Obituaries

Mar 9, 2021

Robin Stults, age 57, a former resident of Portland, passed away on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at her home in Bluffton.

Robin was born on March 6, 1964, in Portland, the daughter of Robert Armstrong, Sr. and Priscilla (Butler) Butcher.  She worked at Bluffton Rubber Company and Walmart in Portland.  She was a member of the Eagles...

Mar 7, 2021

Nancy Hardymon, age 84, a resident of rural Portland, passed away on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.

Nancy was born on April 19, 1936, in Ohio, the daughter of Ralph and Reba (Slick) Bretz.  Nancy worked for Jay Garment in Portland for 8 years and retired from CTS in Berne...

Mar 1, 2021

Curt McLaughlin, age 61, a resident of Portland, passed away on Monday, March 1, 2021 at his home in Portland.

Curt was born on July 25, 1959, in Portland, the son of Glen and Nancy Jo (Gillespie) McLaughlin.  He graduated from Jay County High School in 1978.  He married Tammy Blazer on March 6, 1982.

...

Mar 1, 2021

Joyce Outcalt, age 72, a resident of rural Ridgeville, passed away on Monday, March 1, 2021, at her home.

Joyce was born on November 24, 1948, in Portland, Indiana, the daughter of John and Glenna Faye (Lanning) Holly.  She retired from Jay Petroleum in Portland and was a member of the Busy Homemakers Club in Ridgeville.  Joyce...

Feb 23, 2021

Arthur “Bud” Clark, age 71 a resident of rural Redkey passed away Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at IU Health Ball Hospital in Muncie.   He was a 1968 graduate of Dunkirk High School and completed his Carpenter’s Union apprenticeship in Muncie.   He then taught classes at Ivy Tech in Muncie for students going through the apprenticeship.   In 1972 he started...

Feb 23, 2021

Stephen Vern Hudson, Sr., age 76, a resident of Portland, passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at his home in Portland.

Stephen was born on August 15, 1944, in Portland, the son of Francis and Marie (Skinner) Hudson.  He graduated from Madison Township High School and served in the U.S. Airforce during Vietnam.  Stephen worked for...

Feb 19, 2021

Diane M. Shawver, age 63 a resident of rural Portland passed away from Parkinsons and Lewy Body Dementia  on Friday, February 19, 2021 at Persimmon Ridge Rehabilitation Center.  She was a 1976 graduate of Jay County High School and earned  her B.S. and  M.A. degrees in elementary education from Ball State University in Muncie.  She taught second and third...

Feb 15, 2021

Roxann Doll, age 70, a resident of Pennville, passed away on Monday, February 15, 2021 at Millers Merry Manor in Dunkirk.

Roxann was born on June 20, 1950, in Bluffton, Indiana, the daughter of Jack and Ruth (Merchant) Ford.  Roxann was a child care provider for many years.

Survivors include:

Her parents: Ruth...

Feb 14, 2021

Helen Williams, age 51, a resident of Portland, passed away on Sunday, February 14, 2021 at her home.

Helen was born on October 13, 1969, in Portland, the daughter of Johnny Robert Skeens and Florence (Rigby) Beeson.  Helen loved writing short stories and poems.  She married Leslie Williams on April 1, 2014.

Survivors include:

Feb 11, 2021

Linda J. Wysong, age 80, a resident of Portland, passed away on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at     her home in Portland.

Linda was born on October 3, 1940, in Winchester, Indiana, the daughter of Fred and Esther (Cash) Reynolds.  She worked at Anchor Hocking in Winchester for several years.  Linda married Byron Wysong on September 7, 1957....

Feb 10, 2021

Rene Harris a resident of Redkey, passed away on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.  Rene was born April 19, 1971 in Jay County Hospital, she had a rough start in life being a preemie, she had a measure of learning disabilities, but fought hard to make the best of her situation. She was...

Feb 10, 2021

Jeffrey S. Bailey, age 45, a resident of Portland, passed away on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at his home in Portland.

Jeff was born on June 14, 1975 in Portland, the son of Alan and Brenda (Bowers) Bailey.  He graduated from Jay County High School and worked at Pizza Hut, Pizza King and Dicks Pizza all of...

Feb 4, 2021

James “Jim” Stone, age 70, a resident of Portland, passed away on Thursday, February 4, 2021 at IU Health Jay Hospital in Portland.

Jim was born on November 5, 1950, in Richmond, Kentucky, the son of Raymond and Louise (Armstrong) Stone.  Jim worked for EPC in Geneva for over 37 years and was a member of the...

Feb 3, 2021

Ralph Steve Neargarder, age 84, a resident of Union City, Indiana, passed away Wednesday February 3, 2021 at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.

Ralph was born on May 28, 1936 in Union City, Indiana the son of Clem and Ada (Sargent) Neargarder and was raised by Harry and Viola Rhodes. He worked at Portland Ready...

Feb 2, 2021

Rita K. Andrews age 68 a resident of rural Dunkirk passed away Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.  She worked at Haynes Milling Company  and was a  member of the Portland Moose Lodge.

Rita Andrews was born April 12, 1952 in Jay County, Indiana the daughter of Claude and Naomi (Bennett)...

Feb 1, 2021

Ruth L. Zeiler, age 94, a resident of rural Bryant passed away Monday, February 1, 2021, at Persimmon Ridge Nursing Home in Portland.

Ruth was born February 19, 1926 the daughter of Harley and Mildred (Betz) Roll. She graduated from Bryant high school in 1944. Ruth was a homemaker and a member of Bryant Wesleyan Church.

Jan 30, 2021

Emma Lou (Myers) Bocook, 84, of Port Huron, Michigan passed away on January 30, 2021.

Emma was born in Portland, Indiana on October 18, 1936 to Kathleen (Williamson) and Noel

Myers of Portland. She attended school at American University of Beirut in Lebanon, earning

her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Emma nursed...

Jan 23, 2021

David Petschke, age 78, a resident of Portland, passed away on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Persimmon Ridge in Portland.

David was born on September 29, 1942, in Portland, the son of Raymond and Joanna Ruth (Hughes) Petschke.  He was a member of the Eagles Lodge, Sons of the American Legion and Portland Moose Lodge.  He worked...

Jan 22, 2021

Lonnie Thompson, age 58, a resident of Portland, passed away on Friday, January 22, 2021 at Signature Health Care in Muncie.

Lonnie was born in Portland on July 7, 1962, the son of Forrest and Marie (Duer) Thompson.

Survivors include:

2 brothers:  Richard Thompson (wife Deb) – Portland, Indiana

Robert Thompson...

Jan 20, 2021

Sara H. Lake, age 71, passed away Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at her home in Portland, Indiana.

A longtime resident of Portland, Sara was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 5, 1949. She was the

daughter of John and Elizabeth (Murphy) Kontos. Sara married Paul Lake in 1972. She retired from

home health...