Obituaries from April 2023

Virginia Ann Crouse, 97, of Brazil, passed away while staying at Cloverleaf Healthcare on March 31, 2023. Virginia was born on May 27, 1925, in Clay County, the daughter of Frank and Ina (Northway) Clark. Virginia graduated from Van Buren High School with the class of 1943...

Charles “Richard” Smiley, 79, passed away Sunday, April 2, 2023. He was born in Greencastle, the son of Charles and Iris Geraldine Smiley. In his younger days he enjoyed bowling, hunting, fishing, boating, camping and mushroom hunting. He loved old-time country and gospel music. He was a jack of all trades and worked at Great Dane Trailers...

Jo Ann Bean, age 83, of Cloverdale, went to be with the Lord on April 3, 2023. She was born in Pineville, Ky., on April 26, 1939, to the late Pearl and Maggie (Pingleton) Partin. Jo Ann married Earl Bean on July 26, 1959, and he survives. Jo Ann spent most of her life as a homemaker, an amazing mother to her seven children and wife of 63 years. ...

John Nelson Wood, 95, of Greencastle, passed away on Saturday, April 8, 2023. Arrangements are pending at the Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home.

Kumiko Baire of Bainbridge passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones on March 31, 2023 at the age of 84. She was born Nov. 13, 1938 in Nagasaki (Matsuura), Japan, to Kikue and Yasunasa Urakawa (both preceding her in death). She had five brothers and one sister who preceded her in death and one surviving brother, Heideto Urakawa...

Clark A. Bryan, 84, of Greencastle, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023 at the family farm. Born Feb. 13, 1939 in Greencastle, he was the son of Maurice and Lena (Miller) Bryan. He was a 1957 graduate of Fillmore High School. He served in the U.S. Army...

Edna Mae Smiley, 97, of Greencastle, passed away on Saturday, April 8, 2023. Born Nov. 13, 1925, in Pulaski County, Ky., she was the daughter of Homer and Martha Lucille (Abbott) Cook. Edna was a homemaker and proud matriarch to 95 descendants. She was a member of the New Testament Missionary Baptist Church...

Sally Jane Downey, a loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away following a recent cancer diagnosis on April 7, 2023, in Fishers. She was born in Brazil, Ind., on Oct. 20, 1948 to Wayne and Lois (Reinoehl) Willison, who preceded her in death. She grew up in a large family, including her siblings Sue James, Jeanne Willison, the late Stacy Willison (Karen), Julia Schattenstein (Fred), Jana Brummett (Wyatt) and Charla Sprehe...

Lelia M. Mercer, 96, passed away April 7, 2023 at Hutsonwood of Brazil. Lelia was born to the late Roy and Modesta (Moss) Johnson on Aug. 20, 1926. Lelia graduated from Reelsville High School in 1944. After graduation, Lelia went to visit her boyfriend, Halford, who was preparing to be deployed overseas during World War II. During her visit, they decided to get married and they have been together ever since...

Frank Ray Keeton, 72, passed away on Jan. 24, 2023. He was born Dec. 17, 1950, to Bryan and Celastine (Decker) Keeton in Monticello, Ky. Frank was one of 12 children. Frank loved farming, raising horses and elk. He lived an active life, enjoying the outdoors while hunting, fishing and riding four-wheelers. Frank was known for his work ethic and being able to motivate others...

John Nelson Wood, 95, of Greencastle, passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2023. Born Oct. 13, 1927, in Greencastle, he was the son of Charles Nelson and Flossie Mae (Knauer) Wood. He was a 1945 graduate of Greencastle High School. John was a United States Army veteran serving in World War II...

Stephen W. Sutherlin, 85, passed away on March 29, 2023, at Hamilton Trace in Fishers. He was born in Greencastle on May 25, 1937, to Roy and Lenore Sutherlin. Steve was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Kay, who passed away on March 3, 2023...

Martha Lois Boruff went to her heavenly home on the evening of April 10, 2023, at Wellbrooke of Crawfordsville. She was born Feb. 14, 1931, in Indianapolis to Paul E. and Iris A. Myers. She married John David Boruff on June 12, 1953, in Indianapolis...

Patricia F. Jones, 76, Coatesville, passed away on Jan. 3, 2023, due to health issues. She was born April 29, 1946, to Alonzo Kendall and Mary Elizabeth Nichols. She worked in Plainfield at the correctional facility and retired from there. In her younger years, Pat was a barber in Cloverdale as well...

John R. Kerr, known as Dick to family and friends, had many pleasant memories of his youth growing up in Attica. He often reminisced about early mornings spent bicycling with his older brother, Bob, delivering newspapers to neighbors near their family house on Monroe Street. He recently visited his old home and regaled the current owner with boyhood stories after being invited inside. A special treat for them both...

