Obituaries

Jeffery L. Kottka

January 31, 1957 to November 17, 2010

WINAMAC - Jeffery L. Kottka, 53, of 316 W. Railroad St., Hamlet, passed away at 7:55 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Yellowstone Trail West of US 35 in Hamlet.

He was born Jan. 31, 1957, in Knox, to Albert and Dorothy Tretiak Kottka.

Survivors include:
Dorothy M. Kirchgessner, Winamac, Mother
Emily Dickson, Port Charlotte, FL, Aunt
Numerous cousins

Preceded in death by:
Albert L. Kottka, Father
Charles Kirchgessner, Step Father
Mary and William Tretiak, Grandparents
Annastazie Slavik, Great Grandmother
Alfred (Bea) Kottka, Uncle and Aunt
Walter (Irene) Kottka, Uncle and Aunt
Raymond (Helen) Kottka, Uncle and Aunt
Earl (Betty) Kottka, Uncle and Aunt
Herbert (Esther) Kottka, Uncle and Aunt

Mr. Kottka graduated from Oregan-Davis High School in 1976. He attended ITT Technical School in Fort Wayne for two years. He was a former employee of Winamac Steel. He also had worked in factories in LaPorte and Knox. He lived in Hamlet most of his life.

Friends may call from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Sunday (Nov. 21) with Rev. Martin Sandhage officiating. Burial will be in Round Lake Cemetery, Knox.

Kenneth E. Byers

May 28, 1944 to October 19, 2010

KALISPELL, MONT. - Kenneth Elwood Byers, 66, Montanna (formerly of Medaryville) passed away at his home, Oct. 19, surrounded by his family.

He was born May 28, 1944 in Medaryville, to the late Ennis and Vivian Byers. He married Jacqueline Dias-da-Cruz on Oct. 28, 1978 in Spokane, Wash. She survives.

He is also survived by his daughter, Nathalie and her fiance’ Jeremiah Maynard; son Nathan and grandson Tyron; brother, Phil and Febe Byers of Waatah; brother Paul and Gloria Byers of Medaryville; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Mr. Byers graduated from Medaryville High School in 1962. After high school he drove semi-trucks across the country. During this time, he pursued his dream to be a pilot and earned his license. He was a pilot in Indiana, Texas and Alaska before moving to and settling in the Flathead Valley, MT. For a number of years, he taught aviation classes at FVCC. He also worked at Strand Aviation and was a chief flight instructor. In 1975, he was awarded Flight Instructor of the Year in his district.

In the 1980’s, Mr. Byers operated his own business from his home repairing photography equipment. His follow-up business venture was custom gun-smithing and reloading, which he continued to operate into this year. In 1991, he went to work as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Kalispell. It was from there that he retired in 2008. He attended Central Christian Church for many years, and later theFamily Life Christian Church.

Visitation will be Friday, from 12 noon until 6 p.m., at Johnson – Gloschat Funeral Home, Kalispell, MT. The funeral service will be held Saturday (Oct. 30), at 1:30 p.m.,at Family Life Christian Church on Foys Lake Road. Interment will follow at C.E. Conrad Cemetery, Kalispell, MT. 

Memorial donations may be sent to Frontier Hospice, 1111 S. Main Street, Kalispell, MT 59901.

Johnson – Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is handling arrangements.

Anna M. Parcel

September 11, 1916 to November 15, 2010

WINAMAC - Anna Marie Parcel, 94, of 624 E. 13th St., Winamac, passed away at 10:10 a.m., Monday, Nov. 15, at Pulaski Memorial Hospital, Winamac.

She was born Sept. 11, 1916, in Payne, OH, to the late Leujay and Bertha E. Lebold Perry. She married Gerald A. Parcel on Feb. 22, 1938, in Monterey. He died on Sept. 16, 1967.

Survivors include:
Judith (Ricardo) Castanuela, Cross Plains, TX, Daughter
Mary Diane (Kent) Schultz, Star City, Daughter
Ricardo P. (Randi) Castanuela, Lake Dallas, TX, Grandson
Yolanda M. (Michael) Sanders, North Richland Hills, TX, Granddaughter
Ramon P. Castanuela, Bedford, TX, Grandson
Sue Ann (Brian) Leppert, Omaha, NE, Granddaughter
Angela M. (Hongsun) Yoon, Carmel, Granddaughter
Mark H. Schultz, Lafayette, Grandson
Tyler Castanuela, Great Granddaughter
Madison Castanuela, Great Granddaughter
Joseph Sanders, Great Grandson
Joshua Sanders, Great Grandson
Matthew Sanders, Great Grandson
Brendan Leppert, Great Grandson
Keira Leppert, Great Granddaughter
Noah Yoon, Great Grandson
Anna Yoon, Great Granddaughter
Theresa Banks, Comstock Park, MI, Sister

Preceded in death by:
Faye Lassiter, Daughter
Gale Parcel, Son
John William Parcel, Son
Janice Ann Parcel, Daughter
Helen Crist, Sister
Lawrence Perry, Brother
Charles Perry, Brother
Mabel Cecrle, Sister
Viola Smith, Sister

Mrs. Parcel was a homemaker and a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, and the Pulaski Memorial Hospital Auxillary for many years. She was a former employee of Russell's Old Trading Post, Winamac, and Switches in Leiters Ford. She was a volunteer at the Eastern Pulaski Elementary School for many years.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, at Frain Mortuary, Winamac. The rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m., immediately followed by the scriptural wake service. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Friday (Nov. 19), in St. Peter's Catholic Church, Winamac, with Rev. Martin Sandhage officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery, Winamac.

