All Obituaries

Arrangements are pending with McKee Mortuary.  

Stacy Lee Helton, 50, Columbia City, Indiana, passed away at his home on January 22, 2023. Born on January 13, 1973, in Warsaw, Indiana, Stacy was the son of Roger Lee Helton and Tana (Fivecoate) Dingess. On December 14, 2022, Stacy’s life changed when he was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Despite this heartbreaking news, Stacy remained optimistic. After graduating from Manchester High School in 1991, Stacy entered the workforce. For ten years he worked at Shindigz before it...

Janet Bentrup Hays, 89, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, and North Manchester, Indiana, passed away on January 21, 2023, at Stillwater Hospice in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The youngest of two children, Janet was born on July 5, 1933, in St. Louis, Missouri, to David and Clara (Goebel) Bentrup. During her high school years, Janet was active in field hockey and volleyball. After graduating from University City High School in 1951, she went on to earn her artium baccalaureus (Bachelor of Arts) degree...

Terry R. “TR” West Jr., 58, Warsaw, formerly of North Manchester, Indiana, passed away unexpectedly on January 8, 2023. The son of Terry and Marilyn (Quinn) West, TR was born on March 24, 1964, in San Diego, California. After attending Manchester High School, TR entered the workforce by joining Eaton/Controls, where he was employed for twelve years. He then went to work at Dalton Foundry in Warsaw and spent twenty-eight years there before taking a job at Zimmer-Biomet...

Wera K. Anderson Basandaio, 84, North Manchester, formerly of Mishawaka, Indiana, passed away January 6, 2023, at Peabody Healthcare Center in North Manchester. She was born to Russian and German parents in Germany on November 19, 1938. At the age of five Wera began dancing, a passion she continued throughout her life. After moving to the United States, she became a professional ballet dancer and danced in the movies Cleopatra and Hercules. Wera then moved to Mishawaka, Indiana, where she...

Philip R. Wilt Jr., 67, North Manchester, Indiana and Romeoville, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on January 6, 2023, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. The son of Philip R. Wilt Sr. and Barbara (Custer) Wilt Frame, Philip was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, on March 10, 1955. While growing up, Philip’s first job was a paper route, where he learned a strong work ethic. In 1974 Philip graduated from a vocational high school in Windber with a focus in chemistry before...

LuAnn Greene, 67, North Manchester and formerly of Akron, passed away unexpectedly on January 3, 2023, at her home. Born on September 5, 1955, in Rochester, LuAnn was the daughter of Jack and Norma “Jeanie” (Hoffman) Miller. After graduating from Akron High School in 1973, LuAnn began working at Eaton/Controls until the business closed, which began a new chapter in LuAnn’s life. She enrolled at Ivy Tech, where she obtained an associate degree in Computer Science. For the...

Alan George Kieffaber, 83, died suddenly at his home in North Manchester, Indiana, early Wednesday morning, November 2.  Alan was born May 24, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, the oldest of five children of Leland Emmert and Thelma Evangeline (Long) Kieffaber.  He graduated from Manchester College (now University) in 1961 majoring in Peace Studies and Religion. He first attended the University of Chicago School of Religion, then transferred to Bethany Theological Seminary where he graduated...

Anita Maxine Blocher, 81, North Manchester, passed away January 3, 2023, at Peabody Healthcare Center in North Manchester. Born November 28, 1941, in Goshen, Indiana, Anita was the daughter of the late Robert John and Edith Martha (Miller) Graybill. Anita worked as a cosmetologist, CNA, and QMA before eventually retiring after many years of service. On June 27, 1958, she married Arthur Lee Blocher. The two were wed for fifty-nine years before Art passed away on October 29, 2017. They were...

Ira Donald Lewis, 90, North Manchester formerly of Claypool, Indiana, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 1, 2023, at Timbercrest Healthcare Center in North Manchester. Born near Claypool, Indiana, on February 3, 1932, Ira was the son of the late Elbert F. and Laura (Blocher) Lewis. After graduating from Silver Lake High School in 1950, Ira joined the United States Navy, where he served proudly in the Korean War.  His time in the service took him to Pearl...