Obituaries

Walter D. Engel

November 1, 1940 to February 14, 2015

WINAMAC - Walter D. Engel, 74, of Knox, passed away at 2:18 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, at his residence.

He was born Nov. 1, 1940, in Chicago, to the late Walter Donald and Mary Anna Zabowka Engel. He married Maxine Woods on Feb. 8, 1964, in Knox. She survives.

Also surviving are:
Tammy (Jeff) Brandt, Monterey, Daughter
Walter Donald (Stephany) Engel, Orlando, Fl, Son
Cortney Brandt Granddaughter
Jordan Brandt Granddaughter
Austin Brandt Grandson
Beau Brandt Grandson
Pauline (Michael) Wagner, Monon, Sister

Mr. Engel was a dairy and grain farmer for over 50 years. He served in the Indiana Army National Guard. He was a member of the Catholic church. He was also a member of the Winamac Athletic Boosters. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and also spending time with his family. He enjoyed vacationing with his wife. He also enjoyed visiting with his neighbors. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac; and one hour prior to services on Wednesday. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the funeral home with Rev. Matt Landry officiating. Burial will be at Round Lake Cemetery, Knox. Military graveside services will be conducted. 

Memorial donations may be given to Winamac Athletic Boosters

Ruth E. Bennett

September 9, 1926 to February 8, 2015

WINAMAC - Ruth Ellen Bennett, 88, of Winamac, passed away at 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at Pulaski Health Care Center, Winamac.

She was born Sept. 9, 1926 in Denham to the late William H. Sr. and Alice Mae McCann Hoover. She married Raymond A. Bennett on Jan. 25, 1947 in Knox. He preceded her in death on Oct. 18, 1980.

Kenton Ortman, Grandson
2 Great Grandchildren
William H. (Pauline) Hoover, Jr., Brother
Don (Teresa) Ortman, Son-in-law
Several Nieces and Nephews

Patricia J. Ortman, Daughter
John Hoover, Brother
Hubert Hoover, Brother
Cora May Hoover, Sister

Mrs. Bennett and her husband lived in Knox for several years before moving to Winamac in the 1950's. She was a member of the Thornhope Community Holiness Church and was a former Sunday School teacher She was proud to be a homemaker. During the World War II effort, she joined the ranks of many other women working in factories to support the troops.She enjoyed reading her Bible and doing crossword puzzles. She appreciated the care given to her by the staff at Pulaski Health Care Center, where she made many new friends. She loved spending time with her family, especially her great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Frain Mortuary, WInamac; and one hour prior to services at the funeral home Wednesday. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Frain Mortuary, with Mark Hines officiating. Burial will be at the Winamac Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be given to Thornhope Community Holiness Church or Pulaski Health Care Center. 

Lola M. Pletka

September 6, 1935 to February 3, 2015

WINAMAC - Lola May Pletka, 79, Winamac, passed away at 5 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Hickory Creek, Winamac.

She was born Sept. 6, 1935 at Mercy Hospital in Mt. Vernon, OH to the late Guy C. and Edith May Turney Spearman. On March 23, 1974, she married James Paul Pletka in Winamac. He passed away Dec. 25, 1993. 

Survivors include: 
Leona Collins, Fredericktown, OH, Sister 
John (Bonnie) Pletka, West Monroe, LA, Sister-in-law 
Irene Mitchell, Winamac, Sister-in-law 
Virginia Mills, Dayton, OH, Sister-in-law 
Dennis (DeAnna) Pletka, Winamac, Brother-in-law 
Mary Kaminski, San Pierre, Sister-in-law 
Cindy (Albert) Gudas, Kewanna, Niece 
Many Other Nieces and Nephews 

Preceded in death by: 
Lucille Wilson, Sister 
Lois Howard, Sister 

Mrs. Pletka attended school in Fredericktown, OH for 12 years. She had been employed at Tappan Stove Factory in Ohio for 20 years as an inspector. She relocated to Indiana in 1973. She was also employed at Eaton Controls in Winamac for 23 years, retiring in 1998. She enjoyed spending time with her friends. Children had a special place in her heart. She loved her little dog Half-Pint who often accompanied her on leisure walks or rides in the car. Mrs. Pletka collected angels, cardinals, enjoyed BINGO, dominoes, and spending time on her computer. She was an avid Chicago Cubs fan. She was a member of the Winamac Church of the Nazarene and an active member of Pulaski County Human Services where she enjoyed spending time at the Von Tobel Senior Center and was named 2005 Volunteer of the Year. She was also a former member of the Eagles.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at the funeral home with Don Norrick officiating. Burial will be at McKinley Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Winamac.

Memorial donations may be given to Pulaski County Human Services. 

Timothy F. Hoffa Sr.

December 11, 1956 to February 3, 2015

WINAMAC - Timothy F. Hoffa, Sr., 58, of Winamac, passed away at 11:49 a.m. (ET), Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Porter Regional Hospital in Valparaiso.

