Obituaries and Death Notices

Information about current and former Wayne County, Indiana residents and community members who have died. These obituaries are gathered from area funeral homes and other sources.

Gregory D. Knarzer RICHMOND, Ind. – Gregory Dale Knarzer, age 63, of Richmond, Indiana, passed away on Tuesday, December 25, 2018, at his home. Born November 8, 1955, in Richmond, Indiana, to Dale and Dorothy Bishop Knarzer, Greg was a lifelong resident of Richmond. He was a 1974 graduate of Richmond High School. Greg followed his father’s career […] — (Posted December 31, 2018)

Belinda L. Cohee Kilgus RICHMOND, Ind. – Belinda L. Cohee Kilgus, age 54, of Richmond, Indiana, died Friday, December 28, 2018, at LifeCare Hospitals of Dayton. Belinda was born on March 26, 1964, in Omaha, Nebraska. She had lived in this community since 1973. Belinda was a 1982 graduate of Northeastern High School, where she was active in gymnastics […] — (Posted December 28, 2018)

Edith J. Nichols Edith J. Nichols, 79, of Richmond, formerly of Fountain City, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 24. She was born on July 13, 1939. She married Douglas A. Nichols on September 5, 1959. They were blessed with seven children and almost 32 years of marriage before his death on August 5, 1991. Edith will be […] — (Posted December 28, 2018)

Karen L. Platt-Reece Karen Lee Platt-Reece, age 72, of Richmond, Indiana, passed away peacefully Thursday, December 27, 2018, at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis surrounded by her family. Born June 26, 1946, in Richmond, Indiana, to Edward Joseph and Dorothy J. Ebeling Stars, Karen was a lifelong resident of Richmond and New Paris, Ohio. She graduated from […] — (Posted December 28, 2018)

Mark R. Mahoney HAGERSTOWN – Mark Ray Mahoney, 64, a former Hagerstown resident, died Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at his home in Bradenton, FL. Mark was born in New Castle on July 12, 1954 to Myron and Shirley (Myers) Mahoney. He was a member of Hagerstown First United Methodist Church, a 40+ year Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow. […] — (Posted December 28, 2018)

Mary Alice Evans Muncie, IN – Mary Alice Evans, 84, of Muncie, IN passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, December 25, 2018 near her residence. She was born August 11, 1934 in Delaware County, IN. Mary was the daughter of Roscoe and Lois (Boyle) Bailey. She was a homemaker and had worked at Muncie Gear and Grays Restaurant. Mary was […] — (Posted December 28, 2018)

Teresa Skirvin CAMBRIDGE CITY – Teresa Skirvin, 52, passed away Saturday December 22, 2018 at Heritage House of Richmond after a brief illness. A daughter of the late Simeon Jr. and Louise Ann (Shell) Haler, Teresa was born in New Castle, Indiana on December 16, 1966. She has lived most of her life in Cambridge City and […] — (Posted December 27, 2018)

Clara A. Kaucher CONNERSVILLE, Ind. – Clara Alice Kaucher, age 64, formerly of Wayne County, Indiana, died Wednesday, December 24, 2018, at her home. Born April 30, 1954, in Richmond, Indiana, to Carl Harvey and Norma Joann Wissler Kaucher, Clara was a lifelong resident of Wayne County, until moving to Connersville in 2014. She was a member of […] — (Posted December 27, 2018)

Paul M. Chew CENTERVILLE – Paul Monroe Chew, 86, passed away Wednesday morning Dec. 26, 2018, at Reid Health in Richmond, Indiana. A son of the late Ira Monroe and Pearl Esther (Lewman) Chew, Paul was born in Henry County, Indiana, on Oct. 27, 1932. A lifelong resident of the New Lisbon/Henry County area, Paul has lived in […] — (Posted December 27, 2018)

