1-8-1973
Man Drowns As Car Crashes In Ottoville Lake
Donald Hilvers First Traffic Victim of ‘73
A 34-year old resident of route 2, Ft. Jennings, drowned when he drove his automobile into the state quarry
in Ottoville at 10:10 a.m. Monday.
Donald M. Hilvers died when he was trapped in his car after it broke through the ice and sank in about 10 to
15 feet of water. His body was recovered about two hours after the mishap occurred. He was Putnam County’s
first traffic fatality of 1973.
Witnesses told Sheriff Robert Beutler that Hilvers made no attempt to make a turn off Main Street in Ottoville
where it makes a sharp turn, and the car crashed through a small storage shed owned by the Division of
Wildlife before jumping into the water.
They said it appeared as if the man was suffering a seizure and was holding stiffly onto the steering wheel of
the car as it was speeding down the street. One witness, Ray Bigelow, estimated the car’s speed at 50 to 60
miles per hour.
The car jumped the curb, ran about 500 feet before it crashed through the building and then landed about
20 feet from the shore onto the ice covered quarry.
Mrs. Joseph Perrin, who lives close by, said she heard the crash and ran outside, she saif she saw th car
breaking through the ice and going nose down, and a man inside attempting to crawl over the seat and get out,
but there was no way she could help him. The car sank in about three or four minutes.
Mack Wilson, a scuba diver from Ottawa, was called to the scene. By the time he arrived, the water was
freezing over again and he had to break through the ice to enter the quarry. A wrecker was called and Wilson
located the automobile in a matter of minutes. He connected a cable from the wrecker to the car and it was
pulled from the water about 12 o’clock. Hilvers’ body was still inside.
Mr. Hilvers was born at Ottoville on September 8, 1938, a son of Stephen and Veronica (Beining) Hilvers. He
was never married. He was engaged in farming.
Surviving with his mother, at Ottoville, are a sister, Mrs. Richard (Ruth Ann) Schroeder, of Leipsic; and five
brothers, John, James, Robert, Richard and Thomas, all of Ottoville; he was a member of the Immaculate
Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville, and the Holy Name society of the parish.
Services were held in the church at 10 o’clock this morning, Thursday. The Rev. Louis Huffman officiated.
Burial was made in the parish cemetery.
1-25-1973
Joseph Studenka
Funeral services for Joseph Studenka, 68, of Delphos, were held I St. John’s Catholic Church in that city at
10 a.m. Saturday and burial was made in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ottoville.
Mr. Studenka was born in Czechoslovakia on March 14, 1904, he died in St. Rita’s Hosptial, Lima, at 8:30
Thursday morning of last week following and illness of several months.
He was married on January 1, 1942 to Ruth Griswald at Flint, Michigan. His wife two daughters, a sister and
four brothers survive, the brothers include John of Cloverdale; Charles, Louis and Steve, all of Delphos.
1-27-1973
Ferdinand Vincke
Ferdinand N. Vincke, 79, of Lima, died at 11:15 a.m. Saturday in Memorial Hospital, where he had been a
patient for six weeks.
He was born October 26, 1893, in Ottoville to Ferdinand F. and Mary Schlagbaum Vincke. On October 26,
1921 he married Victoria Schnieder and she survives.
Mr. Vincke was a former teacher at Effingham, Ill., and a school principal at commerce high School, Okla. He
came to Lima in 1935 where he joined the U.S. Post Office and has been a letter carrier for 30 years until he
retired in 1959.
He was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, disabled American Veterans,
and Veterans of World War I.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. John J. (Dorothy) Lugibihl of Lima and a sister, Mrs. Anna Giesken of Arvell,
Ind.
Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Cantell-Sweet Mortuary, Rev. Virgil Applegate officiating. Burial
was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
2-3-1973
Edward Bendele
Funeral services for Edward J. Bendele, 65, route 2, Ft. Jennings, were held at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The Rev. Louis Huffman officiated with burial in the church cemetery.
Mr. Bendele died at 4:15 p.m. Saturday in St. Rita’s Hospital after an extended illness.
He was born October 1, 1906, and was the son of Andrew and Mathilda (Sanders) Bendele of Ottoville.
