Obituaries

Friends and family of the late Ruth Whitt will gather at the Bluffton village park at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 4, in a celebration of Ruth's life, according to her husband, Wales.

Ruth Whitt was a long-time Bluffton resident who died July 16, 2014, in a hospital in Augusta, Ga.

While in Bluffton she worked with the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, Bluffton News and owned Jan's clothing store, now The Black Lab.

All are invited to stop  by and meet the family.

Former Pandora resident Dean Alan Miller, 55, of Dawsonville, Ga., died May 14, 2015, at 1:35 p.m. following an extended illness. He was born Dec. 28, 1959, in Pandora, to Ellen Mae Miller and the late Paul E. Miller. He was married to his wife of 24 years, Susan Nelson Miller on March 30, 1985, who also preceded him in death.

Lynnita Linda (Swank) Millay, 74, of Jenera died Thursday morning, May 14, 2015, at Bridge Hospice Care Center, Findlay. She was born March 1, 1941, in Bluffton to Bertrand and Juanita (Lora) Swank.  She married Marvin Millay on Jan. 30, 1981,  and he survives.

Orletta M. Templin, 92, of Bluffton died May 13, 2015, at 10:50 a.m. at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born Dec. 16, 1922, in Hillsboro, Kansas, to the late Edward and Frieda Kessler Warkentin. On June 4, 1947, she married Lawrence Templin and he survives. 

She graduated from Lehigh High School, Lehigh, Kansas, and Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. She was a teacher at Goessel High School, Goessel, Kansas, and retired from the library at Bluffton College. 

Bart H. Steiner, 54, of Sentinel Road, Lake Placid, N.Y., died at his home Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Mr. Steiner was born Feb. 17, 1961, in Buffton. He was the son of Walter and Betsy (Zuercher) Steiner.   

He was a graduate of Pandora-Gilboa High School, class of 1979. He was employed by Socar Corporation and was also employed by Bigelow Glass Inc., Findlay. After moving to Lake Placid, he had worked at Lake Placid Rental and Supply. 

Rodney W. Fruchey, 58, died May 13, 2015, in Bluffton after a battle with cancer. He was born Jan. 26, 1957 in Bluffton to the late Robert and Clara (Parthemore) Fruchey. On April 25, 2009, he married Sandra Foster and she survives in Bellefontaine. 

Rodney was an independent over-the-road truck driver logging nearly two million miles.   He attended Kenton High School.

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