Carmen Josephine Ellis Smith, 97, passed away at 11:40 AM on February 23, 2021, in Rochester, Indiana. 

She was born February 22, 1924, at her Ellis grandparents’ family farm in Fulton County, Indiana, to Clair and Ruby (Black) Ellis. 

Carmen graduated from Akron High School in 1942 and continued her education at Manchester College and Butler University, where she completed her BS degree in 1946. 

Working for Dr. Dick and Dr. Dean Stinson in Rochester, Carmen met Glen Smith of Macy, and they married in 1954.  Together, Carmen and Glen raised three children, Steve, Nancy and Dean, and celebrated 48 years together before Glen’s death in 2002. 

Active in homemaking and the family farm throughout her long life, Carmen was beloved by her family and close friends.  As an only child on her father’s farm, Carmen was a quick study who embraced learning at all levels.  Excellent in her school work, Carmen also learned farm skills as apprentice to her father, Clair, taking care of livestock and helping with the seasonal crop work. 

From her mother Ruby, Carmen learned the basics of housekeeping along with an appreciation for art and music.  Throughout her life, Carmen excelled at gardening from tomatoes and asparagus to roses and daylilies.  She used her growing skills well and generously shared with others. 

Carmen was also an avid reader, a skilled seamstress, and music lover.  In all seasons, Carmen’s children recall at-home adventures that featured pets, books, and practical projects. 

With Glen, Carmen traveled throughout the continental United States and especially enjoyed trips to visit friends and relatives near and far.  Carmen continued to travel after Glen’s death, driving herself throughout Indiana until she chose to quit driving at 92. 

Carmen served as family hostess for decades.  From birthday parties and holiday meals to her parents’ 70^th wedding anniversary reception, Carmen diligently brought loved ones together. 

Carmen lived the last years of her life in Rochester, in her own home and later at Wynnfield Crossing.  She was member of Eastern Star through much of her life. 

After moving to town, Carmen enjoyed being part of the Notables music group.  Carmen said she couldn’t sing, but she could read music and her skill with some basic choreography was fun for her.  

Carmen is survived by her children: Steve (Laurel) Smith of Vincennes, Nancy Smith of Rochester, and Dean Smith of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and by her granddaughters, Glenda Smith and Alicia (Stephen) Chappo. 

The family will meet privately at a later date to share memories and celebrate Carmen’s life. 

We are grateful to the community at Wynnfield Crossing for their support of our mother during her residence there and to Kindred Hospice personnel for care during Carmen’s final days. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Fulton County Animal Center and Shelter, 1540 Wentzel St., Rochester, IN 46975 or to the Fulton County Public Library, 320 West 7^th St., Rochester, IN 46975.

Good Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Electronic expressions of sympathy may be made to her family at goodfamilyfh.com

Elizabeth J. “Betty” [Kuhn] Graves, 93, of Winamac, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at Pulaski Memorial Hospital in Winamac. 

She was born on March 27, 1928 in Pulaski, IN to the late Martin and Theresa [Nies] Kuhn.  Betty was a 1946 graduate of Pulaski High School. 

Before she was married, Betty worked as a telephone operator for Indiana Bell Telephone Co and as a bookkeeper at the Winamac Elevator.

On September 21, 1948, she married John E. Graves at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Winamac.  Together, they worked on the family farm for 62 years.  John passed away on October 2, 2010.  

Betty was a proud homemaker and was well-known for her huge garden and open kitchen.  

She enjoyed gardening, canning, baking, and cooking as well as entertaining friends and family.  She also enjoyed playing Euchre.   Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and sister. 

She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, and Daughters of Isabella.  She enjoyed traveling - especially when she was John’s co-pilot in the Tri Pacer.   Betty will be dearly missed.

She is survived by:

Sandra Graves, Portland, OR Daughter

Gary (Karen) Graves, Winamac, IN Son

Roberta Graves, Winamac, IN Daughter

Beverly (Thomas) Bachota, Winamac, IN Daughter

Tricia (Damian) Flaherty, Granddaughter

Shannon Farmer, Grandson

Brenda (Richie) Croom, Granddaughter

Sharon (Eric) McCann, Granddaughter

John (Cheryl) Graves, Grandson

Troy (Synde) Hamman, Grandson

Brittni (Micheal) Lovelace, Granddaughter

Hannah (Raul) Tejada, Granddaughter

16 Great Grandchildren

Victor Kuhn, Brother

Norbert Kuhn, Brother

Joseph (Carole) Kuhn, Brother

John (Karen) Kuhn, Brother

Alberta (James) Wieand, Sister

Virginia Cooke, Sister

Cecilia Cripe, Sister

Many Nieces and Nephews

Preceded in death by:

Martin and Theresa [Nies] Kuhn, Parents

John E. Graves, Husband

Cobert Arthur Graves, Son

Theresa Kuhn, Infant Sister

Rita Raderstorf, Sister

Ann Hoover, Sister

Mary Shellhart, Sister

Genevieve Scheffer, Sister

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 AM EST Monday, February 15, 2021 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church with Rev. Daniel Shine officiating.