Surviving him are three sisters, Mrs. Richard (Marcella) Ankenbruck of Ft. Wayne; Mrs. Albert (Alma)
Warniment of Kalida; and Mrs. Paul (Mildred) Nuttle, of New Haven, Ind.; and brothers, Norbert and Hubert of
Ottoville.
2-11-1973
Linus P. Van Oss
Linus P. Van Oss, 71, of Delphos, former resident of Ottoville, died at 1:45 Sunday afternoon in his home.
He was born at Ottoville on March 28, 1901, the son of Theodore D. and Elizabeth Kiefer Van Oss. He was
married to Martha Warnecke, who survives with three sisters, Mrs. Zita Gasser, Mrs. Joseph (Hilda) Byrne and
Mrs. Thelma Rigdon, all of Delphos.
A retired truck driver, he was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the
VFW.
Services were held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in St. John’s Church. Burial was made in the parish cemetery.
2-13-1973
Harry Becker
Harry A. Becker, 77, Ottoville, died at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in St. Rita’s Hospital after an extended illness.
He was born on October 7, 1895 in Glandorf to William and Bernadine (Leifkar) Becker. On June 3, 1924 he
married Anna Uphaus and she survives.
Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Kenneth (Dorothy) Miller, of Ottoville; and Mrs. Norman (Margaret)
Schimmoeller, of Ft. Jennings; six grandchildren; one brother, Ben of Cloverdale; three brothers and four
sisters preceded him in death.
Mr. Becker was a retired farmer and a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Holy
Name Society, the Ottoville VFW Post 3470, and the Ottawa World War I Veterans.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in the church, the Rev. Louis Huffman officiating, burial will be in St.
Mary’s Cemetery, Ottoville.
The parish rosary will be recited at the Kolkmeyer-Helmkamp Funeral Home tonight, Thursday, at 8:30 p.m.
2-13-1973
Sister Mary Bonifas
2-20-1973
Wilma Wannemacher
3-22-1973
Emma C. Pittner
Mrs. Emma C. Pittner, 93, Ottoville, died at 1:00 p.m. last Thursday in her home.
Mrs. Pittner was born in Junction on April 4, 1879 to Andrew and Margaret Ott. She married John Pittner on
October 22, 1905, and he died February 6, 1955.
Surviving are three sons, Joseph, Andrew and John, all of Ottoville; three daughters, Mrs. Edward (Mary)
Odenweller, Ottoville; and Mrs. Margaret Burger and Mrs. Gertrude Wiechart, both of Delphos; 15
grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville and its alter-Rosary Society,
Services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the church with the Rev. Louis Huffman officiating. Interment was
in the church cemetery.
6-20-1973
Msgr. Frommherz Dies Unexpectedly
The Rt. Rev. Msgr J. F. Frommherz, 80, died suddenly early Wednesday morning in St. Joseph’s Rectory, Ft.
Jennings as the result of an apparent heart attack. He was the retired pastor of Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church at Ottoville.
He was born in Rickenbach, Germany, on March 12, 1893, a son of Siamond and Marie (Mutter) Frommherz.
He was ordained to the priesthood in Caracus, Venezuela, on September 23, 1916, and came to the United
States in 1921, when he was assigned to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish at Ottoville as associate
pastor.
He was assigned to St. Mary’s parish at Cecil in 1922, and in 1933 he was named pastor of St. Mary’s parish
at Assumption, Ohio, where he served until 1952, and during which time he directed the construction of two
parish churches, one in Lyons and one in Fayette, Ohio.
He was named pastor of the Immaculate Conception parish at Ottoville, in 1952, and served that parish until
1968, when he retired. Since his retirement he has been residing at the St. Joseph’s Catholic rectory at Ft.
Jennings. He was elevated to the rank of Monsignor by Bishop George Rehring, of Toledo, in 1954.
During the years Msgr. Frommherz served on a number of committees and boards in the Toledo Catholic
Diocese.
Survivors include two nephews and two nieces. One of the nieces, Miss Clara Frommherz, has been serving
as housekeeper at St. Joseph’s rectory in Ft. Jennings.
Mass of the Resurrection will be offered by Bishop John A. Donavon at 11 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate
Conception Church at Ottoville. Interment will be made in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Ottoville.
