Opal Mae Fling
MOUNT VERNON — Opal Mae Fling passed away Thursday, March 23, 2006, at Knox Community Hospital, Mount Vernon.

She was born Aug. 11, 1919, in Harlem Township, Ohio, to Thomas and Rebecca Walker. After 65 years of a busy, happy marriage, he husband, Robert F. Fling, passed away in February 2000. She was also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers; a son, Forest, Roger Fling; and grandson, Robert M. Fling.

Opal is survived by seven children, Kenneth R. Fling of Zanesville, Maxine (Clyde) Neighbarger of Utica, Ruth Anne (Jack) Welker of Mount Vernon, Jeanette Updike, Richard Fling, Phyllis (James) Sipes and Linda (Gordon) Houck, all of Centerburg; 19 loving grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; numerous step- and great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Dora M. Grove of Westerville; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends may call Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Johnson-Melick-Moreland Funeral Home, 49 W. Church St., Centerburg, where service will be Monday, March 27 at 11 a.m. Roger Crego will officiate. Interment will be in Eastview Cemetery, Centerburg.

Donations in her memory may be made to Palliative Care Unit, c/o Knox Community Hospital, 1330 Coshocton Ave., Mount Vernon, OH 43050.

Edith R. Gilmore
HOWARD — Edith Rosalie Gilmore, 92, of Coshocton Road died March 24, 2006, at the Country Club Retirement Campus in Mount Vernon.

She was born June 23, 1913, in Coshocton County to the late Earl and Stella (Heft) Barrick. She was a homemaker, a member of the Howard United Methodist Church, the Howard Garden Club and Top Knotchers. She loved flowers and gardening.

She is survived by a son, Gen (Brenda) Gilmore of Warsaw; a grandson, Gerry E. Gilmore of Warsaw; a sister, Maxine Barrick of Columbus; numerous nieces and nephews in Knox and Coshocton counties.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond B. Gilmore, whom she married March 3, 1933. He died Sept. 3, 1986. She was also preceded in death by a son, Larry; four brothers, Howard, Carl, Ross and Theodore Barrick; and a sister, Irene (Barrick) Simpkins.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Fischer Funeral Home in Warsaw. The Rev. Tom Orr will officiate. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery at Fresno. Visitation is two hours prior to the service on Sunday.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Knox County, 17700 Coshocton Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050.

Thomas Hoffman
MOUNT VERNON — Thomas Hoffman, 65, of Mount Vernon passed away Wednesday, March 22, 2006, at the Country Club Retirement Campus.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, March 29, at 3 p.m. in the Social Room of the Evergreen Apartments, 1380 Yauger Road, Mount Vernon, with Pastor Tom Orr officiating.

If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, 651 G Lakeview Plaza Blvd., Worthington, OH 43085; or to the Central Ohio Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2225 City Gate Drive Suite E, Columbus, OH 43219.

To view this obituary and to leave an online condolence, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

John Denham Sutcliffe
BATON ROUGE, La. — Instructor John Denham Sutcliffe, age 59, died of cancer at his home in Baton Rouge, La., on March 22, 2006.

John grew up the son of English professor Denham Sutcliffe on the campus of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He later became a college English teacher himself after graduating with a B.A. in English from Kenyon College and from the University of Michigan with all the requisites for a Ph.D. minus a completed dissertation. John Denham Sutcliffe first taught at Fairly Dickenson University in New Jersey for three years before taking a position at LSU where he would spend the next 26 plus years.

John married Jenny Prushing of Mount Vernon on Aug. 18, 1973, and has been wedded to her for the 33 years since. John is survived by his wife, Jenny; his two children, Mary Sutcliffe, now of Silver Spring, Md., and Charles Sutcliffe of Baton Rouge, La.; a sister, Sarah Sutcliffe, of Chicago, Ill.; three nieces, Sandy Boone Prushing and Kim Prushing, both of Mount Vernon, and Maria Hetman of Chicago, Ill.; and one nephew, Matthew Hetman, of Chicago, Ill.

John Sutcliffe was a devoted teacher, husband and father. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Denham Sutcliffe and Priscilla Heath Sutcliffe.

Visiting hours will be Sunday, March 26, from 3 to 5 p.m. at University United Methodist Church, 3350 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, La. A service in his memory will be held at University United Methodist Church on Monday, March 27, at 11 a.m. He will be buried in Oakgrove Cemetery in Gambier.