Donna J. McGaughey of Greenfield passed away unexpectedly in her home on April 13, 2023. The daughter of Hubert L. McGaughey and Ruth M. (Keeney) McGaughey, Donna was born on April 1, 1962 in Greencastle. She attended Bainbridge Elementary School and graduated from North Putnam High School in 1980. ...

Paul Barnett, 82, of Bainbridge, passed away on April 16, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born at home on March 18, 1941, in Plainfield and was the son of Julius P. and Beatrice (McMullin) Barnett. Paul grew up in Plainfield and was a 1959 graduate of Plainfield High School. ...

Marvin Lee Kelly, 86, of Greencastle, passed away on April 15, 2023, at Mill Pond Health Campus. Marvin was born in Crawfordsville on May 12, 1936, the son of Lawrence James and Elizabeth Ruth (Witson) Kelly. He was a 1954 graduate of Roachdale High School...

Elgie Leon Sanders, 94, of Danville, passed away on April 15, 2023. He was born March 26, 1929 to Ralph and Rosa (Long) Sanders near Somerset, Ky. He moved many times as a child, but remembered most living near Clinton Falls in Putnam County in the 1930s. Elgie had many fond memories of his years at Perry Central High School, especially as a player and captain of the basketball team. His love of basketball continued as a devoted Purdue Boilermaker fan...

Jackie Gene Clifford, 87, of Bainbridge, passed away on Monday, April 17, 2023, at his home with his wife by his side. Jackie was born in Greencastle on Sept. 14, 1935, the son of Layton and Lola (Furney) Clifford. He was a 1953 graduate of Bainbridge High School...

Kenneth C. Etcheson, 97, of Canton, Ill., passed away peacefully on Friday, April 7, 2023, at Graham Hospital in Canton. He was born on Aug. 5, 1925, in Bainbridge, to Raymond and Rosetta (Evans) Etcheson. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Warren and Gerald...

Janet Darlene Weatherman (Rice), 64, departed this life and went home to God on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, after a long illness. She was a formidable and spiritual woman who had a passion for learning to improve her situation and provide for her family. After graduating technical school in the 1980s, she would go on to work in the informational technology world, where she excelled and spent the last decade and a half working at IU Health in their IT department...

Jerry Kruse, 77, of Bainbridge, passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at Hendricks Regional Health in Danville. Jerry was born in Springfield, Ill., on June 23, 1944, the son of Henry Martin and Etta Geraldine (Fastenau) Kruse. He was a 1963 graduate of Fillmore High School. After high school he attended Indiana State University...

Hallie Laverne Tincher, 93, of Greencastle, passed away on April 22, 2023, at her residence. Laverne was born in Russellville on Oct. 4, 1929, the daughter of James N. and Bernadine (Williamson) Woodall. She was a 1948 graduate of Greencastle High School...

Tonya Kaye Harris Sears, 72, passed peacefully on April 20, 2023, surrounded by family. She was born in Greencastle, on June 1, 1950, to Kenneth and Rosamary Harris. Tonya married Michael Sears on July 7, 1973, and was mother to Michael Jr., whom she adored. She was a sister to Bernie (Jan) Harris, Doretta (Bill) Poynter, Larry (Richard) Harris, and stepsister to Doug (Joanne) Bryan, Alan (Barb) Bryan and Debbie (Steve) Gause...

Linda M. Daugherty, age 78, of Poland, passed away April 24, 2023. She was born Jan. 21, 1945, in Indianapolis to the late Murlin and Edith (Scribner) Reed. She married Rondal Dean Daugherty and he preceded her in death on Dec. 17, 2011. She is survived by her daughters, Dana Lee and husband Gary, Debbie Smith and husband Randy and Darla Johnson and husband Tony; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two step-great-great-grandchildren; and her sibling, Brenda Reed...

Mary J. Boesch, 87, of Roachdale, passed away Tuesday morning, April 25, 2023, at Hendricks Regional Health in Danville. Mary was born July 23, 1935, in Willow, Calif., to Hobart and Alvina (Overbey) Swiney. Mary attended of Tucson High School in Tucson, Ariz...

In her 85 years, Reta Mae Clodfelter Pearson brought a lot of joy to her family and friends through food. Whenever her grandkids were coming, she’d spend a week baking – zucchini bread, sugar cream pies, peach and raspberry cobblers. Reta was an old-style country cook and proud of it. She learned from the best, her mom, Madonna Clodfelter. Too bad Reta’s skills didn’t transfer to her kids, Jeff and Lisa. Neither cares a hoot about cooking or baking...

Michael Lee Dean of both Gosport and Lawrence (a suburb of Indianapolis), passed away peacefully Nov. 13, 2022 in Spencer. Mike was born March 14, 1944 in Bloomington to Minor C. Dean and Betty Jo (Shultz) Dean, both originally from Gosport. Mike graduated from Lawrence Central High School in 1962. ...