Memorial donations may be given to the American Cancer Society.

Georjean Pruitt

June 2, 1924 to November 12, 2010

GARLAND, TEXAS - Georjean Fry Pruitt, 86, of Dallas, Texas, originally from Winamac, passed away Friday, Nov. 12, at Walnut Place Nursing Home, Dallas.

She was born June 2, 1924, in Winamac, she was the daugther of the late Russell and Mary Jackson Fry. She  married Charles Taylor Pruitt in June 1950, who preceded her in death in November 1981.

She is survived by her daughters, Jackie Beasley and husband Doyle, Amy Golden and husband Robert; son, Charles Christopher Pruitt, all of Texas; nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; brother, Jack Fry and wife Peggy of Florida; sister, Mary Jane Maimon of Wisconsin; and a host of family and friends.

She is preceded by her brother Bill Fry.

Mrs. Pruitt relocated from Winamac to Dallas in 1948 when she was a flight attendant for American Airlines.

Visitation will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, at Williams Funeral Directors, Garland, Texas. The funeral service will follow at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday (Nov. 16), in Williams Memorial Chapel in Garland.

A graveside service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday (Nov. 18) at Winamac Cemetery, with Harrison-Metzger & Rans Funeral Home, Royal Center, handling arrangements.

Marion J. Crist

June 24, 1920 to November 13, 2010

WINAMAC - Marion J. Crist, 90, of 624 E. 13th St., Winamac, passed away at 11:20 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, at Pulaski Health Care Center, Winamac.

He was born June 24, 1920, in Pulaski, to Phillip A. and Gladys W. Diehl Crist. He married Bertha Mae Parmeter on April 19, 1947, in Mishawaka. She passed away on May 6, 2004.

Survivors include:
Linda J. (Les) Stigen, Winamac, Daughter
Wayne A. (Phyllis) Crist, Winamac, Son
14 Grandchildren
31 Great Grandchildren
12 Great Great Grandchildren
Lois Fish, Nixa,MO, Sister

Preceded in death by:
Sandra J. Litke, Daughter
1 Grandson
Clarence Crist, Brother
Harry Crist, Brother

Mr. Crist was a retired farmer and lived his entire lifetime near Pulaski. He was a graduate of Pulaski High School and a member of the Pulaski Presbyterian Church, Pulaski. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

A graveside service will be  at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 20, at Pulaski Presbyterian Cemetery, Pulaski, with Michael Shurn officiating. The VFW and American Legion will conduct military graveside services.

Memorial donations may be given to the Pulaski Presbyterian Cemetery Fund or the Pulaski Health Care Center.

Joseph B. Allen

January 12, 1938 to November 12, 2010

FRANCESVILLE - Joseph B. Allen, 72, of 123 N. Market St., Francesville, died at 7:48 a.m., Friday, Nov. 12, at St. Elizabeth East Hospital, Lafayette.

He was born Jan. 12, 1938, in Washington Court House, OH, to Joseph and Ida Rayburn Allen. He married Lucille Craft in October 1960 in Louisiana. She died in January 1993. He married Jackie Reiland in June 1977 in Minnesota. She died in February 2010.

Survivors include:
Cherie Lynn Allen, DeRidder, LA, Daughter
Richard L. Allen, Slagle, LA, Son
Crystal Lucille Allen, Slagle, LA, Granddaughter
Ida M. Rayburn Allen, Mother
Darrell Eugene (Sue) Allen, Francesville, Brother & Sister-in-law

Preceded in death by:
Joseph Allen, Father
Russell Dale Allen, Brother

Mr. Allen was a First Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He entered the service in 1957 and retired in 1977. He served 54 monthes in Vietnam. He received the Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts, and received several other presidential citations. In 2006, he was the Sergeant Major of the Purple Heart Convention in Washington D.C. For many years, he attended the Big Red Convention, most recently in San Antonio, TX. He was a lifetime member of VFW in Wisconsin. He was a member of the American Legion Post #228 Francesville.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday (Nov. 18), at Frain Mortuary Querry-Ulbricht Chapel, Francesville. He will be buried with his wife Jacquelyn in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

Memorial donations may be given to the Pulaski County Special Olympics in memory of Joe Allen for letterman’s jackets.