Irma Lee Boché
FREDERICKTOWN — Irma Lee Boché, 86, of Fredericktown died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, at the Country Court Nursing Center in Mount Vernon. Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. The obituary and online condolences to the family are at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Anna M. Bockover
MOUNT VERNON — Anna M. Bockover, 70, of Mount Vernon, a former Sparta resident, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005, at the Whispering Hills Care Center in Mount Vernon.

Anna was born May 4, 1934, in Morrow County to Charles Walter and Eva (Squires) Bockover and had spent her lifetime in the Morrow and Knox County areas.

She is survived by her sister, Edna Shafer of Mount Vernon; her brother, Ramon Bockover of Homeland, Calif.; aunts, Ethel Garver of Mount Vernon and Glo Moysi of Mansfield; her stepmother, Elizabeth Bockover; half brothers, Gary Bockover, Daniel Bockover and David Bockover; half sisters, Charlotte Farson and Ruth Berry; and all her former neighbors in Sparta.

There will be no calling hours. The family will observe private services.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. This obituary and online condolences to the family are at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Welford ‘Dick’ Brown
MOUNT VERNON — Welford E. “Dick” Brown, 87, of Mount Vernon died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005, at the Inn at HillenVale in Mount Vernon.

Mr. Brown was born Jan. 4, 1917, in Mount Vernon, was a graduate of Mount Vernon High School and had spent his lifetime in the Mount Vernon area. He served with the U.S. Navy on the aircraft carrier USS Altoo in the Pacific Theater of war during World War II. Mr. Brown was a self-employed building contractor for many years in the Mount Vernon area and retired from AMG Industries in Mount Vernon, where he had been employed as a machinist foreman. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing golf at Tomahawk Golf Course near Gambier in his later years.

Surviving are his wife, Charlotte (Freligh) Brown, whom he married Oct. 5, 1938; his daughter, Karen (Tom) Lang of Big Prairie; his son, David (Linda) Brown of Mount Vernon; four grandchildren, Rochelle (Todd) Laipply, Dirk Brown, Christopher Lang and Kendra Lang; two great-grandchildren, Makenzie Laipply and Baileigh Laipply; and his half brother, Kenneth White of Kentucky.

He was preceded in death by his father, William Brown; his mother, Mabel (Ewalt) Brown White; his stepfather, Floyd White; and three sisters, Wilma Wagner, Esther Beringer and Dorothy Dudgeon.

Friends may call Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, where services will follow at 6 p.m. with Kenneth Bandy officiating. Private burial will be in Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Knox County, 302 E. High St., Mount Vernon 43050. This obituary and online condolences to the family are at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

M. Marguerite Gregg
SILVERTON, Ore. — M. Marguerite Gregg, 90, of Silverton, Ore., a former Fredericktown resident, died Friday, Dec. 31, 2004, at her residence in Silverton. Friends may call Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Home in Fredericktown. Funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Palmyra Church of Christ. Burial will follow in Forest Cemetery at Fredericktown. A full obituary will appear in Tuesday’s edition of the Mount Vernon News. Obituary and online condolences to the family are at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Elmond D. Johnson
BLADENSBURG — Elmond D. Johnson, 71, of Bladensburg died Jan. 2, 2005, at Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark. The Harris-Dilley Funeral Home in Bladensburg is in charge of the arrangements.

Don Keeler
NAPA, Calif. — Donald John Keeler, 82, manager of the Eastern Division of Loma Linda Foods in Mount Vernon, 1963-73, went to sleep in Jesus on Dec. 9, 2004, just short of his 83rd birthday.

Don was born on Christmas Day 1921 in Takoma Park, Md., to John Sluman Keeler and Lucille Ruth Dunham. After World War II service, Don married Barbara Ann Crosby on June 29, 1947, in Port Allegany, Pa. In 1953, Don graduated from Washington Missionary College, Takoma Park, Md., as president of his class.

Don had a lifelong career of working for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which owned the Loma Linda Food Co. where soymilk infant formula was produced near Mount Vernon for many years. Don was active in the community and a member of the local Kiwanis Club. Raising tropical fish was a hobby Don shared by setting up a tank for expectant mothers in a labor room at Martin Memorial Hospital. Whenever asked by the church to take on new responsibilities, Don and Barbara always accepted. This took them to Napa Valley and then Loma Linda, Calif., following their 10 years in Mount Vernon. Retirement found them returning to Napa Valley, were they remained active volunteering at the local hospital.

