Obituaries

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Updated February 4, 2022.

Terry Lynn Strahm, 73, went to be with his Creator and Maker on Tuesday, February 2, 2022 at Mercy Health - St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima.  Terry was born August 23, 1948 in Bluffton to Maurice and Ruth (Garmatter) Strahm.  He married Linda Bender Strahm who survives.

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Heidi Fletcher, 51, died peacefully on January 26. Heidi was born February 12, 1970 in Bellevue, Illinois but has known a life of travel and has lived in many states before moving to Bluffton, Ohio just about a year ago with her life partner, Tom Arnold.  While working fulltime; attending classes fulltime; and raising her son, Heidi graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with High Honors.  She taught elementary education in both Texas and North Carolina.

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Robert (Bob) Joel Warren, age 89, of Terre Haute, Indiana, died of natural causes on January 31, 2022, in Kendallville, Indiana, at Chandler Place.  He was born on November 16, 1932, to Clyde Oliver Warren and Eulalia McCormick Warren in Bluffton, Ohio.  Bob graduated from Cory-Rawson High School, Mt Cory, Ohio, in 1950 and from Heidelberg University, Tiffin, Ohio, in 1954. He majored in Physical Education and History at Heidelberg, while also earning varsity letters in football and track.

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George M. Brooks, 65, of Van Wert, passed away at 7:07 p.m. on January 27, 2022 at his residence.

He was born on February 9, 1956, in Bluffton, Ohio, the son of the late Gerald and Helen (Burkholder) Brooks. On June 24, 1978, he married the former Altha L. Roloson, who survives.

George was a 1974 graduate of Bluffton High School, a 1978 graduate of The Ohio State University, Columbus, with a Bachelor degree in Agriculture Economics, and a 1990 graduate of the School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Updated January 31.

Norval Don McClure, 95, passed away January 30, 2022 at his residence in Pandora. Don was born February 18, 1926 in Oakwood, Ohio to Norval and Katie (Whiting) McClure. He married Donna Ruth Bobenmyer who preceded him in death on in 2003.  

Don graduated from Oakwood High School and was a veteran of the United States Air Force. He retired as a railroad agent at Norfolk-Western Railroad and attended at St. John Mennonite Church, Pandora.  Don enjoyed woodworking, tinkering, traveling and gardening.  

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E. Keith Brauen, 93, passed away January 29, 2022 at Bluffton Hospital.  Keith was born December 24, 1928 north of Bluffton in Putnam County to Dennis and Cleo (Hauenstein) Brauen.  On November 6, 1947, he married Esther L. Lugibihl who preceded him in death on April 5, 2018. 

Keith was a 1947 graduate of Bluffton High School.  He was a lifelong farmer.  Keith had also been a commercial harvester, worked at Ex-Cello Corporation, Bluffton, Reichenbach Lumber, Bluffton.  He also was a bus driver, welder and was a self-employed electrician/carpenter for 45 years. 

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