Burial will take place at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Winamac

Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Catholic Church or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online Tributes may be offered at www.frainmortuary.com.

Cremation Arrangements have been entrusted to Frain Mortuary in Winamac.

Argos is certainly known for soccer.  A member of the first Argos HS soccer team has passed away.

Jerry Patton, 73, of Bourbon, passed away on February 6, 2021 at 11:52 a.m. following a very sudden illness.

On August 7, 1947 in Rochester, Indiana he was born to Mart C. Patton and Janet (Nesmith) Patton. Jerry lived all of his life in the Marshall County area. 

On December 31, 1999 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee he married Kimberly Welty, and together they shared the past 22 years.

Jerry worked for Valley Sanitation after retiring from Fairmont Homes in Nappanee, Indiana.

He graduated from Argos High School with the class of 1965 and was co-captain of the first Argos High School soccer team. In his younger days Jerry enjoyed scuba diving, motorcycle racing, fishing, spending time with family, and teaching them to enjoy the outdoors and how to play sports.

He was also a valued member of the Argos Izaak Walton League and of the American Legion Post #424, Bourbon, Indiana. To this day he enjoyed spending time with his wife, Kim and with his family.

Jerry is survived by his wif,  Kimberly Patton.

Daughters – Tana Garver and husband Patrick of Forest, Indiana; Tracy Williams and husband Michael of Rochester, Indiana; and Lisa Patton of Plymouth, Indiana

9 Grandchildren    5 Great Grandchildren

Mother – Janet Patton of Argos, Indiana

Sisters – Barbara Carlson of Rochester, Indiana; and Linda Ransom of South Bend

Brother – Mark Patton of Argos

Step-Children  Andrea Allen of Warsaw, Indiana; Melissa Dowell and husband John of Plymouth, Indiana; 

and Bryan Long of Bourbon, Indiana; 15 step grandchildren and 7 step great grandchildren

He is preceded in death by his father; and brothers – Darrel, Randy, Jeff, and David Patton

Arrangements have been entrusted with the Earl-Grossman Funeral Home, Argos, Indiana.

A post on the Argos Boys Soccer Twitter page reads:  The thoughts and prayers from everyone in the Argos Soccer community are with the family, friends, and colleagues of our first co-captain and MVP Jerry Patton, following his passing. Patton helped lead the Dragons in our second ever season to an undefeated finish in 1964.

Evelyn May (Wysong) Crabb, 92 of 8th Street, Rochester, Indiana; and formerly of the Argos community passed away on February 6, 2021 at 9:05 p.m. at her residence.

On December 16, 1928 in Rochester, Indiana she was born to Lloyd Wysong and Sarah Faye (Brubaker) Wysong. Evelyn had lived in the Culver, Argos, and Rochester communities.

On February 23, 1947 in Culver, Indiana she married Herbert Lee Crabb. They shared 52 years togethe until his passing in August, 1999 .

Evelyn had spent her life being a devoted wife and mother to her children. She was a member of Cornerstone Church of Argos, Indiana; formerly the First Baptist Church of Argos, Indiana. 

Evelyn is survived by her Daughters – Donnabelle Stotler and husband Lester of Monterey, Indiana; and Diana Crabb of Rochester, Indiana

Sons – Dale Crabb of Argos, Indiana; and Donald Crabb and wife Rose of Osceola, Indiana

4 Grandchildren    10 Great Grandchildren

She is preceded in death by her Parents; Husband; Son – David Crabb; and Brothers Lloyd Wysong and Merl Wysong

Graveside Funeral Services will be held on Friday February 12, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. at the Washington Cemetery, State Road 117, Culver, Indiana with Chaplain Todd Wilson.

Burial will follow. 

