Obituaries can be emailed to editor@thevwindependent.com. The Van Wert independent no longer accepts no-cost death notices. As of October 1, 2023, the cost of full obituaries will be $95 (including a photo). Local funeral homes are billed for full obituaries, while out-of-town funeral homes can also be billed, if so requested. Obituaries submitted by individuals must be paid in full prior to publication. The Van Wert independent accepts credit cards by telephone from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday at 419.238.1220.
POSTED: 12/28/10 at 3:42 pm. FILED UNDER: Info
Debra L. Klinger, 69, of Van Wert, died at 5:54 p.m. Monday, June 29, 2026, at Mercy St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima.
She was born on October 29, 1956, in Van Wert, to David and Dollie (Gipe) Klinger.
Deb retired from Teleflex, in Van Wert, after 25 years of service. She was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert and was formerly a member of the Van Wert American Auxiliary. Deb enjoyed playing Webkinz, bingo, reading and playing card games. She also loved garage sales, thrifting, watching the Food Network and spending time with her family .
She is survived by a brother, Larry Klinger of Van Wert; a sister, Marsha Klinger of Van Wert; and many nieces and nephews.
Deb was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Shirley Trammell, Robert Klinger, Donald Klinger and Sonny Klinger, and a special friend, Bill Carroll.
Private graveside services will be held at a later date.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, Van Wert.
POSTED: 07/01/26 at 2:38 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Donnalee Jane Goodwin, 89, of Van Wert, passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Homestead at Towne Center.
She was born July 27, 1936, in Van Wert, to Charles Parsons and Susie (Allen) Courtney, who both preceded her in death.
As a child, Donnalee attended The Marsh Foundation and later built a long and meaningful career there, retiring after 38 years of dedicated service. She was well known for her love of baking, her fondness for Elvis, and her gift for keeping a meticulous home-something she proudly passed on to her children from an early age.
Donnalee is survived by her son, Rick L. Allen; daughter, Nancy J. (Kurt) Muntzinger; stepdaughter, Lori J. Goodwin; sister, Peggy Blackmore Parsons; daughter‑in‑law, Liz Allen; 10 grandchildren, Jason (Brittany) Allen, Jenny (Paul) Allen, David (Heather) Allen, Christopher (CJ) Allen, Amber Walters, Andrew (Sara) Berelsman, Chad (Kim) Muntzinger, Kyle (Samara) Muntzinger, Coiran and Calum; seven great‑grandchildren, Adele, Eleanor, Lucy, Coe, Kiedis, Tova, and Freya; special relative, Pam Allen, and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Gene Goodwin; son, Randy L. Allen; stepson, Glen P. Goodwin; previous husband, Morrell G. (Chum) Allen; brother, Charles “Charley” Parsons; and sisters, Charlotte and Nancy Parsons.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the Alspach‑Gearhart Funeral Home Chapel, Van Wert, with visitation from 9-11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow immediately in Woodland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Donnalee’s name may be directed to Everheart Hospice or St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.
POSTED: 06/30/26 at 9:22 am. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
John Garner Shaffer, 82, passed away Saturday morning, June 27, 2026, at his residence in Van Wert.
He was born on March 28, 1944, in Converse, the son of Loyal Vaughn Shaffer and Elsie Mae (Bryan) Shaffer, who both preceded him in death. On March 20, 1965, he married the former Bonnie Jean Rickard who survives.
Also surviving is a son, Jason Garner Shaffer of Van Wert.
He was preceded in death by a half-sister, Delores Jean Renner.
John was a graduate of Spencerville High School and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He had worked for the State Highway Department and USS Agri Chemicals as the plant manager. He then retired from Aeroquip Corp.
He had been a member of the Van Wert American Legion Post. He enjoyed Wednesday morning breakfast with his friends at Orchard Tree. He was an avid Ohio State Buckeye football fan. John was a loving husband and father and will be greatly missed.
Private interment service will be held at Venedocia Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded at cowanfuneralhome.com.
POSTED: 06/28/26 at 5:47 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, when Heaven’s choir had an immediate opening, God called Linda Ann Fox, a former resident of Van Wert, to join. Waiting for her in the audience were those who had gone before: the love of her life, Donald Wayne Fox; her parents, Mabel and Frank Burton, brothers Buddy and Bob Burton, sisters Nina Lee Eviston and Marylou Frazier, daughter Kelly Fox and granddaughters Kena King and Krishna Lundgard.