Visitation will be at Kolkmeyer-Helmkamp Funeral Home in Ottoville after seven o’clock this evening,
Thursday. The body will be taken to the church at noon Friday and will lie in state until time for services.
Memorials may be made to the Holy Spirit Seminary, Toledo.
6-24-1973
Theresa Husted
Mrs. Theresa Morbach Husted, 89, of 217 N. Sixth St., Coshocton, died at 7:45 p.m. Saturday at County
Memorial Hospital.
She was born Dec. 3, 1883, in Ottoville, Putnam County, a daughter of Carl and Suzanne Mohrbach. On
Aug. 2, 1901, she was married to Carl Cliffton Husted, who died July 29, 1971.
Mrs. Husted was a member of Grace United Methodist Church of Coshocton and the Eastern Start Lodge
of Ottawa.
Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. John (Violet) Shipps, 213 N. Sixth St.; and two sisters, Mrs. Earl
(Elizabeth) Madden, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Mrs. William (Catherine) Robenalt, Cloverdale, Ohio. Three
brothers and six sisters are deceased.
Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Given Funeral Home with Rev. Roy LeGrow, Grace United
Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in South Lawn Cemetery.
Friends may be received at the local funeral home today 7 to 9 p.m.
7-14-1973
Richard Schnipke
Richard G. Schnipke, 25-year old chief of police of Ottoville village, died at 8:10 a.m. Saturday from injuries
suffered in a head-on automobile accident on U.S. 30, in Indiana, three miles west of the Ohio state Line.
Indiana State Police said Mr. Schnipke’s car, which was headed east on U.S. 30, went left of center on a
moderate curve and collided with an oncoming truck.
The truck overturned and burst into flames but the driver, Donald F. Gaines, 25, Lima, escaped without
burns. Mr. Gaines was treated for a broken nose and other injuries at Parkview Hospital, Ft. Wayne, and
released. Troopers stated that Mr. Schnipke died of massive head injuries.
A resident of route 1, Cloverdale, Mr. Schnipke was born in Lima on June 9, 1948, to Leonard and Pauline
(Wehri) Schnipke. He was a graduate of Ottoville High School and the Institute of Criminology, Chicago, Ill.
An active member of the Ottoville community, Schnipke was a member of the Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church, the Holy Name Society and the Kiwanis Club. He had been marshal of Ottoville for about one
year and before that time had been assistant marshal at Ft. Jennings. He was also a member of the Michigan-
Ohio-Indiana Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Surviving him, in addition to his parents, are three brothers, Donald, Ottoville; Ronald and Leonard at home;
and sisters, Mrs. William (Eileen) Huffer, Sidney; Alvera, Lenora and Delores, at home.
Funeral mass was offered at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the church. Rev. Louis Huffman and Rev. Sylvester
Schnipke officiated. Burial was made in St. Mary’s cemetery.
7-19-1973
Bernard C. Horstman
Funeral mass for Bernard C. Horstman, 88, Ottoville, was offered at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Immaculate
Conception Catholic Church, Rev. Louis Huffman officiated.
Mr. Horstman died at 8:1 a.m. Thursday in the Putnam County Nursing Home, Ottawa, following a lengthy
illness.
He was born on October 31, 1884, in Landeck to William and Elizabeth (Berheide) Horstman. On August 18,
1909, he married Anna Grote who died October 1966.
Surviving are four sons, Cyril, Cletus and Ralph, of Ottoville; and Leo of Cloverdale; two daughters, Mrs.
Mary Ann Bollinger of route 1, Oakwood; and Mrs. Rose Mary Wannemacher of Ottoville; 24 grandchildren; 20
great-grandchildren; and a brother, Henry of Ft, Jennings.
He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and its Holy Name Society.
Burial was made in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
9-29-1973
Albert J. Smith
Albert J, Smith, 69, Ottoville, died at 10 p.m. Saturday in his home on 551 Otto Street of an apparent heart
attack.
Born on May 8, 1904, in Kalida, he was the son of Frank and Lena (Kahle) Smith. He was married to Loretta
Schulte on October 19, 1930, and she survives.
