All Obituaries

Sandra Sue Renz, 79, North Manchester, passed away on June 30, 2022 at Envive Healthcare of Huntington in Huntington, Indiana. The daughter of Jesse and Betty (Perry) Sickafus, Sandy was born on June 26, 1943 in Wabash, Indiana. For many years, Sandy owned and operated the Halfway Café in Urbana. She also operated Sandy’s Coffee Shop in Laketon. Sandy married Richard L. Renz on July 13, 1985 and the two would be married twenty-six years before Richard’s passing on August...

Peggy D. Workman, 90, North Manchester, passed away on June 28, 2022 at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The third of seven children, Peggy was born on August 7, 1931 in Wabash County, Indiana to John L. and Ruby V. (Westafer) Baker. At Chester High School, Peggy participated in the school band and played volleyball before graduating in 1950. It was during this time that she would meet her husband, Richard “Dick” Workman. The two would be married on June 8, 1952 in the...

Ricky Eli Castle, 66, Silver Lake, passed away on June 26, 2022 at home. The son of Wilbur “Web” Castle and Virgie (Blevins) Castle, Ricky was born November 30, 1955 in Paintsville, Kentucky. After graduating in 1973 from Johnson Central High School in Paintsville, Ricky became a professional welder for many years. He was also a business owner for American Fabricating. Referred to as a “human forklift,” Ricky’s strength enabled him to move or lift just about...

Darlene C. Bucher, 95, North Manchester, passed away on her late husband’s birthday, June 20, 2022, at Timbercrest Healthcare Center in North Manchester, Indiana. She was born to Ernest and Alma (Hawbecker) Fair in Sublette, Illinois on November 17, 1926. The oldest sibling of four, Darlene and her family enjoyed many family vacations together and attended numerous sports functions. When Darlene was four years old, she recited and performed “The Little Red Hen” leading to...

Dennis Ray Daugherty, 65, North Manchester, passed away unexpectedly on June 21, 2022 at his home. The youngest of four children, Dennis was born on November 12, 1956 in Huntingburg, Indiana, to Garland H. and Snoda (Hampton) Daugherty. Quiet and reserved, Dennis enjoyed his time taking things apart and rebuilding them. He also delighted in working on and fixing cars. For years, Dennis worked at M&R Egg Company in Mentone then later at Sonoco Products in Akron. For the last fifteen...

Betty Bell Wright Hamlin, 95, North Manchester, passed away on June 13, 2022 at Timbercrest Healthcare Center in North Manchester, Indiana. The daughter of John T. and Hattie E. (McIntire) Bucher, Betty was born in Wabash County on October 25, 1926. Betty grew up on a farm in the Silver Lake area, near Disko. As a child she remembers doing plenty of farm chores with her two older brothers, Eugene and Daniel. She attended Laketon High School where she played clarinet in the band. After...

Lottie Colleen Bammerlin, 79, Akron, Indiana, passed away unexpectedly on June 10, 2022, at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana in Fort Wayne. The daughter of Ezra B. and Gertrude (Doub) Lipply, Lottie was born in Warsaw on September 28, 1942. After graduating from Laketon High School in 1960, Lottie worked at Heckman Bindery until she married Paul Lyle Bammerlin on August 2, 1964. She then worked on their farm doing whatever job needed to be done. She was a woman of grit and determination who...

Michael J. Harford, 68, North Manchester, passed away on May 31, 2022 at his home. The son of Jack and Deon (Gutfeld) Harford, Michael was born on July 23, 1953 in San Francisco, California. After graduating from Westmoor High School in 1971, Michael attended the San Francisco Academy of Art where he nurtured his highly creative and intellectual mind. He quickly discovered his love for paper collage and mixed media art which he ended up sharing nationally and internationally. Michael drew...

Frederick G. “Fred” Olinger, 69, of National City, California, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2022 at his home. The son of Frederick “Fritz” and Rose Mary (Berneburg) Olinger, Fred was born on July 29, 1952 in Wabash, Indiana. After graduating from Manchester High School in 1971, Fred went on to earn his Associates degree from Vincennes University in 1973. He worked at Laketon Refinery for many years before joining the Navy. During his military career he worked in...

Nathaniel Drue “Nate” Harmon, 21, North Manchester, Indiana, passed away June 3, 2022. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 14, 2000, Nate was the youngest child of Lonnie and Heather (Certain) Harmon Jr. After graduating from William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina in 2019, Nate moved back to North Manchester. A patient, selfless, thoughtful and gentle soul, Nate possessed a keenness for the outdoors, which he learned from his grandmother, Sarah Rettig....