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May 10, 2012

Kathryn "Doodie" Davidson

Kathryn "Doodie" Davidson, 93, of Bloomington, formerly of Versailles, passed away Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at Meadowood in Bloomington. She was born at Aurora on October 8, 1918 the daughter of Charles and Alice Tharp Klingelhoffer. She was married to Walter Davidson on December 31, 1942 and he preceded her in death on May 27, 1973.

Survivors include one daughter, Diana (Ron) McGovern of Bloomington; grandchildren, Bill McGovern, Steve McGovern, and Dawn (Jim) Allen all of Bloomington. 

Mrs. Davidson was a 1936 graduate of Aurora High School and a 1940 graduate of the Indiana University School of Music. She taught music at Aurora and also at the Napoleon and Osgood Elementary Schools.

She was a 50 year member of the Tyson United Methodist Church in Versailles and attended the Fairview United Methodist Church in Bloomington. She was also a member of the Ripley County Retired Teachers Association, the former Fortnightly Study Club in Versailles, and the Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher's Sorority. Kathryn was also a 75 year member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, she was also a member of the Versailles Legion Auxiliary.

Her family would like to thank the staff at Meadowood Health Pavilion, IU Health Bloomington Hospital Hospice, and her caregiver, Jeanne from Home Instead for the loving care they provided for Doodie.

Floyd W. Horton

Floyd W. Horton, 85, of Milan, passed away Saturday, May 5, 2012 at his residence, southwest of Milan.  Floyd was born January 14, 1927 in Milan, the son of Malcomb and Adah (Tompkins) Horton.  He married Patricia Abplanalp May 28, 1947 and she preceded him in death September 11, 1997.  He later married Alreena "Reenie" (Rouse) Yates Nickulis on April 8, 2000, and she survives.

 Floyd was a US Army Veteran having served during WWII, and was a retired employee of Seagrams Distillery.  He was a member of the Milan First Baptist Church, the Milan American Legion Post #235, and the Oilers and Boilermakers Union.  He loved yard work, gardening, working crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, and enjoying family time.    

Floyd is survived by his wife, Alreena (Reenie) Horton; sons Mike (Jennifer) Horton of Indianapolis, Tim (Sandy) Horton of Columbus; daughter Tammy (James) Negangard of Milan; stepchildren William (Monica) Yates of Cincinnati, Todd (Pam) Yates of Milan, Mark (Tracy) Nickulis of West Chester, Ohio, and Carl (Mary) Nickulis of Germantown, Wisconsin; 17 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.  He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Clift in 2007.

May 3, 2012

Ellen M. Thomas Hedrick

Ellen M. Thomas Hedrick, 77, of Madison, passed away Monday, April 30, 2012. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 5, at 1:30 p.m. at Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, with burial in the Fairmount Cemetery in Madison. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home on Saturday. Memorials may be given to the donor's choice. Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, is entrusted with arrangements.

Rev. Velma H. (Hertel) Manuel

Rev. Velma H. (Hertel) Manuel, 93, of Versailles, passed away Monday, April 30, 2012 at Manderley Health Care, Osgood. She was born July 6, 1918 in Dixon, OH, the daughter of Clifford Alfred and Imogene (Plumley) Hertel. She married Roy H. Manuel on February 16, 1951 in Terre Haute. They enjoyed over 50 years of marriage until his death on March 16, 2001.

Survivors include one brother, Rev. James William Hertel (Martha) of Greenwood; nephew who cared for her, Rev. James Wesley Hertel (Pat) of Greenwood; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one sister Mildred Meyer, and two brothers Dale and Alfred Hertel.

Velma was raised in Fort Wayne and was a 1936 graduate of Central High School in Fort Wayne and also of the Union Bible Seminary in Westfield.

Velma was the former pastor at the East Enterprise Pilgrim Holiness Church and later the East Enterprise Wesleyan Church from 1951-1973. She was the pastor of the Versailles Wesleyan Church from 1973-1981, where she was a member for 39 years.

After her retirement, Velma remained active in ministry, serving in an Evangelist position. Velma and Roy sang and preached for many funerals in Switzerland County and surrounding communities. They will be always be remembered for their love of serving the Lord and lending a helping hand when someone or a family member were in need.

Elaine Martin

Loris Elaine (Elaine) Martin, 86, peacefully passed away in the early hours of Saturday, April 28, 2012 at her residence in Franklin, at the Indiana Masonic Home. Elaine was born July 20, 1925 in La Porte, Indiana, the daughter of the late Leopold and Mary Alice Nagawiecki. Elaine's husband of 62 years, the late Dr. William E. (Bill) Martin, had passed away in September of 2009.

Elaine is survived by three children, David, Amy, and Steve. A fourth child, Debra, preceded her in death in April, 2010. Elaine is also survived by nine grandchildren, Kelly, Kay, Kari, Lisa, Valentina, David, William, Steve, and Noe, as well as 12 great grandchildren.

Elaine's sweetness, care, and gracious giving will be missed by many more than those mentioned here.

From the age of two years Elaine was raised and educated at the Mooseheart Orphanage near Aurora, Illinois, where in childhood she became a Chicago Cub's fan and lifelong baseball aficionado. She graduated from high school at Mooseheart at the age of 17, and subsequently received a degree in nursing from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis soon after the close of World War II.

Elaine pursued a career as a Registered Nurse for more than three decades, all the while maintaining a nourishing Christian household for her family. Elaine actively participated in various religious and non-religious charities during her lifetime.

The Reverend Charles Stanley will conduct a memorial service at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 5, at Ransford Chapel, at the Indiana Masonic Home, Franklin, Indiana. Family will greet friends at the chapel prior to the service.

Every game of baseball carries the possibility that the last at-bat will be the most important and meaningful. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and the game on the line, Hack Wilson, Mary Alice, and Bill cheering her on from the near third base stands, Elaine calmly stepped up to the plate. In her last at-bat, without hesitation and with the sweetest of swings, she lofted the first pitch high over the left center field bleachers onto Waveland, for a walk-off homerun. www.littleandsonsindianapolis.com.

Ella Smotherman

Ella Smotherman, 93, of Versailles, passed away Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at the Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. She was born in Cincinnati on January 26, 1919 the daughter of Rudolph and Henrietta Owens Schellenberger.

Survivors include two sons Donald (Geraldine) Schibi of Norwood, Ohio and John (Linda) Rinehart of Versailles; 11 grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild; one brother Norbert Schellenberger of Clermont County, Ohio; one sister Ruth Freeland of Hartwell, Ohio. She was also preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers.

Mrs. Smotherman retired after working for the Zumbiel Box Company in Norwood, Ohio for 37 years. Ella was a member of the Methodist Church.