Obituaries

BHS grad, WWII veteran, farmer and chorister

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Robert “Bob” Evan Gratz, 92, of Bluffton died at 5:23 p.m., Feb. 7, 2020. He was born July 9, 1927, in Allen County at the family home to the late Christian and Caddie (Cook) Gratz.  

Bob graduated from Bluffton High School class of 1945. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduation and served on the aircraft carrier, USS Bon Homme Richard.  

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Click to read "Remembering Dr. Freed," by Monty Siekerman. 
FROM ADA ICON - Former Ohio Northern University President Dr. DeBow Freed. died in his home in Ada on Feb. 8, 2020.

Born Aug. 26, 1925, DeBow Freed grew up on his family’s farm near Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was elected president of his high school class, graduated from Gallatin Tennessee High School at age 17, and was appointed, attended, and graduated from West Point in 1946 when he was 20 years old.

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Carol Ann Gibbs, 76, died Jan. 29, 2020, at the Bridge Hospice Care Center, Findlay. Carol was born July 28, 1943, in Findlay to the late Robert and Evelyn (Coppler) Foltz. On March 19, 1961, she married David Gibbs who preceded her in death on Dec. 15, 2012. 

Carol graduated from Findlay High School. She had worked in the laundry department at Mennonite Memorial Home, at Gillette's Bakery in Bluffton, in the shoe department at Elder-Beerman and was a receptionist at H & R Block.  

Visitation on Thursday in Bluffton

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Kathleen M. Sehlhorst, 61, died Jan. 28, 2020 at her residence. Kathy was born June 7, 1958, in Bluffton to James and Ursula (Nussbaum) Alt. On Sept. 9, 1977, she married Chuck Sehlhorst who survives.

Kathy worked as a secretary at the Ohio Northern University - College of Pharmacy and at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima.  She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Bluffton.  She was a graduate of the Ohio State Beauty Academy and the University of Northwestern Ohio.

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Alexander George Koerner, 63, died at 2:23 a.m., Jan. 24, 2020, at Bluffton Hospital after a long, courageous battle with cancer.  Alex was born Jan. 3, 1957, in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Carl and Gertrude (Cochren) Koerner.  

Alex was a laborer at SRK (formerly DTR) in Bluffton. Alex was a veteran of the United States Army where he was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division.  

Survivors include two sisters, Connie Koerner of Bluffton, Teresa Scott of Tiffin; a niece, Emily Krabach of Valparaiso, Indiana, and a nephew, Josh Steinmetz of Tiffin.  

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Alexander G. Koerner, 63, died Jan. 24, 2020, at Bluffton Hospital.  Arrangements are incomplete at Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, Bluffton.

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