, all of near Ottoville.
An Angel’s Mass was offered at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville.
Burial was in St. Mary’s cemetery.
4-4-1951
Frank B. Honigfort
Relatives have received word of the death of Frank B. Honingfort, formerly of Lima, in Long Beach
California Friday.
Mr. Honingford was born in Ottoville and formerly was employed at the Lima State Hospital. He moved to
California a number of years ago.
Surviving are his widow Irene; four brothers, Edward, Cloverdale; William, Ottawa; J.J., Kalida; George,
Lima State Hospital; two sisters. Mrs. Rose Brinkman, Cloverdale; Mrs. Charles Schimmoeller, Spencerville.
Services were held in Long Beach.
4-10-1951
William H. Rekart
William H. Rekart, lifeling resident of the Ottoville community, died at his home oneand one-half miles east
of that village at 11:50 Tuesday forenoon. He had been in failing health for three years and seriously ill five
days. His death was caused by complications.
Mr. Rekart was born at Ottoville on November 29, 1876, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rekart and at the
time of his death was 74 years of age.
On May 14, 1903, he was married at Glandorf to Miss Theresa Morman. She preceded him in death on
November 17, 1917. He was married November 21, 1923 to Miss Regina Verhoff, who survives.
Children surviving are, Arthur, of Fergeson, Mo.; Mrs. Paul Bullard, of South Bend, Ind.; Mrs. Otmer
Wannemacher, of Delphos; Mrs. Albert Brandehoff, of Lima; and Mrs. Irvin Martz, at home. He also leaves 14
grandchildren; two brothers, Edward, of Norwalk; and Frank Rekart, of Van Nuys, Calif.; and four sisters, Miss
Anna Rekart, Mrs. Al Fournier and Mrs. Joseph Acher, all of Toledo; and Sister Mary Joseph, LaCrosse, Wis. A
son, Marvin died in 1944.
Mr. Rekart was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Friday morning at nine o’clock.
Rev. Henry Gerwert, the pastor, will officiate. Burial will be made in the parish cemetery.
Gottfried J. Wannemacher
Gottfried J. Wannemacher, 87, a citizen of Ottawa for a number of years, died at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Alfred Brinkman in Ottawa Saturday evening at 8:50. He had been seriously ill for four days.
Mr. Wannemacher was born at Ottoville on February 11, 1864, a son of Joseph and Mary Wannemacher
and had resided in this county all of his life. He was married to Amelia Boehmer who preceded him in death on
August 12, 1949.
He is survived by four children, Mrs. Joseph Rekart, of Delphos; Mrs. Sylvia Byrne, Hollywood, Calif.; Mrs.
Alfred Brinkman, Ottawa; and Alvin Wannemacher, Toledo; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a
brother, Henry Wannemacher, of Ottoville. Two children, Robert and Leona, four brothers and sisters,
preceded him in death.
Funeral services were held in Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock.
Rev. Leo A. Landoll, the pastor, officiated. Burial was made in St. Joseph’s cemetery at Ft. Jennings.
4-25-1951
Nicholas Bedink
Nicholas Bedink, 86, well known and respected Ottoville resident and former businessman of that village
died at his home Wednesday morning at 7:30 following a serious illness of two weeks. His death was due to
complications and infirmities.
Mr. Bedink was born in Vienna, Austria, on December 6, 1864, a son of Albert and Anna Bedink. He came
to this country in his youth and has resided in Ottoville since that time.
On November 15, 1899 he was married to Miss Theresa Ricker at St. John’ s Church, Glandorf. His widow
survives with four children, Mrs. William Looser, Mrs. Lawrence Brinkman and Joseph Bedink, all of Ottoville;
and Carl of Detroit; 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Two children, Mrs. Louis Weber and
Cornelius and his sisters and brothers preceded him in death.
Mr. Bedink owned and operated “Nick’s” restaurant at Ottoville for a number of years and after retiring
from that business engaged in the shoe repair business.
Funeral services will be held in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville, of which he was a
member, at nine o’clock Saturday morning. Rev. Henry Gerwert, the pastor, will officiate. Interment will be made
in the parish cemetery.
5-12-1951
Clara M. Looser
Miss Clara M. Looser, 67, of one mile south of Ottoville, died at 8:30 p.m. Saturday following an illness of
one week.
She was born at Ottoville on September 27, 1886, the daughter of Bernard and Mary Looser. She was
never married.
Surviving are the following brothers and sisters, Henry, of Dayton; Joseph, of Ft. Jennings; Mrs. Catherine
Leis, of Ottoville; William, of Ottoville; Charles Looser, of Ottoville; a half-brother F. A. Schmersal, of Delphos.
One brother is deceased.
Miss Looser, was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville where the funeral
was held at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Henry Gerwert officiated and burial was in St. Mary’s cemetery.
5-28-1951
Veronica Miller
Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Friday in the Immaculate Conception Catholic church, at Ottoville,
for Mrs. Veronica Miller, 79, of that village. Mrs. Miller died suddenly of a heart ailment at 10:30 p.m. Monday at
the home of a daughter, Mrs. George Grothuse, Delphos.