Martin Andrew Bickel Martin Andrew Bickel, 58, of Losantville, IN passed away Friday afternoon, December 21, 2018 at Parker Health and Rehabilitation Center of Parker City, IN. He was born October 31, 1960 in Muncie, IN the son of Stewart M. and Beverley (Shipley) Bickel. He was a 1979 graduate of Union High School of Modoc, IN. A […] — (Posted December 27, 2018)

Bessie R. Taylor Bessie R. Taylor, 97, passed away peacefully on Dec. 25, 2018, at Forest Park Health Campus. She was born in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, to Hawley and Margaret Mullins on Sept. 9, 1921. The youngest of six children, Bessie moved to Richmond, Indiana, in the mid 1920s. Bessie was married to Maurice G. Mantock only a […] — (Posted December 27, 2018)

Elizabeth Ford Elizabeth Ford, 87, passed away on December 24, 2018 at Henry Community Health in New Castle, IN. Elizabeth was born on June 27, 1931 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and is the daughter of the late Avery Tilton Fryman and Blanch Viola Tucker. On October 22, 1949, she married Joe Ford. They were able to spend […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Wilma D. Bishop RICHMOND, Ind. – Wilma D. Bishop, 93, of Richmond, Indiana, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018, at Forest Park Health Campus. Born September 28, 1925, in Richmond, Indiana, to Robert P. and Bessie B. Corman Corman, Wilma was a life-long resident of this community. She was a 1943 graduate of Richmond High School. Wilma retired from […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Regena Y. Brown Regena Y. Brown, 78, of Blooming Grove, passed away Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at her residence. One of five children of Kenneth and Iona Jones Adams, Regena was born in the family home in Everton on March 20, 1940. On March 4, 1961, Regena married Charles K. Brown in Everton Methodist Church, and they resided […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Dorothy M. Johnson CENTERVILLE, Ind. – Dorothy M. Johnson, age 91, of Centerville, Indiana, died Tuesday, December 25, 2018. Born April 12, 1927, in New Castle, Indiana, to Russell and Eleanor Lucille Tapscott Furbee, Dorothy was a 1945 graduate of New Castle High School. She lived in Cambridge City for 48 years and in Centerville for the last […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Dora S. Griffee CONNERSVILLE, Ind. – Dora S. Griffee, age 57, of Connersville, Indiana, died Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, at Reid Health. Born October 24, 1961, in New Castle, Indiana, to Doral and Sara Wood Dishman, Dora was a lifelong resident of this area. She previously worked at Cinram, Inc. Dora loved the outdoors and riding horses. She […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Phyllis “Louise” Stephenson CAMBRIDGE CITY – Phyllis “Louise” Stephenson, age 89, passed away peacefully Monday morning December 24, 2018, at Green House Senior Living Community in Carmel, Indiana. She was born September 30, 1929 in Middle Tennessee to the late Sam and Bessie Nafe. Louise graduated in 1947 from Lincoln High School in Cambridge City and was the […] — (Posted December 26, 2018)

Stacey Steele Stacey Steele, 39, of Richmond, went to the ER last Friday, after not getting any better from a recent illness. She was immediately admitted and testing began to determine the cause of her illness. Ultimately it was determined that she had advanced liver cancer that had advanced so quickly that it started to shut down […] — (Posted December 24, 2018)

Betty J. Rees Betty J. Rees, age 74, New Castle resident, passed away on Thursday December 20, 2018 at Stonebrooke Rehabilitation Center. She was born June 9, 1944 in New Castle, Indiana a daughter of the late Harold Lee and Elizabeth Merideth Dudley. She was a resident of New Castle most of her life and a graduate of […] — (Posted December 24, 2018)

Billy E. Townsend Mr. Billy E. Townsend, 89, of Richmond, passed away on Friday, December 21 at Arbor Trace. He was born on May 21, 1929 in Randolph County, Indiana to Harold and Marguerite Lammott Townsend. He was a 1947 graduate of Lynn High School. He earned his BS in Education from Purdue University in 1951 and his […] — (Posted December 24, 2018)

