Obituaries

Jan 31, 2025

Gerald "Jerry" Linebrink, age 78, passed away on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center. He was the husband of Ann (Hohenberger) Linebrink. They shared 54 years of marriage together.

Born in Defiance, he was the son of Ira and Mabel (Beindorf) Linebrink. He was a graduate of  Ayersville High School and was employed at...

Jan 30, 2025

LouAnna D. Grant, age 88 of Defiance, passed away on Thursday evening, January 30, 2025 surrounded by her loving family at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born in Williams County on April 24, 1936 to the late Forest Virgil Pursel and Anna Eloise (Ingel) Pursel. LouAnna was a 1954 graduate of Bryan High School. On October...

Jan 30, 2025

Donald J. Hartzell, age 77, of Hamilton, Indiana, passed away on Thursday, January 30, 2025. He was born on March 28, 1947 to the late Victor and Margaret (Valentic) Hartzell in Defiance, Ohio. Donald was a 1965 graduate of Defiance High School, and attended Defiance College and Trine University. On February 11, 1984 he married Jeanne McCoy Miller, who...

Jan 30, 2025

Beth A. Patterson, 78, of Defiance, passed away on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at Mercy Defiance Hospital. She was born on March 27, 1946 to Burel and Wilma (Reed) Mumy in Paulding, Ohio. On May 31, 1969 she married Michael A. Patterson, who survives.

Beth was the co-owner of Mercury Cleaners in Defiance and enjoyed working over...

Jan 29, 2025

Marilyn D. Richey (Grandma Mick to most all that knew her) Age 88, of Ayersville, Ohio Passed on to be with Our Lord on Wednesday January 29 at CHP Hospice of Defiance. She was surrounded by family returning all the love she's given us all her many years.

She was born November 7, 1936, to Don and...

Jan 29, 2025

Betty Jean Gerken, 97, of Defiance, peacefully passed away surrounded by her loved ones on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. She was born on April 3, 1927 to Lawrence and Edna (Diemer) Adams in Toledo, Ohio. On May 3, 1947 she married Herman A. Gerken, who preceded her in death on April 3, 2018. Betty was a faithful member of...

Jan 28, 2025

Diane M. Hall, 80, of Defiance, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at Mercy Defiance Hospital. She was born on August 6, 1944 to Mahlon and Jean (Haas) Hall in Defiance, Ohio. Diane was a 1962 graduate of Defiance High School and worked for 18 years at LaChoy Foods in Archbold until her retirement...

Jan 26, 2025

Susan Mae Adams, age 81, beloved mother, grandmother and friend went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at 7:12 pm.

She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing and taking pictures of everything! She was a potato lover and would say, "a potato a day, keeps the doctor away!" She deeply loved her dog Angel and...

Jan 24, 2025

Matthew G. Solak, age 69, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2025 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. Son of the late Edward and Stella (Slawinski) Solak, Matt was born on October 4, 1955 in Saginaw, Michigan.

He dedicated many years to General Motors, retiring from the GM Plant in Defiance in 2021. There he met...

Jan 24, 2025

Dean C. Caryer, 77, of Sherwood, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 24, 2025 surrounded by his family at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. He was born on December 14, 1947 to Clarence and Evelyn (Warner) Caryer in Bryan, Ohio. Dean was a 1966 graduate of Fairview High School. On February 14, 1970 he married Linda (Porath)...

Jan 23, 2025

James L. Kleinhenn, 79, of Defiance, passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in Defiance. He was born on March 27, 1945 to Harry and Hazel (Doan) Kleinhenn in Hobbs, New Mexico. James was a 1963 graduate of Defiance High School. He worked as a Truck Driver for Morgan Truck Company for over 30 years until his retirement, and...

Jan 22, 2025

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

Holly Marie Hesselschwardt, age 45 of Defiance, Ohio, beloved daughter of John and Marjorie Hesselschwardt, has fought the good fight, kept the faith, and passed from this earth to walk with our Heavenly Father on January 22, 2025....

Jan 21, 2025

Alton J. Myers, age 90 of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Tuesday evening, January 21, 2025 at Glenn Park of Defiance. He was born at home in Highland Township on December 31, 1934 to Herman and Stella (Schubert) Myers in Defiance, Ohio. Alton was a 1952 graduate of Ayersville High School, and was the youngest in his class. Alton...

Jan 19, 2025

John P. "Jack" DeLano, age 82 of Ayersville, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. He was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts on June 15, 1942 to Wilbert Kilbourne DeLano and Beatrice (Parmelee) DeLano. Jack was an older brother to his very much loved sister, Marjorie "Mimi". Jack met Carol Ludwig...

Jan 19, 2025

Kathleen M. M. Patterson, age 73 of Defiance, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 19, 2025 surrounded by her loved ones at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born on May 2, 1951 to Nelson and Joanne (Quinn) Marsh in Toledo, Ohio. Kathleen was a graduate of Rogers High School in Toledo. On May 9, 1973 she...

Jan 18, 2025

Bernard E. "Gene" Ankney, 67, of Defiance, passed away on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. He was born on March 26, 1957 to Donald and Barbara (VanScoder) Ankney in Defiance, Ohio. On June 30, 2009 he married Cynthia Miller who survives. Gene worked at Johns Manville for over 44 years until...

Jan 17, 2025

Dorothy May Berner, age 82 of Defiance, passed away on Friday, January 17, 2025 at the Laurels of Defiance.

She was born in Lockport, New York on February 8, 1942 to John and Beatrice (Randolph) Koller. On February 14, 1966, she married Roger Berner, who preceded her in death on November 7, 2020.

Dorothy was...

Jan 15, 2025

Beatrice A. Grossheim, age 92 of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. She was born on August 6, 1932 to the late Cyril and Zita (McCarthy) Arend in Paulding County, Ohio. She was a 1946 graduate of St. John Catholic Grade School, and graduated from Defiance High School in 1950. In 1961 she married Donald Shinners...

Jan 14, 2025

Reynaldo "Vato Loco Ray" Garcia Jr., 69, of Defiance, peacefully hit those gold streets on two wheels surrounded by his loving family on January 14, 2025, at Mercy Defiance Hospital.

Born on May 6, 1955, in Saginaw, MI, he was the second youngest child of Reynaldo and Maria (Ruiz) Garcia. Ray graduated from Pettisville High School in...

Jan 14, 2025

Ronald L. Comden, age 58 of Defiance, peacefully passed away surrounded by his loved ones on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. He was born on September 4, 1966 to Robert and Beverly (Wheeler) Comden in Bryan, Ohio. Ron was a 1985 graduate of Fairview High School. On November 3, 2001 he married Mary...