Obituaries

Janet Willis

October 15, 1939 to June 1, 2012

WINAMAC - Janet Arleen Shannon Willis, 72, of LaPorte, (formerly of Winamac) died at 10:36 p.m., Friday, June 1, at I.U. Health LaPorte Hospital in LaPorte.

She was born Oct. 15, 1939 in Crete, IL to the late Harold Thomas and Iris Fern Kersey Shannon. 

Survivors include:
Cindy (Steve) Willis Smith-Gazarkiewicz, LaPorte, Daughter
Stan (Rhonda) Willis, Rolling Prairie, Son
Darold (Joy) Willis, Hamlet, Son
Grandchildren: Shawn Smith, Sarah Smith, Brandon Willis, Bryan Willis, Rob Collins, Jacob Willis, Katie Willis

5 Great-grandchildren
Judy (George) Stinemetz, Winamac, Sister
Joan (Bob) Ryder, Knox, Sister
Jack (Brenda) Shannon, Winamac, Brother

Preceded in death by:
Jerry Shannon,  Twin Brother
Betty McCord, Sister
Julia "Honey Girl" Shannon,  Sister

Mrs. Willis had worked as a cook at the Michigan City School System and Camp Summit. She had also worked in home healthcare services. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and watching and feeding birds. She enjoyed spending time in the outdoors. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 4 p.m., Tuesday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The funeral service will follow at 4 p.m., (Tuesday, June 4) at the funeral home with Pastor James Adcock officiating. Burial will be in Winamac Cemetery, Winamac.

Carl L. March

February 20, 1949 to May 22, 2012

BLOOMINGTON - Carl L. March, 63, of Bloomington passed away Tuesday, May 22, at the I.U. Medical Center in Indianapolis.

Born Feb. 20, 1949 in Logansport, he was the son of Darl and Essie (Parish) March.

Survivors include two daughters, Nicole March of Austin, TX, Jenifer March Gillespie (Jason) of Indianapolis; one son, Matt March (Sabrina) of Bloomington; his significant other, Tammy March of Indianapolis; three grandchildren, Cruz Herrera, Luke Gillespie and Zoey March; one sister, Betty Jo Litke (Fred) of Francesville; and a sister-in-law, Sharon March of Winamac.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Robert March.

Mr. March was the golf superintendent at Stone Crest Golf Course in Bedford. He was a loving father and grandfather who enjoyed officiating basketball. He was a scratch golfer who loved playing golf with his friends.

Visitation will be 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesday at The Funeral Chapel of Powell and Deckard in Bloomington. The funeral service will follow at 5 p.m., (Tuesday, May 29), at the funeral home. Pastor Danny Curry will officiate.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Carl March Golf Scholarship Fund for a Mitchell High School student. Donations may be made in care of the Hoosier Hills Credit Union, 630 Lincoln Ave., Bedford, IN 47421.

Joseph R. Silver

July 6, 1923 to May 26, 2012

LAFAYETTE - Loseph R. "Joe" Silver, age 88, of Lafayette, died at 3:40 a.m. Saturday, May 26, at St. Elizabeth Central Hospital.

He was born July 6, 1923 in Beaver Township, Pulaski County, the son of the late John P. and Lena Ostheimer Silver. He married Marcella G. Reutebuch on April 14, 1948 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pulaski. She survives.

Also surviving are three sons: Michael Silver (wife, Shannon) of Lafayette, John "Pat" Silver of West Lafayette, and Dennis Silver (wife, Margie) of Geneseo, IL; four daughters: Marilyn Silver of Lafayette, Martha Wright (husband, Mark) of West Lafayette, Melinda Muscat (husband, George) of Cherry Hill, NJ, and Monica Domondon (husband, Manny) of West Lafayette. Also surviving are 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, John "Vince" Silver, and one sister, Dorothy Reutebuch.

Mr. Silver was raised in Pulaski County and was a 1941 graduate of Pulaski High School. He and his wife moved from Pulaski County to Tippecanoe County in 1949. He was a farmer all of his life, retiring in 1995. He also worked as a delivery man for Quality Beers, had worked at the Lafayette Grain Terminal, and as a machine operator for the Tippecanoe County Landfill. He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Holy Name Society of the church, was a 4th Degree in the Knights of Columbus, and an active member and former board member of the Tippecanoe Steam and Gas Power. He treasured the time he spent with family and friends, and enjoyed family gatherings where he was known for barbequing chicken.

Recitation of the Rosary 4:45 p.m. with visitation 5-8 p.m., Tuesday, in Hippensteel Funeral Home, Lafayette. Additional visitation one hour prior to the Mass of Christian Burial 11 a.m., Wednesday (May 30), at St. Lawrence Catholic Church with Fr. Dan Gartland officiating. Burial to follow at St. Joseph West Cemetery, Pulaski.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Lawrence Catholic Church.

