AKRON — Carl Whitworth Jr., 79, Akron, and formerly of Merrillville, died at 12:25 a.m. Dec. 10, 2016, at his residence. He was born July 4, 1937, in Clinton, to Carl and Bertha Faitak Whitworth. On March 16, 1958, in Clinton, he married Jean Ann Moore, who preceded Nov. 2, 2009.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Bonnie F. Allison, 72, Chambersburg, Pa., and formerly of Silver Lake, passed away Dec. 13, 2016, at ManorCare Health Services.

MENTONE — Vernon R. Spurlock Sr., 91, Mentone, died at 7:35 a.m. Dec. 15, 2016, at his residence. He was born Jan. 27, 1925, in Hernshaw, W.Va., to William and Beulah Tucker Spurlock. On Oct. 10, 1943, in Grand Rapids, Mich., he married Elizabeth C. “Betty” Halstedt, who survives. Calling will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Dec. 23 at First Christian Church, 115 Parkridge Drive, Warsaw, with Pastor Gary Boschain officiating. Services will be at 3 p.m.  Burial will be in Mentone Cemetery. King Memorial Home, Mentone, assisted with arrangements. ***** Memorials to Danny Pitzer Scholarship Fund. Share a memory or send a condolence at www.hartzler funeralservices.com.  

MILFORD — Dale R. Stump, 91, Milford, passed away Dec. 13, 2016, at Lakeland Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Milford.  He was born Oct. 27, 1925, in Nappanee, to Clayton and Hazel Defreese Stump. He graduated from Milford High School with the class of 1943 and went on to honorably serve his country in the U.S. Navy.  He married Glennis Orn on June 17, 1944, in San Jose, Calif. 

Sally L. Baker, 71, Milford, passed away at 12:40 a.m. Dec. 14, 2016, at Goshen Hospital.  She was born May 26, 1945, in Warsaw, to Ralph E. and Gladys Marie Hollar Berkeypile.  She was a lifetime Milford area resident and graduated in 1963 from Milford High School. She was married May 27, 1964, at St. Mark’s Church in Goshen, to Dean E. Baker, who survives. 

Norman Allen Gunsolley, Winona Lake, passed away at 6:39 a.m. Dec. 12, 2016, at Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake, at the age of 72 after a four-month battle with cancer.  He graduated from high school in 1962 in Columbus, Neb. In 1966 he received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Trinity College, Deerfield, Ill., and earned his master’s degree in school administration from the University of South Dakota in 1970.  Before retiring in 2012, Norman had a 46-year career in education. He had a passion for Christian education and began his career with schools in Illinois. Later he started Community Christian School in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and worked there for 10 years until moving to Kosciusko County in 1987. The last 25 years of his career were spent as the administrator at Warsaw Christian School. He was a former member of the International Association of Christian Schools. 

Phyllis E. Stayer, 79, North Manchester, died at 6:03 p.m. Dec. 13, 2016, in Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne. She was born Aug. 15, 1937, in Bippus, to Willis and Geraldine Cunningham Sims. On Oct. 1, 1955, she married Gerald E. Stayer, who died Jan. 30, 2015. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester, with Pastor Dan Binkley officiating. Burial will be in South Whitley. Calling is from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the mortuary. *****

Sally L. Baker, 71, Milford, passed away at 12:40 a.m.  Dec. 14, 2016, at Goshen Hospital.  Arrangements are pending at Cremation Services of Kosciusko County, Warsaw.

ROCHESTER — Bernie G. "Shorty" Cooley, 79, Rochester, passed away at 3:50 a.m. Dec. 14, 2016, at Visiting Nurse Hospice Home, Fort Wayne.   Arrangements are pending at Good Family Funeral Home, Rochester.  

ROCHESTER — Roy Wolford, 83, Tiosa, passed away Dec. 11, 2016, at the Hospice House, South Bend.  He was born Sept. 6, 1933, in Tiosa, to George Leroy and Maryanna Charlotte Brierley Wolford. On Nov. 27, 1959, in North Liberty, he married Elaine Etta Baros. She died Aug. 11, 2000.

BOURBON — Lola Jane Cain, 93, Bourbon, passed away Dec. 12, 2016, at Wampler’s Senior Living, Bourbon, where she had been a resident the past several months. She was born June 13, 1923, to Forrest and Kathryn Faulkner in Gravelton. She graduated from Bourbon High School in 1941.   She married Devon “Pete” Cain on Aug. 24, 1941, in Bloomington. Together the two would start a family that included son Steve and daughter Karen. Devon preceded her in 1988. 

 Billie L. Music, 85, North Manchester, died at 7:20 a.m. Dec. 12, 2016, at Peabody Healthcare Center, North Manchester. She was born Aug. 21, 1931, in Van Lear, Ky., to Curtis and Lennie Blevins Webb. On May 8, 1954, she married George Music, who survives. Calling will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester. Pastor John Denniston will officiate. Burial will be in Laketon Cemetery

ROCHESTER — Douglas Lynn Riddle, 61, Akron, passed away Dec. 12, 2016. He was born April 26, 1955, to Charles Lee and Lola F. Pierce Riddle. On Oct. 15, 1983, in Plymouth, he married Peggy Rater. She survives. A celebration of his life will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 W. 18th St., Rochester, with Pastor Martin Furrow officiating. Interment will be in Richland Center IOOF Cemetery.  Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.  ***** Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.goodfamilyfh.com.  