Don is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Suzanne Underwood and Bonnie Kroplin; sons, Ed and William Keeler; sister, Lauretta Clark; brother, Paul Keeler of Mount Vernon.

Richard A. Klapproth
FREDERICKTOWN — Richard A. Klapproth, 77, of Fredericktown passed away Friday, Dec. 31, 2004, at Grant Medical Center in Columbus following a fall earlier that day.

He was born Dec. 6, 1927, in Springfield. Dick served in the U.S. Air Force as an air policeman during the Korean conflict. He was a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church in Fredericktown, serving for many years as trustee and elder. He had been a Boy Scout for 65 years. Upon moving to Fredericktown in 1964, he helped re-activate Boy Scout Troop 342 and had served ever since as Scoutmaster and committeeman. His leadership has touched many boys’ lives over the years. He was honored with many awards including the David Lantz Award, the Silver Beaver Award, Thrall Lodge 170 Community Builder’s Award, the Asset Builders Coalition’s Make a Difference Award; and he served as parade marshal for the 1997 Tomato Show. He was proud to be a member of the “Over the Hill” gang, helping to build the Fredericktown Community Library. He worked as a pattern maker for General Motors in Mansfield for 25 years before retiring in 1992.

Surviving are his wife, Marilyn; daughters, Kristi (Jeff) Kepler of Ashland, Ky., and Karen (Michael) Mazzei of Cincinnati; five beloved grandchildren, Derek and J.D. Kepler, and Jonathan, Alyssa and Mitchell Mazzei; a brother, William of Concord, N.H.; and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents, William J. and Hazel (Jaynes) Klapproth; his brothers, Jack and Robert Klapproth; and a nephew, Stuart Roth.

Friends may call Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Home in Fredericktown. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Fredericktown with Pastor Lee Ault officiating. Interment will follow in Forest Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scout Troop 342 or to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund. This obituary and guest registry may be viewed online at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Betty Monahan Schank
MOUNT VERNON — Betty Lee Monahan Schank, 83, of Mount Vernon died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005, at her residence following a brief illness.

She was born Aug. 16, 1921, in Wheeling, W.Va., to Lee and Catherine (Atwell) Monahan and moved to the Mount Vernon area in 1966. Betty was a member of the First Christian Church in Wheeling, W.Va.

Surviving are her son, Reece J. (Roberta) Schank Jr. of Mount Vernon; two daughters, Kit Plecha of Michigan and Reecalee M. (David) Bevington of Mount Vernon; six grandchildren, Shannon (Jeff) Wroblewski, Kristen Yeater, Kennedy (Justin) Manuguerra, Jason (Jaime) Bevington, Shawnna Bevington and Kristeen (Schank) Masters; 13 great-grandchildren, Rebekah, Rachel and Jeffrey Wroblewski, Serena and Hunter Shields, Tyler and Cody Bevington, Savannah Masters, Jessica and Emily Yeater, and Nina, Maria and Nicolas Manuguerra; and her brother, Lee Monahan of Wheeling, W.Va.

There will be no calling hours. The family will observe private services.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. This obituary and online condolences to the family are at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Alex T. Zahara
BUCYRUS — Alex T. Zahara, 83, of Bucyrus died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, at home. He had been in declining health.

Born in Bucyrus on Sept. 16, 1921, he was the son of Alex Zahara Sr. and Bertha (Balazs) Zahara. On March 24, 1963, he married Gloria A. Clayton, and she preceded him in death May 3, 1994.

Survivors include a daughter, Debra Zahara of Bucyrus; a granddaughter, Natasha Zornes; and two sisters, Mary Posey of Bucyrus and Margaret Lauinger of Michigan.

In addition to his parents and wife he was preceded in death by an infant child; a brother, John Zahara; and a sister, Helen Wyss.

An area resident his entire life, he was a 1940 graduate of Bucyrus High School and later from Bliss College. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in England, France, Germany and Belgium. Alex was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, American Legion Post 181 and the VFW Post 1078. He was the proprietor of Zahara Brothers Iron & Metal until his retirement. He enjoyed horses and was a former member of the U.S. Trotting Association and the Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association.

Calling hours will be Tuesday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Munz-Pirnstill Funeral Home, with a Rosary service at 5 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be recited Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. with the Rev. Ronald LeJeune as celebrant. Burial with military honors provided by the American Legion will be in Oakwood Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans or Holy Trinity Parish in care of the funeral home.