Paul W. Pickett

September 8, 1941 to May 25, 2012

LaPORTE - Paul W. Pickett, 70, of Winamac, passed away  at 10:30 p.m., Friday, May 25, at St. Mary’s Medical Center, Hobart.

He was born Sept. 8, 1941 in Huntland, Tenn. to Carl and Annie Thelma (Mason) Pickett. On June 21, 1976 in Tennessee, he married Mary L. (Craig) Back, who survives.

Also surviving are one son, Brandon (Lauren) Pickett of Pittsburgh, one step-son, Erik (Andrea) Back of La Porte; five grandchildren, Noah and Christopher Pickett, Allison, Nolan and Evan Back; one brother, Leonard (Ruth) Pickett of Yakima, Wash., three sisters, Kay (John) Gifford of Huntland, Tenn., Evelyn Pickett of Chicago, and Mary Pickett of Huntland, Tenn.; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Cecil Pickett.

Mr. Pickett graduated from Huntland High School in 1959 and served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Era. He worked for Ford Motor Company in Chicago Heights, Ill. for over 30 years until his retirement in 1993. He was a member of New Hope Baptist Church, Knox. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and yard work.

A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. (C.S.T.), Thursday at Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory, 247 W. Johnson Road, La Porte. There will be no services and cremation will take place following visitation.

Memorial donations may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

David R. Whipple

December 31, 1939 to May 20, 2012

FORTVILLE - David R. Whipple, 72 of McCordsville passed away on May 20, at his home.

He was born in Star City, on Dec. 31, 1939 to the late Ray and Olive Heater Whipple.

He is survived by his wife Susan Whipple, whom he married on November 18, 1966; daughters June A. Diana of Indianapolis and Rebecca R. Gilson of Jacksonville, NC; grandson Steven J. Diana of Indianapolis; granddaughters Nicole A. Thomas of Indianapolis and Dawn Gilson of Jacksonville; two great-grandchildren; and sister Mary M. Whipple.

Mr. Whipple worked as a computer specialist at Fort Benjamin Harrison Finance Center. He was a member of the East 91st Street Christian Church where he served in the hand bell choir for 24 years. He was also a U.S. Army veteran.

Friends may call on Thursday from 10  to 11 a.m. at Seals Funeral Home, Fortville, with a memorial service there starting at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the East 91st Street Christian Church, 6049 E. 91st St., Indianapolis, IN 46250.

Russell L. Malchow

March 25, 1917 to May 10, 2012

FRANKLIN, NEB. - Russell Lee Malchow, 95, of Franklin died Thursday, May 10, at his home.

He was born March 25, 1917, on the family farm in Francesville, Ind., to the late William and Mary (Moore) Malchow. On June 4, 1942, he married Melba V. Joquel. She died Oct. 24, 1999.

Survivors include his four children, Ann Ivey (Ralph) of Grass Valley, Calif.; Edythe Eberhart (Steve), of Cortez, Colo.; Ruth Stewart (David) of Evergreen Park, Ill.; and Russell L. Malchow, Jr. (Pamela) of Las Vegas; as well as 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Rev. Malchow graduated from Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Ill., in 1939, and from Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, in 1942, and was then ordained in the Evangelical and Reformed Church, a predecessor denomination to the United Church of Christ in which Rev. Malchow held ministerial standing until his death. Following their marriage,  the couple moved to Billingsville, Mo., for Rev. Malchow’s first pastorship at St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed Church. The Malchows later served churches in Fraser, Mich. (1945 to 1962), Bayard, Neb. (1962-1972), the Thedford, Halsey, and Seneca congregations in Thomas County Parish, Neb. (1972-1978), and Franklin, Neb. (1978 until his retirement from full-time ministry in 1985). 

The Malchows remained in Franklin and pursued an active “retirement” in interim ministry through 1993, serving UCC congregations in Grant, Chadron, Coleridge, Hayes Center, and Ogallala, as well as the First Christian Church in Kearney.  From 1994 until his ultimate retirement in 2008 he served in the United Methodist Church, first at Bloomington UMC and then in the Wilsonville and Hendley United Methodist congregations. Rev. Malchow truly loved God’s creation and loved serving God’s people. He was an avid golfer, hunter and fisherman, and he enjoyed hiking and camping with his family. 

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, at Hutchins Funeral Home, Franklin, with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. A flower service will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at the church. The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (May 17) at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Franklin with the Revs. Herman Keen and David Stewart officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery at Franklin.