Warren H. DeBolt
RICHMOND, Va. — Warren H. DeBolt, 85, died Jan. 3, 2006, at Retreat Hospital in Richmond, Va., after a short illness.

He had lived in Richmond since 2000. His wife of 61 years, Eleanor Rogers DeBolt, died in December 2003. Warren DeBolt was born Sept. 19, 1920, near Fredericktown, Knox County, the fourth of six children of Paul and Edith (Roberts) DeBolt. As a youth growing up on a farm south of Fredericktown, he was known in the family as “Jack.” He graduated from Fredericktown High School in 1937 and from The College of Wooster in 1941, the first in his immediate family to graduate from college. He and Eleanor, of Wheeling, W.Va., and also a College of Wooster graduate, were married in 1942. A chemist, Warren DeBolt joined Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. at its pioneering synthetic rubber development facility in Akron, Ohio, upon his graduation from college in 1941. He worked for Goodyear in a variety of capacities for 19 years, interrupted for service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He and Eleanor raised their family first in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, then in Dover, Del., where they lived for 40 years. He retired from Reichhold Chemical Industries in 1987, after 27 years of service with Reichhold and its predecessor companies in Dover. He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church, Dover, and was active for many years at the parish and diocesan levels in the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware.

Warren is survived by a sister, Ethel Hines of Fredericktown.

He was preceded in death by brothers, B. Richard “Dick,” Earl “Burly,” Lawrence “Dutch” and Harold “Tommy.”

Warren and Eleanor are also survived by daughters, Anne Blair of Richmond, Va., and Margaret DeBolt (Esch) of Bethesda, Md.; sons, John DeBolt of San Jose, Calif., and Bruce DeBolt of Portland, Ore.; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Warren DeBolt was a devoted husband, father and brother, and a very, very good man.

There will be a memorial service on May 5, 2006, in Wheeling, W.Va., where Warren’s cremains will be interred next to Eleanor’s in a family plot in Greenwood Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Wooster Fund, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691; or to Christ Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1374, Dover, DE 19903.

Richard H. Lyon Sr.
FREDERICKTOWN — Richard Howard Lyon Sr., 65, of Fredericktown died early Thursday morning, Feb. 9, 2006, at his son’s residence in Butler, following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born in Marion on Oct. 21, 1940, son of Frances and Lucille (Hawk) Lyon. Richard was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving during the late 1950s and early ’60s. He was a lifelong resident of Knox County, and more recently spent his winters in Mims, Fla. For 18 years, Richard worked as an equipment operator and road worker for the Morrow County Highway Department until he retired in 2002. Before the highway department, he owned and operated L & L Trenching and Excavating, and farmed.

Richard will be remembered for his love for his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed going to Daytona Beach, and hunting.

He is survived by his loving children, Richard (Kim) Lyon Jr. of Chuluota, Fla., Michael Lyon of Butler and Kimberly Klingenberger of Galion; 10 grandchildren, Zeke, Cody, Mason, Colton, Katie, Garrett and Samantha Lyon, Nate and Jada Klingenberger, and Tyler Williams; brother, William (Joann) Lyon of Marengo; his sister, Helen Stankovich of Mansfield; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Richard was preceded in death by his brother, Harold Lyon; brother-in-law, George Stankovich; and a nephew, Doug Lyon.

The family will greet friends on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Craven & Snyder Funeral Home, 67 N. Main St., Mount Gilead, where funeral service will be Monday at 10 a.m., with Rev. Benjamin Roby officiating. Burial will follow in Worden Cemetery near Denmark.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of North Central Ohio, 1605 Ashland County Road 1095, Ashland, OH 44805. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Jim McAlexander
HOUSTON, Texas — James M. “Jim” McAlexander, 62, of Houston, Texas, formerly of Mount Vernon, died Feb. 3, 2006, at Kemah, Texas.

His wife, Darlene, his daughter, Lisa McAlexander of Westerville, formerly of Fredericktown, and a son, Mitch, survive him.

A memorial service honoring the life of Jim McAlexander was today at 11 a.m. at the Grace Presbyterian Church, Beltway 8 near Westheimer, Texas.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Society of Petroleum Engineers Auxiliary Scholarship Fund (SPEA), 2903 Cambry Crossing Court, Katy, TX 77494; or Can Care, 9575 Katy Freeway, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77024.

The Snyder Funeral Homes in Mount Vernon assisted the family with local arrangements. To view this obituary, and to send an online condolence to the family, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

Ardis A. Sowler
MOUNT VERNON — Ardis A. Sowler, 94, of Mount Vernon died Feb. 9, 2006, at Country Court Nursing Center.

She was born Dec. 25, 1911, in Bay City, Mich., to Lloyd W. and Edith (Obert) Goodspeed. She was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Hill Church, and a former member of the Academia Garden Club.

She is survived by her son, Richard C. (Claudia) Sowler of Berrien Springs, Mich.; a stepgrandson, Staff Sgt. Steven (Lisa) Andrews of Fayetteville, N.C.; and a cousin, Elaine Haskell of Farmington, Mich.

Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, G. Clayton Sowler, in 1987.

Friends may call one hour prior to the funeral service which will be Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the North-Dilley Funeral Home. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens, with Pastors Peter Simpson and Russell Lucht officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Seventh-day Adventist Hill Church, 535 Wooster Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. This obituary may be viewed along with an online registry at www.dilleyfuneralservice.com.