Born in Ottoville on May 26, 1872, she was a daughter of Mathias and Bernadine Eickholt. She married
Martin Miller on May 24, 1892, and he died in 1935.
The following children survive; Isadore, Delphos; Hugo, Duluth, Minn.; Stephen,
Roman, Bruno, Marcus and Wilbert, all of Ottoville; Mrs. Grothouse, Delphos; and Mrs. George Hilvers,
Ottoville.
There are two sisters and a brother living; Clara Eickholt, and Mrs. Caroline Hessian, of Delphos; and
Andrew Eickholt, of Ottoville; also surviving are 33 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Miller was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and its Alter Rosary Society.
Rev. Henry Gerwert will be in charge of the last rites. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
Theodore Van Oss
Theodore Van Oss, 82, Delphos, died at 4 p.m. last week Wednesday in Lima St. Rita’s Hospital following
an illness of three years. He was the father of Mrs. Hildegard Byrne and Mrs. Velma Rigdon, Ottoville.
He was born in Delphos on April 12, 1869. He married Elizabeth Kiefer of Ottoville on May 2, 1895, and
she survives. Besides Mrs. Byrne and Mrs. Rigdon, two other children also survive; Mrs. Zita Gasser, of
Delphos and Linus Van Oss, of East Liberty.
There are four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Also living are two sisters and a brother; Mrs.
Anna Kaple, Lima; Mrs. Elizabeth Vincke, Ottoville; and Joseph Van Oss, of Delphos.
The funeral was held in St. John’s Catholic Church, Delphos, at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial was in the church
cemetery.
6-9-1951
Frances Wurst
Funeral services were held in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ottoville, Tuesday morning of
last week. For Mrs. Frances Wurst, who died the previous Saturday at her home following an illness of 18
months.
Mrs. Wurst was born in Bayern, Germany, on September 6, 1868, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Kaes.
She was 82 years of age. On May 14, 1887 she was married to Henry D. Wurst at Grand Rapids Mich. He
preceded her in death on July 7, 1931.
She is survived by nine children, Mrs. Joseph Schwertner, Frank Wurst, Mrs. Norman Stokes and Mrs.
Clarence Wessell, all of Ottoville; Mrs. Paul Stallkamp, Ed Wurst and Mrs. Leo German, of Delphos; Mrs. Alois
Klausing , of Van Wert; and Mrs. Huley Reau, Erie, Mich.; 38 grandcildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Four
children preceded her in death.
Rev. Henry Gerwert officiated at the last rites and burial was made in the church cemetery.
7-15-1951
Richard P. Horstman
Ottoville Man Drowns as Plane Hits Water Off Cleveland Airport
Richmard Horstman Sank in Plane, Three Companions Safe
Richard Horstman, 31, resident of Ottoville, was drowned and three other Ottoville men swam to safety
when there light plane zoomed off the Lakefront Airport runway into Lake Erie while landing at Cleveland,
Sunday.
Mr. Horstman was trapped by his safety belt in the rear seat of the maroon Stinson 150. Rescue attempts
by five persons who dived to the plane in 12 feet of water failed to free him.
Mr. Horstman and his companions had flown to Cleveland to attend the ballgame at the stadium. Piloting
the ship was Robert Wannemacher, 35, Ottoville jeweler, who has had approximately 200 hours flight time.
With Mr. Wannemacher in the front seat was Cyril Horstman, 41, brother of the crash victim. Joseph Van
Oss, 28, Ottoville, was the fourth passenger, and he was riding with Richard Horstman in the rear seat.
The quartet had left the Tri-county Airport on the Woodrow Gudakunst farm near Grover Hill shortly after
10 o’clock. The plane was owned by Mr. Gudakunst and was borrowed by Mr. Wannemacher for the trip.
Mr. Wannemacher told Civil Aeronautic Authorities and John A. Doyle, Jr., airport manager, that the craft
had run about 30 feet along the landing strip when he touched the brakes. The left wheel grabbed, he stated
sending the plane into a spin.
The plane shot into an inlet in the lake about 500 feet from the east end of the runway. The plane skidded
along the surface of the water, stopping about 30 feet from the shore. It sank within three minutes, it was
stated.
Mr. Wannemacher informed officials that he opened the ships door as he saw the plane approaching the
water. He, Van Oss and Cyril Horstman got out safely. As the ship began to settle he called to Richard
Horstman to get out.
Mr. Wannemacher added that he doesn’t know if Richard answered him or not. Wannemacher reached in
and pulled at Horstman’ Finally the plane sank and he went down with it, breathing about a foot of air trapped
in the cabin.”
Mr. Wannemacher added that he stayed under for what seemed to about five minutes yelling for Horstman
to unfasten his belt and tugging at him. When the air pocket finally filled with water he was forced to give up.
Meanwhile, Robert C. Schiller, 27, and Frank C. Vituj, 25, airport mechanics, sped to the scene in the field’
s fire truck. The plane sank as they arrived and Schiller dived in and swam to the trapped man. He stated that
he thought Horstman was trying to free himself.
