December 2021

By Cort Reynolds

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Bluffton methodically built a 17-point lead and defeated visiting Elmwood 56-39 in non-conference boys basketball action Wednesday night, December 22.

Bluffton led 13-8 after the opening stanza, and extended the lead to 28-19 at intermission.

A 12-4 Pirates third quarter run put the game out of reach. 

Bluffton improved to 5-1 with their fourth straight victory. The Royals fell to 3-3 with the defeat.

Pirate Trenton Donley led all scorers with 17 points on five field goals and perfect seven for seven foul shooting.

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The Bluffton University women's basketball team went up 23-11 in the first quarter and never looked back in a 66-45 win at Adrian College on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Bluffton improved to 4-4 with its second straight victory, while Adrian fell to 3-8 on the season.

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The Bluffton Area Ministerial Association (BAMA) and area churches provided information for the attached schedule of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services.

A listing of churches with addresses and phone numbers is provided at https://www.blufftonicon.com/classifieds.

By Karen Kier, Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

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In 1817, James Parkinson published a paper titled, An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, that described his observations of abnormal movements in some individuals. Dr. Parkinson was an English surgeon who was better known in his day as a geologist and paleontologist. In 1804, he published a book on fossils titled, Organic Remains of a Former World. He wrote more books on fossils than he did on medicine. At that time in England, physicians were available to the wealthy and he broke this mold by writing numerous pamphlets on how to improve your health and seeing patients who could not pay.

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Marcia Ann Coppler, 67, passed away December 21, 2021 at the Meadows of Kalida.  Marcia was born November 16, 1954 in Bluffton to the late Merrel Dwight and Margie (Basinger) Geiger.

Marcia graduated from Pandora-Gilboa High School and attended Ohio State University-Lima Branch. She was a homemaker and had previously worked at the Putnam County Sentinel and Jan's Children's Shop in Findlay. Marcia was loved by all animals and loved to bake, the visual arts and enjoyed singing and acting in high school and college. She was a uniquely kind, compassionate and empathetic person. 

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Harold Eugene Dudgeon passed away December 14, 2021, in Lacey, Washington. He was born April 22, 1948, to Melvin O. and Beulah (Rice) Dudgeon in Bluffton, Ohio.

Harold graduated from Ada High School in 1966, and served in the U.S. Navy from 1967 to 1970, completing two West Pac tours, including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Professionally, Harold worked for Philip Display Components in Ottawa, Ohio, retiring in 2003 after 36 years of service. He traveled the U.S. until 2013, when he moved to Lacey, Washington.

By Cort Reynolds

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The Bluffton High School wrestling team defeated visiting Carey, 41-30, in a dual match Tuesday, December 21.

Pirates recording wins via pin were

Freshman Jett Blackburn (126 lbs.)

Senior Dustin Mortimer (138 lbs.)

Senior Micah Minnig (144 lbs.)

Feshman Ethan Kohli (150 lbs.)

Senior Kadin Basil (190 lbs.)

Senior Trent Howard (215 lbs)

Bluffton junior Thayne Kleman won at 120 lbs. by a 16-0 decision. 

The Pirates compete at the Defiance Border War Invitational Dec. 28-29.

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The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 is seeking public comments regarding:

U.S. 30 resurfacing – ODOT is proposing to resurface the roadway on U.S. 30 in Hancock County from the State Route 235 interchange (approximately three miles north of the village of Ada) to the railroad bridge just east of the U.S. 68 interchange (approximately 0.25 miles south of the community of Williamstown).

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Janet Brechbill, 68, passed away December 19, 2021 at Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima.  Janet was born December 12, 1953 in Bluffton to the late Richard and JoAnn (Battles) Westall.  On February 2, 1974 she married David Brechbill who survives.

By Guy Verhoff

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We don't know about dark of night, but neither rain nor snow has kept Guy Verhoff, Pandora weather observer from reporting local weather for Icon readers.

Here's the December 20, 2021 report. Thanks, Guy!

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