Still waiting for tickets are her daughters, Deb Voltz-Miller of Mims, Florida, Joni Lehman of Grapevine, Texas, and Donna (Rob) Nicely of Painesville.
She will be missed by her remaining grandchildren, Joshua Cox, Kristy (Randall) Lorenz, Fox Nicely, and Brittany Anderson. Linda is also survived by great-grandchildren, Corbin Lorenz, Nora Lorenz, Drey King, Sierra King, Destiny Lundgard, Dustin Lundgard and great-great-grandchildren, Zoey, Mila, Alana, and Ashton.
Linda retired from Dana Corporation, and was a member of the Van Wert VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries. Many people will remember her for her many years of picking bass fiddle for the Fox Brothers and Foxtail Grass.
Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home, Van Wert, followed immediately by a graveside service at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, rural Van Wert.
Memorials may be directed to to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.
POSTED: 06/28/26 at 6:11 am. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
With sadness and love we share the news of Daniel Keith (Dan) Cramer’s passing on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Dan passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.
He was born on January 28, 1955, to Keith Edward Cramer and June Shirley (Marsh) Cramer. He was predeceased in death by his beloved wife of 48 years, Onna.
Dan is survived by his son, Derek Cramer; grandchildren, Harper Deacon and Pippa Quinn, as well as his three younger sisters.
Dan was immensely proud of his father’s service in the USAF. As a ‘military brat’ his childhood was marked by frequent moves to new postings. During the family’s post in Goose Bay, Labrador, Dan developed his interest in ham radios and was once enlisted to assist the base in monitoring radio activity for a 72-hour period while active duty personnel were unavailable. He received a commendation from the base commander for this service.
Dan held jobs in many fields in his younger years. His final career, which spanned 35 years, was with Central Mutual Insurance. As maintenance supervisor, Dan took great pride in making the extensive grounds a beautiful showplace and in keeping the facility in excellent working order. Dan was tapped to help facilities in other parts of the country get up and running and was instrumental in helping the company attain several Energy Star awards. Dan was respected and well-liked at Central and greatly valued the many friendships he had with colleagues there.
Dan was an avid outdoorsman. His greatest passion was bass fishing. He traveled to compete in BFL, and Everstart tournaments for many years. He fished his whole life, learning from his father and later sharing his love with his wife and son. Dan also counted many fishing buddies as great friends. In addition to fishing, Dan was a great bowler and had two 300 games to his credit. He recently helped his team take top honors in the Tuesday night league. Dan’s other interests and hobbies were varied. He was a certified scuba diver, pilot, and range safety officer for the Van Wert County Outdoorsman Association.
The family is choosing to honor Dan’s wish that there be no service or celebration of life. He knows you may be upset by this, but Dan wanted you to know he loves you all and greatly valued your friendship.
Expression of sympathy may be forwarded at cowanfuneralhome.com.
POSTED: 06/26/26 at 12:11 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Merritt E. Beech, 68, of Scott, passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Stillwater Hospice Center of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Merritt was born January 21, 1958, in Van Wert to Harold and Betty (Myers) Beech, who both preceded him in death.
Surviving Merritt are his brother Mark (Tracy) Beech of Scott; his niece and nephews, and many great nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Merritt was preceded in death by his brothers, Matt and Mitch Beech.
Merritt was a 1976 graduate of Wayne Trace. He continued on to work for BF Goodrich from 1976 to 2012.
He was an avid fan of dirt track and horse races. You could often find Merritt after retirement enjoying fishing and golfing with many friends.
Preferred memorials are to be made to Stillwater Hospice Center of Fort Wayne.
Online condolences may be expressed at cowanfuneralhome.com.
POSTED: 06/25/26 at 1:35 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Marie Ann Runyon, 78, of Van Wert, peacefully went home to be with Jesus on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, while surrounded by her family.
Marie was born on March 23, 1948, in Van Wert County to Charles Kenneth Mongold, Sr. and Helen E. (Girod) Mongold, who both preceded her in death. On January 28, 1969, she married the love of her life Calvin H. Runyon.