However, approximately 15 subsequent dives by the two mechanics and two unidentified passersby failed
to loosen the safety belt.
Not until the plane was hauled to shore by a police tow truck 30 minutes later was Horstman freed. It was
then found that he had turned the buckle on his safety belt inside out, and as a result it could not be released
in the regular manner.
The body of Mr. Horstman was removed to Charity Hospital, where doctors worked unsuccessfully for
almost an hour to revive him.
Mr. Horstman was born at Ottoville on February 10, 1920, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Horstman. He
graduated from Ottoville High School and was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of that
village.
He worked in Parkersburg, W. Va., and at Delphos before accepting a position with Artkraft Manufacturing
Company of Lima last November.
He is survived by his parents with whom he resided; four brothers, Cyril, Ralph, Leo and Cletus, all of
Ottoville; and two sisters, Mrs. Rosemary Wannemacher, Ottoville, and Mrs. Mary Ann Bollinger, Cloverdale.
Funeral services were held in Ottoville church Wednesday morning at 9:30. Rev. Henry Gerwert, the
pastor, officiated. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
9-1-1951
Mary Miller
Mrs. Mary Miller, 81, wife of Frank H. Miller, Ottoville, died in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, at 8:10 a.m.
Saturday following an illness of six months.
Mrs. Miller, the former Mary Moritz, was born on September 15, 1869 at Blakeslee, Ohio. On May 14,
1895, she was married to Mr. Miller at Ottoville. Surviving are her husband; eight children, Joseph and Mrs.
Rose Recker, of Ft. Jennings; Mrs. Mary Wehri, of Kalida; Frank A. Miller, of Ottawa; Mrs. Lena Dickman, Mrs.
Barbara Landwehr, Otto and Isadore Miller, all of Ottoville; 42 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a
brother, Joseph Moritz, of Lima.
Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at 9:30 in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at
Ottoville. Rev Henry Gerwert, the pastor, officiating. Burial was made in the church cemetery.
10-7-1951
Carl Obringer
Former Ottoville Boy War Casualty
Carl Obringer, Jr., 22, a former resident of Ottoville, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Obringer of Piqua, was
killed in Korea on October 7th, according to recent information received by the parents. The young man is a
nephew of Arnold Lauer, Putnam County Treasurer. He had been in Korea about a year.
The young man was born at Ottoville where he attended school until a change in the district transferred
him to Hoaglin Jackson school in Van Wert County from which he graduated. The family moved to Piqua about
four years ago.
10-8-1951
Catherine Weber
Mrs. Catherine Weber, 83, resident of Ottawa in recent years, died in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, Monday
afternoon at 2:40 after an illness of four months.
Mrs. Weber was born in Van Wert County on January 1, 1868, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kiefer.
She was married at Ottoville to Joseph Weber in April, 1888. He preceded her in death in 1935.
Children surviving are, Edward Weber, of Mio, Mich.; Albert Weber, Delphos; Mrs. Edward A. Eickholt,
Ottoville; Mrs. B. J. Wannemacher, Toledo; Mrs. Harley Keller, Swanton; and E. A. Weber, Ottawa. Two sisters,
Mrs. Elizabeth Van Oss and Mrs. Mary Klima, Delphos; 41 grandchildren; and 51 great-grandchildren also
survive. Three children are deceased.
Funeral services will be held in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville Friday morning at 9:
30. Rev. Henry Gerwert, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Ottoville cemetery.
11-6-1951
Sebastian Bendele
Sebastian Bendele, 68, of Harrison, Mich., died at 9 o’clock Tuesday morning, as a result of injuries
received Monday morning when he was struck by a falling tree while working in the woods.
Mr. Bendele was born at Ottoville a son of Sebastian and Katherine Bendele, and in recent years was
engaged as a lumberman at Harrison.
He was married to Elizabeth Altenburger who died December 30, 1921.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Frances; children, Leonard, of Kalida; Cleo, Harold and Walter, of Detroit;
Herbert and Lawrence, of Ottoville; Irvin, of Hicksville; and Mrs. Lucille Lythe, of Van Wert; and 10 brothers and
sisters, Mrs. Rose Bensman, Andrew Bendele, and Mrs. Catherine Plescher, all of Ottoville; Mrs. Mary
Wieging, and Mrs. Brigida Eggeman, of Ft. Jennings; Mrs. Tillie Giesken, Chessaning, Mich.; Mrs. Barbara
Mourer, of Toledo; and Mrs. Anne Kehres and Leo Bendele, of Delphos.
Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 9 o’clock in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at
Ottoville. Burial will be made in the church cemetery.
Josephine Plescher
Funeral services were held in St. John’s Catholic Church, Delphos, Saturday morning, for Mrs. Josephine
Plescher, and former resident of Ottoville. Burial was made in the church cemetery.
She was born in Vienna Austria, and after coming to this country located at Ottoville, where she was
married to Mr. Plescher. Following their marriage they resided in Delphos. Mr. Plescher died in 1930, and a
son Edward and a daughter, Mrs. Larry Schwertner, preceded her in death. A son, Simon, survives.