Verne Cadell Bartz

Verne Cadell Bartz, a resident of Van Wert since 1951, passed away peacefully on November 17, 2014, at Vancrest Health Center in Convoy after a brief illness.

He was born September 11, 1924, in Tully Township, Van Wert County, to the late Frank C. and May Trevlyn (Curtis) Bartz. On July 27, 1946, he married Marilyn Sue (Edwards) Bartz, who survives.

He is also survived by a son, Tom E. (Tammy) Bartz of rural Grover Hill; a daughter, Joan K. Bartz of Selah, Washington; one sister, Eudora P. Putman of Fairborn; grandchildren Brandon Bartz and Kristy Grindell; stepgrandchildren Chad Jay, Matthew Jay and Kristen Maenle; six great-grandchildren; six stepgreat-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A brother, Curtis V. Bartz; and sisters Marian E. Carey, Wilma C. Parker and Lola P. Koenig; and two stepgrandchildren, also preceded him in death.

Verne retired from the Continental Can Company after 38 years as a machinist. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, stationed at Drew Army Airfield in Tampa, Florida, where he was a B-17 mechanic working on aircraft used for training fighter and bomber crews.

He always enjoyed vacations with his family. One of the first was to Florida in 1953, returning to Bradenton and Cocoa Beach for many years. Family travels also included New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho and points in between. Verne was a founding member of the Grover Hill Lions Club and a lifetime member of Isaac Van Wert American Legion Post 178.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, November 21, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert, with the Rev. Paul W. Miller officiating. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery in Convoy, with graveside military honors performed by combined units of Legion Post 178 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803, also in Van Wert.

Calling hours will be an hour prior to services Friday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials: Salvation Army Food Pantry in Van Wert.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.