Surviving with his widow are four daughters, Mrs. Alex (Mary Lou) Miller, Ottoville; Mrs. Victor (Doris Ann)
Honigford, route 2, Ft. Jennings; Mrs. Robert (Virginia) Von Lehmden, Ft. Meade, Maryland; Mrs. Dennis
(Bernice) Gerdeman, Columbus; 15 grandchildren; two brothers, Othmar, Columbus Crove; Frank, Kalida; five
sisters; Mrs. Clara Best, Columbus Grove; Sister Mary Luis SDM, Covington Ky.; Mrs. Fred (Eleanor)
Nordmann, both of Cincinnati; Mrs. James (Cecelia) Young, Kentucky.
Mr. Smith, a retired farmer and feed salesman, was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic
Church, Ottoville, the Holy Name Society of the church. He was also a member of the Ottawa Eagles Lodge No.
2234.
Funeral mass was offered at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the church. The Rev. Louis Huffman officiated. Burial
was in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
10-12-1973
Louis H. Hoersten
Louis H. Hoersten, 87, of Rt. 1, Rockford, died Friday in Van Wert Manor Nursing Home. He had been ill
for several months.
Born Sept. 27, 1886, in Ottoville, he was the son of Florenz and Elisabeth (Kramer) Hoersten. He was
selfemployed as a farmer prior to retirement.
Survivors include six sons, Edwin of Lima, Isidore and Harold, both of Van
Wert, Richard of Rt. 3, Rockford, Rodger of Sidney and John of Rockford; four daughters, Mrs. Floyd (Rita)
Adams and Mrs. Louis (Elizabeth) Dugeer, both of Grover Hill, Mrs. Russell (Mary) Bullinger of Cloverdale, and
Mrs. Fred (Jeanette) Black of Payne; 23 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
His wife, the former Catherine Fischbach, whom he married on Nov. 25, 1915, preceded him in death on
July 20, 1970.
He was a member of St. Teresa's Catholic Church, Rockford.
Funeral Mass will be in the church at 9:30 a. m. Monday with the Rev. Victor Pax, celebrant. The rosary will
be recited at 8:30 p. m. today. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Ottoville.
Friends may call from 7-9 p. m. today and all day Sunday at the Ketcham- Ripley Funeral Home in
Rockford,
11-13-1973
Joseph Michael Jutte (Infant)
12-11-1973
David J. Krietemeyer
David J. Krietemeyer, 79, a farmer of route 1, Cloverdale, died suddenly at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at his home.
He was born on May 17, 1894, in Ottoville to John and Anna (Brinkman) Krietemyer. He was never married.
Surviving him are five sisters, Mrs. Clara Wurst, and Mrs. Beno (Maru) Miller, both of Delphos; Loretta
Krietemeyer, route 1, Cloverdale; Sister Mary Petronia, Lafayette, Ind.; and Mrs. Alex (Christian) Ruhe, of
Continental; a brother Frank, route 1, Cloverdale.
He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ottoville and the Catholic Knights of Ohio.
Funeral mass will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the church with Rev. Louis Huffman officiating. Burial will
be made in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ottoville.
Friends may call at the Kolkmeyer-Hemlkamp Funeral Home after 7 p.m. today, Wednesday. The rosary will
be recited at 8 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
12-18-1973
Cornell O. Martz
Cornell O. Martz, 68, Ottoville, died at 8:45 Tuesday morning in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, after suffering from
an extended illness.
Born on December 14, 1905 in Delphos, he was the son of John and Josephine (Wahmhoff) Martz. He was
married on May 6, 1944, in Ottoville to Loretta Brinkman and she survives.
Other survivors include two daughters, Miss Ann Martz, Boston, Mass.; Mrs. Stephen (Elizabeth)
Stechschulte of Continental; two sons, Robert of St. Louis; and Richard of route 2, Ft. Jennings; one son James
died at the age of three; two grandchildren; and three sisters, Mrs. Lucille Wiechart, Lima; Mrs. Ralph (Helen)
Pohlman, Delphos; and Mrs. Anthony (Rita) Goergens, Delphos; two brothers preceded him in death.
Mr. Martz was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Ottoville and the Holy Name
Society. He was a retired employee of the Baldwin-Lima Hamilton Corporation.
Funeral Mass will be offered in the church at 11 a.m. Friday, Rev. Louis Huffman officiating. Burial will be
made in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Visitation is after 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, at the Kolkmeyer-Helmkamp Funeral Home, Ottoville. The parish
rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Thursday.