Marie was a 1966 graduate of Lincolnview High School. She spent most of her lifer serving others with her time; helping the Boy Scouts with their Merit Badges, being a campfire and Girl Scout Leader. Marie later on in life became Big Sister with the Big Sister & Big Brother program. She was a member of the Middle Point United Methodist Church where she served as a lay person in the early 2000s. Marie was also part of the Hoaglin Township Election Board and she loved finding different recipes and making them for the people she loved the most.
Survivors include her husband Calvin; three children, Kendra A. (Elden) Taylor of Van Wert, Michael S. Runyon of Fayette, Calista R. Brewer of Clinton, Iowa; special niece and nephew, Mandi (Nate) Smith, Micah Smith, Riley Smith of Upland, Indiana, and Trevor Mongold of Fort Wayne, Indiana; 10 grandchildren, Megan (Dan) Logan of Dayton, IN, Rusty (Cassidy) Taylor of Van Wert, Austin Taylor (Chelsea Grimes) of Antwerp, Jonah (Libby) Stiriz of Achbold, Josiah (Miranda) Runyon of Defiance, Gracie (Dylan) Stannard of Cincinnati, Joey (Kearsten) Brewer, Justin (Elaina) Brewer, James Brewer all of Clinton, Iowa, Jeremiah (Olivia) Brewer of Maquoketa, Iowa, and soon to be 18 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Roger (Deb) Mongold of Van Wert, Paul (Cheryl) Mongold of Plymouth, and Carl (Jodi) Mongold of Sun City, Arizona; two sisters-in-law, Donna Mongold of Jonestown, Colorado, and Bobbie Mongold of Raleigh, North Carolina, and a brother-in-law, Tom (Barb) Runyon of Van Wert.
She was preceded in death by her three brothers, Charles Kenneth Mongold, Howard Gale Mongold and Edgar K. Mongold, and one sister, Ruth Ella O’Neal.
There will be a memorial service for Marie at 3 p.m., Sunday, June 28, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Van Wert with Pastor Tim Owens officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until time of services on Sunday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials: the Middle Point United Methodist Church.
Online condolences may be expressed at cowanfuneralhome.com.
POSTED: 06/25/26 at 8:43 am. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Walter “Wally” Rhodes, 86, of Huntertown, Indiana, and formerly of Ohio City, passed away Sunday afternoon, June 21, 2026, at his home.
He was born November 19, 1939, in Van Wert, to Paul Profit Rhodes and Lenore Mae (Rice) Rhodes, who both preceded him in death. On August 23, 1980, he married Cheryl Ann (Leonard) Rhodes in Northbrook, Illinois, and she survives in Huntertown.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Cheryl; a brother, Paul M. (Anita) Rhodes of Fredericksburg, Virginia; a sister, Cynthia A. (Vincent) Belmonte of Gaithersburg, Maryland; nieces, Karen (Keith) Schmid of Ohio City, and Kelly (Rod) Cooper of Middle Point, and a brother-in-law, John M. (Donna) Leonard of Douglas, Michigan.
Wally was preceded in death by his sister, Marilyn (Ned) Scheidt of Van Wert.
Walter was a 1957 graduate of Ohio City-Liberty High School and a 1959 graduate of International Business College. He was employed by International Harvester of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1959 and retired from the restructured company, Navistar in Chicago, Illinois. Upon retirement, he was a member of the Corporate Controller’s staff as the Director of Financial Analysis. Over many years, with integrity and hard work, Walter become a highly respected executive, with direct contact to the Chairman of the Board of Directors. His financial guidance assisted the company in the restructuring process. Today,, Navistar is part of International Motors LLC and continues as a member of the Volkswagen Traton Group. Wally was also a U.S. Army veteran, serving from May 20, 1962 to January 17, 1968.
Upon retirement, Walter and Cheryl lived in Arkansas, Georgia and Florida before returning to the Midwest in April 2003. Wally was an avid fan of many sports teams (St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and those Ohio State Buckeyes). His life was an example of true kindness, strength, resilience and optimism.
Private graveside service will be held at a later date, with burial at Ohio City Woodlawn Cemetery. Funeral services are provided by Cowan & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Van Wert.
Preferred memorials to the Ohio City United Methodist Church.
Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded at cowanfuneralhome.com.
POSTED: 06/23/26 at 12:11 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Ernest L. “Joe” Sinning, 88, of Van Wert, passed away on Monday, June 22, 2026, at Vancrest of Van Wert, surrounded by the love and memories of a life well lived.