NAPPANEE — Edna Mae Bender, 101, Milford, passed away at 10:02 a.m. Dec. 12, 2016,  at Lakeland Rehabilitation and Health Care.  She was born Aug. 14, 1915, in Au Gres, Mich., to Peter and Lydia Knepp Swartz. She married Lloyd M. Bender in 1946; he died April 25, 2007.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee, and from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Riverside Mennonite Church, 3620 Twining Road, Turner, Mich. 

SYRACUSE — Col. G. Thorpe Mitchell, United States Air Force, husband to Karen Mitchell, father to Brad Mitchell and son of Gerald and Marcia Mitchell, passed Dec. 11, 2016.  He was born April 2, 1938, in New Kensington, Pa. He grew up along the East Coast and in 1954 moved to Wilmette, Ill., where he later graduated from New Trier High School. 

Elena Lopez, 39, Warsaw, passed away at 11:56 a.m. Dec. 11, 2016, at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne.  She was born May 19, 1977, to Tomas and Maria Hernandez Lopez in Apan, Mexico. She married Shawn Ruegner on Aug. 26, 2015, in Warsaw.

NAPPANEE – Henry Hochstetler, 86, Nappanee, died at 5:25 a.m. Dec. 12, 2016, at Signature Healthcare, Bremen, where he had been a resident for three weeks. He was born May 2, 1930, in Middlebury, to Jerry and Emma Eash Hostetler. He married Edna M. Miller on Aug. 20, 1950, in Nappanee; she died July 16, 2009. Family and friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at North Main Street Mennonite Church, Nappanee. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at South Union Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at the church.   Arrangements were by Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee. ***** Memorials to Family Christian Development Center. Online condolences may be given at www.tlyfh.com. 

LEESBURG – Stephen B. “Diff” Diffendarfer, 69, Leesburg, passed away at 1:10 p.m. Dec. 10, 2016, at Mason Health & Rehabilitation Center, Warsaw.  He was born May 11, 1947, in Wolf Lake, to David B. and Garnet E. Walker Diffendarfer. 

SYRACUSE – Thorpe Mitchell, 78, Leesburg, passed away Dec. 11, 2016, at Parkview Regional Medical Center.   Arrangements are pending at Eastlund Funeral Home, Syracuse.

NORTH MANCHESTER – Will Henson, 80, North Manchester, died at 9:55 p.m. Dec. 10, 2016, in Wabash. He was born April 24, 1936, in Floyd County, Ky., to Beverly and Maxie Newsome Henson. He was married on Jan. 12, 1958; his wife, Mary Jane Henson, died Feb. 28, 2015. Calling will be Friday from 11 a.m. until the 1 p.m. funeral at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate. Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester.

Marjorie E. Morgan, 97, Warsaw, passed away at 11:11 p.m. Dec. 11, 2016, in Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw. She was born April 8, 1919, in Eaton, Ohio, to Lester and Elsie Clark Martz. On May 14, 1943, in Eaton, she married Edward R. Morgan. They were married 44 years until his passing on July 10, 1987.

WABASH – Dennis Warren "Red" Wall, 69, Clunette, died Dec. 10, 2016, at his home.  He was born Aug. 13, 1947, in Wabash, to Ralph and Ruth Ogan Wall. He was a 1966 graduate of Mentone High School. He retired from R.R. Donnelley, Warsaw.  He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in Vietnam. He qualified for the sharpshooter award and attended schooling in Virginia for helicopter repairs and maintenance.

Elzin Albert Kipker, 86, Warsaw, passed away at 4:09 p.m. Dec. 11, 2016,  in Kosciusko Community Hospital.  He was born Oct. 16, 1930, in Warsaw, to Riley and Eva Viola Neer Kipker. On April 8, 1955, in Warsaw, he married Dorcas McConnell.

Jan Garen Haase, 65, Warsaw, passed away at 10 p.m. Dec. 11, 2016, in her residence.  On Oct. 18, 1951, she was born in Peru, Ind., to Gene and Grace Elizabeth Wrenn Shoemaker. She was a lifetime resident of northern Indiana. She earned an Associate of Arts in interior decorating from Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne. On Nov. 18, 1986, in Warsaw, she was united in marriage to Gregory Haase. 

Norman Allen Gunsolley, 72, Winona Lake, passed away at 6:39 a.m. Dec. 12, 2016, at Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake.  He was born Jan. 21, 1944, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Earl Thomas and Marian Frances Cain Gunsolley. On June 11, 1966, he married Mary Lou Beddoe, who survives.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.  His funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Community Grace Brethren Church, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Roy Chapin. A graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.  ***** Memorials to Warsaw Christian School, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580; or to Community Christian School, 2406 9-1/2 Ave. South, Fort Dodge, IA 50501, and would be appreciated by the family. Condolences may be sent at www.redpathfruthfuneral home.com.