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Betty C. Montague

Betty C. Montague, 87, of Bluffton died at 6:25 p.m. June 16, 2011, at Richland Manor, Bluffton. She was born in Hardin County on Feb. 19, 1924 to Fred and Viola Snyder Guyton.

On April 19, 1947 she married Ervil Gene Montague and preceded her in death on October 21, 2004.

Mrs. Montague retired from Lima Register and had also worked at Davidson Enamel, Lima. She was a member of the First Missionary Church, Lima where she had been a Sunday school teacher. She was a graduate of Ada High School.

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Merlin Zimmerly 1917-2012

Merlin R. Zimmerly, 93, of Lima died at 1:35 pm June 7, 2011 at Lost Creek Care Center, Lima. He was born October 22, 1917 in Richland Township to Melvin R. and Lavina Gratz Zimmerly. On March 5, 1941 he married R. Cleora Burkholder and she survives.

Mr. Zimmerly was a dairy farmer and a life member of the Holsiein-Friesion Association of America. He worked for Cookson Marathon and retired from the Ohio Dept. of Transportation in 1986. He was a member of Lima Mennonite Church and was a past president of the Allen County Dairy Board.

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Russell Edward "Russ" Gratz, 86, died at 2:30 a.m., May 28, 2011, at Baton Rouge Senior Health Facility, Lima, Ohio.

He was born Oct. 3, 1924, in Allen County to Homer S. and Edna Badertscher Gratz. On Dec. 16, 1961, he married Violet Hardesty Gratz, who survives in Lima.

Mr. Gratz was a member of First Mennonite Church, Bluffton and was an employee of Ford Motor Co., Lima Engine Plant, from where he retired in 1988. He was also a teacher and varsity baseball coach and basketball coacher at Edgerton, Vaughnsville and Grand Rapids high schools.

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Harold A. Badertscher, 93, died at 7:15 p.m. May 16, 2011, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton.

He was born April 15, 1918, in Bluffton to Sam and Edith Fryman Badertscher, who preceded him in death. On June 3, 1939, he married Margie May Morehead, who survives in Bluffton.

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Francis Salucci

World War II veteran Francis Salucci, 86, of Pandora died at 5:05 a.m., May 15, 2011, at the Bridge Hospice Center, Findlay. He was born April 28, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan, to Vincent and Mary Frammolino Salucci. On Jan. 25, 1946, he married Doris I. Weis and she preceded him in death on Aug. 25, 1995.

Following his graduation from Fordson High School, Dearborn, Mich., in 1943, Mr. Salucci enlisted in the Navy V-6 Air Cadet Program. He served until 1947 as an aviation radioman 2nd class and trained in radio, radar and aerial gunnery.

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Rotha Grace Riggenbach

Rotha Grace Riggenbach, 84 of Columbus Grove and formerly of Delphos, died at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at Putnam Acres Care Center in Ottawa.

Mrs. Riggenbach was born on July 18, 1926 in Akron, Ohio to the late Clarence S. and Laura E. (Bohn) Dauber. She married Ray W Riggenbach on August 5, 1946 and he preceded her in death on Feb. 7, 2010.

She had a short career as a secretary for Goodrich Rubber Co., in Akron, enjoyed playing the organ for her church in Delphos.

Surviving is her daughter, Nancy (Gene) Leatherman of Arlington, Ohio.

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