Joe was born January 10, 1938, in Mountain Grove, Missouri, the son of Gustave W. and Della C. (Mccaskey) Sinning, who both preceded him in death. On January 30, 1966, he married the love of his life, Gale D. Tindall, who survives. Together, they built a life centered on family and unwavering devotion to one another.
Joe spent his entire life working as a self-employed mechanic, a trade he took great pride in, and he also served in the National Guard. Through hard work, dedication, and skill, he not only made a living but helped countless friends, neighbors, and strangers along the way – often going above and beyond to lend a hand whenever someone was in need.
Joe was a proud and loving father to his children, Melissa (Mark) Mefferd of Convoy and Andrew Sinning of Van Wert. Nothing brought him greater joy than his family, and he treasured every moment spent with them. He was especially proud to be known as “Grandpa Joe” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Carlee (Jeremy Stepp) Mefferd and their children, Charleigh and Jemma; Catelyn (Brice) Urschel and their children, Delaney and Kinsley; Clare Routt and Ellinor; and Cody (Gabby) Mefferd and their children, Maverick and Zenna. Joe is also survived by three brothers-in-law; John (Jan) Tindall, Jeff (Vicki) Tindall, and Stephen (Susann) Tindall, and many nieces and nephews.
Joe never met a stranger. His welcoming nature and gift for storytelling made him a friend to all. He loved the outdoors and shared many tales from his childhood adventures, having traveled through Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, California, and Virginia before finally settling in Ohio. Each story reflected his deep appreciation for life and the many experiences that shaped him. Joe was the youngest of 15 children, a role that shaped his character and gave him countless stories to tell.
He was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Albert, Ella, Elmer, Edith, Earl, Eunice, Elvin, Francis, Floyd, James, Robert, Beatrice, Darlene, and Charlene.
A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday June 27, at Woodland Cemetery with Pastor Larry Martinez officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, Van Wert.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Van Wert County Humane Society.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.
POSTED: 06/23/26 at 12:06 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Herbert Elmer Baker went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 18, 2026. He spent his last months pleasantly at Palmetto Patriots Veterans Home in Gaffney, South Carolina, among fellow veterans and caring staff, loved by all and appreciated for his easy-going friendly manner.
He was born September 8, 1927, in Lincoln Park, Michigan, but soon returned with his parents to their roots in Van Wert.
He is survived by his children, Linda (Karl) Waite of Alpharetta, Georgia, David (Wanda) Baker of Dayton, Tennessee, and Larry Baker of Van Wert; son-in-law, Eric Taylor of Van Wert; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and sister Janet Worline of Van Wert.
He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Marilyn Rose Phillipy Baker; daughter, Cathy Taylor; parents, Walter and Marie Wells Baker; grandparents, Harry and Florence German Wells; brothers, Marion Baker and Gaylord Baker, and sister Larene Forst. Baby sister, Betty Fogt went to her homecoming just the evening before on June 17.
Herb was a professional truck driver for most of his working life, starting out with a milk truck gathering milk from local dairy farms. He built three homes in Van Wert where he raised his family. He established what has come to be known as the Baker Addition and built a number of homes there. A third-degree Mason and 32nd degree Scottish Rite member, he traveled with the Ivanhoe Commandery drill team for many years. Just before his 18th birthday he quit high school to join the Navy at the close of World War II, as did many of our too young patriots. He was a recreational instrument pilot starting in the 1950s with a two-passenger Ercoupe, then as his family grew the planes did as well, renewing his pilot license when he was 80 years old so he could take his wife for a ride.
He moved to Lancaster, South Carolina, in his later years, marrying, loving and losing two wives, Louise Carnes Baker and Edith Sims Baker. There he had quite a workshop where he maintained and modified his trucks. Locals may remember the Baker Embroidery business. Herb was active in his veterans group, Masons and men’s prayer breakfast. During retirement he supported his local church as a treasurer, teacher, bus driver and friend.
A memorial service is being planned in Lancaster at Antioch Baptist Church for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, with Dr. Trent McLaughlin officiating. Herb will be interred at Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert at a private ceremony officiated by the Reverend Gerald Baker at a later date.
Condolences may be shared at www.alspachgearhart.com.
Local arrangements were entrusted to Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, Van Wert.
POSTED: 06/23/26 at 9:05 am. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