He was born Dec. 11, 1956, in Detroit, to the late John Norman and Alice Jankowski Hoffa. He married Gloria Uszynski on July 30, 1983, in Wyandotte, MI. She survives.

Also surviving are:

Duane (Jenn) Hoffa, Westchester, IL, Son
Tim (Christi) Hoffa, Jr., Winamac, Son
Bethanne (Brad) Rude, Thornhope, Daughter
8 Grandchildren
John Gregory (Donna) Hoffa, Brown City, MI, Brother
Robert Hoffa, Capac, MI, Brother
Linda Poirier, Capac, MI, Sister
Christopher (Penny) Hoffa, Winamac, Brother
Stephen (Ann) Hoffa, Lapeer, MI, Brother
Brenda (George) Moustakas, Clinton Twp., MI 
Kathy Scott, Las Vegas, Sister
Helen Hoffa, Las Vegas, Step Mother
Several Nieces and Nephews

Preceded in death by:
Elizabeth Hoffa, First Wife
Gregory Hoffa, Son
James Hoffa, Brother
Kenneth Hoffa, Brother

Mr. Hoffa was a former truck driver and worked for 18 years as a tool-and-die worker at Rochester Metals, Rochester. He was the former president of American Flint Glass Workers Local #607 in Rochester.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at at the funeral home with Pastor Rick Abbott officiating. Burial will be at Star City West Cemetery, Star City.

Freda A. Lloyd

March 28, 1943 to February 4, 2015

WINAMAC - Freda Ann Lloyd, 71, Star City, passed away at 3:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, at St. Elizabeth East, Lafayette.

She was born March 28, 1943, in Silver Point, TN, to the late Ellis D. and Flora Alice Coleman Clemons. She married Sheldon Lloyd on May 29, 1959. He passed away July 21, 1975. She then married Homer Martindale on Feb. 3, 1979, in Clinton, IN. He passed away Oct. 27, 2013.

Survivors include:
Shanna N. Lloyd, Winamac, Daughter
Adrian Chupp, Winamac, Grandson
Allen Bolin, Logansport, Nephew
Kevin Clemons, Korea, Nephew

Preceded in death by:
Lisa Lloyd, Daughter
Allon Clemons, Brother
Barbara Bolin, Sister

Mrs. Lloyd was a member of Yorktown Church of Christ, Logansport,. She was the former owner of F&S Service Company. She loved to read and to go to the Family Y in Logansport with her friend Ann Shideler. She enjoyed mushroom hunting. She also loved to spend time with her grandson Adrian.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at the funeral home, with Mark Racop officiating. Burial will be at Star City West Cemetery, Star City.

Memorial donations may be given to Yorktown Church of Christ.

Mary E. Jones

March 13, 1921 to January 19, 2015

FRANKFORT - Mary Elizabeth (Vore) Jones, 93, died Monday, Jan. 19, at Wesley Manor Retirement Community, Frankfort..

She was born March 13, 1921 in Eaton, the daughter of the late George and Lela (Duckwall) Vore. She married Rev. John Paul Jones on June 30, 1942.

She is survived by four sons and a daughter: Max (Dianne) Jones, Keith (Cindy) Jones, and Ken (Marian) Jones, all of Lafayette; Randy (Kathy Carey) Jones of Denver, CO; and Marna (Paul Vandenberg) Jones of Portland, OR. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. 

She was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, and her brothers. 

Mrs. Jones grew up on the family farm. She graduated from Eaton High School in 1938 and attended college at Ball State, Taylor, and Manchester College where she graduated with a B.S. in English and Home Economics and received her teaching credential for secondary education.  In tandem with beginning her career as a teacher, she was an active and dedicated Methodist minister's wife. She stopped teaching when she had her first child in 1945, and returned to the classroom 17 years later when her fifth and youngest child started kindergarten. She returned to college to convert her license from secondary to elementary education and earned a Master's Degree.

Rev. and Mrs. Jones served 10 different churches in the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist church including pastorates at Richland Center, Star City/White Oak, Danville/Cartersburg, Winamac, Princeton, Auburn, Hartford City and Tipton. They both retired in 1982 and located in the Muncie area. The couple found time for travel, including many trips to visit their geographically dispersed grown-up kids, grandkids, and exchange students. Mrs. Jones was proud to have visited all 50 states. The couple began their international travels with a mission trip to Haiti in 1973. They later traveled to the Holy Land, Great Britain, Western and Eastern Europe, Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand.

Friends may call at Eaton United Methodist Church from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., Saturday. The funeral service will follow at 11:30 a.m., (Saturday, Jan. 24), at the church, with son Keith Jones officiating, assisted by Rev. Brian White and Rev. Mike Dominick. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery, Eaton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wesley Manor, 1555 N. Main, Frankfort, IN 46041, or the charity of your choice .

The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.