Michael J. Tyra Michael J. Tyra 75 of Richmond passed away December 21, 2018 at Reid Health. He was born July 18, 1943 in Connersville to Jess and Florence Grimes Tyra and lived here most of his life. He served in the Army 101st Airborne Division. He retired as a Detective from the Richmond Police Department; he was […] — (Posted December 24, 2018)

David H. Tidrow David H. Tidrow, 80, of Liberty, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, December 20, 2018, at Whitewater Commons Living Facility, Liberty, Indiana. He was born on August 14, 1938 to the late Hobart and Mona Tidrow in Albany, Kentucky. David Tidrow graduated at Centerville High School 1956. He then got drafted to serve in […] — (Posted December 24, 2018)

Toma J. Vickers RICHMOND, Ind. – Toma Jack Vickers, age 44, of Richmond, Indiana, died Thursday, December 20, 2018, at his home. Born July 19, 1974, in Richmond, Kentucky, Toma lived in Richmond, Indiana, for his entire life. He loved music, the Green Bay Packers, and making people laugh. Toma will be missed by everyone who knew him. […] — (Posted December 21, 2018)

Keith D. Lawrence Keith D. Lawrence, 58, of Cambridge City, passed away unexpectedly early Tuesday morning, December 18, 2018 at his residence. A son of Don G. and Bernice Patricia Holloway Lawrence, Keith was born in Marion County, Indiana, on September 25, 1960. He attended Seymour High School and following his graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy […] — (Posted December 21, 2018)

Florence Verna Smith CENTERVILLE- Florence Verna Smith, 55, passed away Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 18, 2018, at Reid Healthcare in Richmond. A daughter of the late Butler Smith and Zella (Sparks) Kuhn, Florence was born on May 23, 1963, in Connersville. A lifelong member of the Wayne and Fayette County communities, she graduated from Lincoln High School with the […] — (Posted December 21, 2018)

Mary Joyce Maddox Mary Joyce Maddox, age 69, passed away at Reid Health on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. She was born February 5, 1949, to Keith Stringfield and Mary Hastings in Richmond, Indiana. Joyce was a lifelong resident of Richmond, Indiana. She was a graduate of Richmond High School and later attended Ivy Tech, where she earned an […] — (Posted December 19, 2018)

Linda “Lynn” Retter Linda “Lynn” Retter, 69, of Hagerstown, Indiana, passed away on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, at Reid Hospital in Richmond, Indiana. Lynn was born April 26, 1949, in El Dorado, Kansas, to Jack E and Mary Lou (Oakley) Griffith. In 1986, she married Richard Retter and they resided in Losantville, Indiana, until moving to their current […] — (Posted December 19, 2018)

Jeffrey E. Mann CAMBRIDGE CITY- Jeffrey Ervin Mann, 76, passed away Monday morning December 17, 2018 at Parker Health and Rehabilitation in Parker City, Indiana. A son of the late Donald Ervin and Mary Katherine (Hinsky) Mann, Jeff was born in Richmond, Indiana, on February 21, 1942. Jeff lived most of his life in the Cambridge City community […] — (Posted December 19, 2018)

Brandon Clegg Brandon Clegg, age 14 of Richmond went to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 13, 2018. The son of Mary York, Brandon was born in Richmond on May 3, 2004. He enjoyed swimming, riding go carts, going to the movies and playing video games. Left to cherish his memory are his mother Mary York; […] — (Posted December 18, 2018)

Wanda I. Norris Wanda Irene Norris, 91, of New Castle, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, at Glen Oaks Health Care Campus. She was born Nov. 3, 1927, in New Lisbon, Indiana, a daughter of Irvin and Pearl Plough Thomas. She was a graduate of New Lisbon High School and attended college for 2 years. She was […] — (Posted December 18, 2018)