Memorial Contributions may be made to:  Fulton County Animal Adoption an Education Center, 1540 N. Wentzel St., Rochester, Indiana 46975

Gloria J. Miller 68, Rochester, Indiana, and longtime Jackson, Kentucky, passed away at 4:59 A.M. Saturday January 30, 2021, at her residence.

She was born on February 2, 1952 in Jackson, Kentucky the daughter of Robert and Lorean (Strong) Bowling.

Gloria had worked opening and closing graves for cemeteries in Jackson, Kentucky, for many years. She had also worked raising alligators while living in Florida. She enjoyed watching Christian broadcast shows, crossword puzzles, enjoyed playing cards, flowers and raising her garden.

Survivors include her siblings, Carolyn Howard, Rochester, Indiana, William (Helen) Bowling, Sarah Faye Robinson, Robert “Bob” Bowling, Kenneth (Sarah) Bowling, all of Jackson, Kentucky, several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Beth Getson, brothers, Al Bowling, Charles Bowling, and Gary Bowling.

Private services will be observed. Burial will be in Oak Park Cemetery, Knox, Indiana.

Arrangements by Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.zimmermanbrosfh.com

Marlene June Kline, 88, Mexico, passed away at 3:35 a.m. on Saturday morning, January 30, 2020, at her residence. 

Born October 3, 1932, in Deedsville, Indiana, she was the daughter of Thomas “John” J. and Blanche H. (Grock) Fitzpatrick.  On June 8, 1952, she was married to Robert E. “Bob” Kline, and he preceded her in death on October 4, 2015. 

She was a member of the Oakdale Baptist Church in Peru and was a graduate of Deedsville High School.  She enjoyed playing bingo, Euchre, and other card games.  She loved her family and cherished the times they gathered around her table for a meal and card games.  Over the years, she faithfully supported her husband and his membership in the Mexico Lions Club, where she volunteered many hours fixing pies and helping with fundraisers.

She is survived by two daughters, Theresa Hight, Rochester; and Annette “Andy” Raider, and husband Fred, Denver; eight grandchildren, Tim Hight, Christopher Hight, Alicia Fuller, Ashley Yearling, Ryan Raider, Tyler Kline, Erica Kline, and Christina King; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Roberta “Bobbi” Roth, Ft. Wayne, and Kay Fisher, Peru.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one son, David A. Kline, and sisters, Patricia Allman, Margaret VanDalsen, Katherine Thomson, Lavanche “Sue” Dillman, and brothers, Leonard, Leon, Thomas, and Richard Fitzpatrick.

Funeral services will be private with Pastor Eric Alwine officiating.  The service will be live-streamed at www.mcclainfh.com/livestream at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 5, 2021.  Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Mexico, Indiana.

Visitation will be from 4-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2021, at the funeral home.  Facemasks must be worn at all times by visitors inside the funeral home.  

McClain Funeral Home, Denver, Indiana, has been entrusted with arrangements.  

Condolences may be sent online at www.mcclainfh.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Greenlawn Cemetery Association.

Biddie Jean Reffitt, 84, Peru, passed away on Monday, February 1, 2021, at Miller’s Merry Manor, Peru.  

Born February 11, 1936, in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, she was the daughter of Henry Bradley and Nona Ousley Bradley.  On April 20, 1952, in Martin, Kentucky, she was married to Harold Reffitt, and he preceded her in death on March 30, 2018.

She enjoyed crocheting, fishing, and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.  Harold and Biddie were well known for their garden, she spent many long hours tending to their crop, snapping beans, and putting up food for the rest of the year.  

Survivors include one son, Carl (Jill) Reffitt, Peru; two daughters-in-law, Brenda Reffitt,

Rochester; Connie J. Reffitt, Rochester; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, one brother, Lee (Mary Lou) Bradley, Denver; and one sister, Mimie (Monroe) Howard, Martin, Kentucky.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sons, Marcus J. Reffitt, and Harold W. Reffitt; one granddaughter, Stephanie Jo Reffitt; and one grandson, David Schakel; five brothers: Mont Bradley, Dennis Bradley, Adam Bradley, Leo Bradley and Cleo Bradley; five sisters: Loretta Hurd, Aggie Click, Sabra Bradley, Renis Baldridge, and Arvilla Sloan.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 5, 2021, at McClain Funeral Home.  Burial will be in Fulton Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1-3:00 p.m. on Friday, at the funeral home.  

McClain Funeral Home, Denver, Indiana, has been entrusted with arrangements.  

Condolences may be sent online at www.mcclainfh.com.