Obituaries

May 3, 2023

Kenneth Lee Cymbola, 70,  passed away on May 3, 2023 at Defiance Inpatient Hospice with family by his side.  Kenny was raised in Liberty Center where he resided there until he met his beloved, Laura (Gilgenbach) Ziegler and moved to Defiance in 2002 and they were married in 2018.

Ken graduated from Liberty Center High School 1970...

May 1, 2023

Wilma Jean Beaverson, age 94 of Hot Springs, South Dakota, formerly of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Monday morning, May 1, 2023 at Monument Health Custer Hospital in Custer, South Dakota. She was born on October 10, 1928 in Defiance, Ohio to the late Emma (Stork) and Ralph V. Baringer Sr. On September 10, 1950 she married Forrest D....

May 1, 2023

Sandra Kay "Sandy" Goodwin, age 76 of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Monday, May 1, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born in Hamler, Ohio on January 6, 1947 to the late Anthony and Lottie (Fackler) Keehn. Sandy worked for over 40 years at LaChoy Foods until her retirement in 2013. She was a member...

May 1, 2023

Karen S. Evans, age 62 of Defiance, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday morning, May 1, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born on July 31, 1960 to the late Mary (Graziani) and Donald Humes Sr. in Steubenville, Ohio. On October 20, 2004 she married Charles "Todd" Evans who survives. Karen was...

Apr 27, 2023

Hazel Grace Kleinhenn, age 97 of Napoleon, peacefully passed away on Thursday, April 27, 2023 surrounded by her children at Genacross Lutheran  Campus in Napoleon, Ohio. She was born on September 26, 1925 to the late James and Elizabeth (Hartoon) Doan in Defiance, Ohio. On October 21, 1944 she married Harry L. Kleinhenn who preceded her in death on...

Apr 27, 2023

Patrick Giebler, age 99 of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Thursday morning, April 27, 2023 surrounded by family at Brookview Healthcare Center in Defiance. He was born in Catherine, Kansas to the late John and Cecilia (Graff) Giebler on May 10, 1923. Patrick proudly served our country in the U.S. Army during WWII. He married Cathrine Mary Deitrick on...

Apr 27, 2023

Ruby May Becher, age 95 of Defiance, passed away on Thursday morning, April 27, 2023 at Mercy Defiance Hospital. She was born on November 16, 1927 to the late William and Clara (Seiple) Flory in Jewell, Ohio. Ruby was a 1945 graduate of North Richland High School. On June 14, 1947 she married Rolland "Gus" Becher, who preceded her...

Apr 27, 2023

JoAnn Marie McCray, age 80 of Defiance, peacefully passed away surrounded by her family and friends on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born on October 1, 1942 to the late Alfred and Viola (Wieland) Rickenberg. She was a 1960 graduate of Jewell High School. On July 3, 1965 she married Ed...

Apr 22, 2023

Carl Benjamin Wright IV "Benji", age 32, passed away in San Bernardino, California on April 22, 2023. He was born on August 3, 1990 in Defiance, Ohio but was a lifelong resident of Paulding County, Ohio.

Benji is survived and will be sadly missed by his parents, Carl III and Toni (Worman) Wright of Cloverdale, Ohio, daughter...

Apr 20, 2023

Virginia E. Mast, 97, Defiance, Ohio, died on Thursday, April 20, a few hours before her 98th birthday.

She was born on April 21, 1925, in Emerald Township, Paulding County, Ohio.  She was the daughter of Elsworth James Ankney and Coletta (Burkmire) Ankney.  She was married on June 30, 1947, to Donald Mast of Defiance County.

Apr 20, 2023

Kenn W. Sawmiller, age 71 of Defiance, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Thursday, April 20, 2023. He was born in Shelby County, Ohio to the late William and Doris (Burmeister) Sawmiller on November 26, 1951. Kenn proudly served our country in the U.S. Navy for 23 years and was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service...

Apr 20, 2023

Roger Theodore Westrick, age 81 of Defiance, Ohio entered eternal rest ­­on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. Roger was born on July 3rd, 1941 in Defiance Ohio to Vincent and Florence Westrick. He graduated from Jewell High School in 1960 and proudly served our county in the U.S. Army from 1963-1965. He was...

Apr 20, 2023

Lorraine C. Strickland, age 87 of Defiance, peacefully passed away on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born on January 26, 1936 to the late Alva and Hazel (Miller) Rawlins in South Webster, Ohio. On October 18, 1952 she married Herbert J. Strickland, who preceded her in death on September 6, 1999....

Apr 19, 2023

Jerry E. Curtice, age 82 of Bryan, Ohio, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at Glenn Park of Defiance. He was born on June 24, 1940 to the late Cecil and Josephine Curtice in Toledo, Ohio. Jerry was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Bryan, Ohio, and Bryan Eagles #2233. He worked at Ohio Art...

Apr 18, 2023

William M. Harader, age 84 of Punta Gorda, Florida, formerly of Defiance, passed away on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Mercy New Life Hospice Center in Lorain, Ohio. He was born in Defiance on April 11, 1939 to the late Bernard and Viola (Engel) Harader. Bill was a 1957 graduate of Ayersville High School. He proudly served our country...

Apr 18, 2023

David Lee Rush, age 84 of Cecil, Ohio, passed peacefully surrounded by his family on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

David was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 31, 1938 to Erwin and Margaret (Bienz) Rush. He was a graduate of Paulding High School. In 1950 his parents moved him and...

Apr 18, 2023

Donald R. "Don" Overmeyer, age 94 of Defiance, passed away on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Glenn Park of Defiance. He was born in March, 1929 to the late Leo and Agnes (Stump) Overmeyer in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Don was a graduate of Central Catholic High School in Ft. Wayne, IN. He graduated from Purdue University in 1951 with...

Apr 18, 2023

Howard M. "Junior" Neff  Jr., age 79 of Defiance, passed away on  Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Mercy Hospital of Defiance. He was born on May 13, 1943 to the late Howard and Loretta (Wisda) Neff in Defiance, Ohio. On April 8, 1967 he married Sharon Schwab, who survives. Junior was a faithful member of St. John Catholic Church...

Apr 17, 2023

Bruce H. Ramsey, 69, of Defiance, passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2023 at The Laurel's of Defiance. He was born on April 19, 1953 to Robert and Margaret (Harris) Ramsey in Randolph County, Indiana . On December 10, 1992 he married the love of his life Le'Ann Barnett.

Bruce was a member of Ayersville United Methodist...

Apr 16, 2023

Sarah J. Wolfrum, age 62 of Defiance, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, April 16, 2023 at ProMedica Defiance Hospital. She was born on September 18, 1960 to the late George and Berta (Smith) Morris in Defiance, Ohio. She was a 1978 graduate of Defiance High School. On May 11, 1985 she married Mark Wolfrum, who survives. Sarah was a...