Silent Key

Darrell Smith Obituary

Timothy Grube Obituary

Dale Wagner Obituary

Leonard Shaffer, age 83, of Auburn passed away on Friday, January 13, 2023 at Parkview DeKalb Hospital in Auburn. He was born on July 22, 1939 in Auburn to Lewis and Alice (Church) Shaffer. He was a 1957 graduate of Garrett High School. Mr. Shaffer honorably served his country in the United States Air Force for four years. He married Jean Bowman on August 7, 1963 in Greybull, Wyoming. She resides in Auburn.  Leonard worked as a machinist at Zollner Piston in Fort Wayne for 31 years. After retiring from Zollner Piston, he worked as a master electrician for many years. Most recently Leonard owned and operated Len’s Lock Service from 2000 until 2019. During this time he served the community as a reserve officer with both the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Auburn Police Department for 42 years. He also served with the DeKalb County Civil Defense and the mounted DeKalb County Posse. Leonard served the Lord as a United Methodist minister for 20 years, the last 10 of which he served as the pastor at the Spencerville United Methodist Church. He also served as the chaplain of the Auburn Police Department for 10 years. He and Jean were the sextons of the Sedan Cemetery for 25 years.
He was a member of the Maple Grove United Methodist Church, Bluegrass Fiddle Association, lifetime member of the Auburn American Legion Post 97 and a member of the HAMM Radio Association since 1972. For 10 years he was a safety inspector for the DNR’s Hunter Education Program. Leonard was enjoyed listening to country and bluegrass music and traveling, especially bus trips.

Survivors include:
His wife of 59 years; Jean Shaffer of Auburn.
Son and daughter-in-law; Terry and Lisa Shaffer of Auburn.
Daughter and son-in-law; Lori and Don McDaniel of Auburn.
Four grandchildren and their spouses; Marissa and Andrew Jones, Kendra McDaniel, Jama and Nathan Young and Paige Shipe.
Six great grandchildren; Aiden Jones, Aubree Jones, Peyton McDaniel, Madilynn Young, Connor Young and Rhett Shipe.
Brother and sister-in-law; Doc and Carol Shaffer of Alamosa, Colorado.
Brother and sister-in-law; Mike and Phyllis Shaffer of Columbia City.
Brother; Blain Shaffer of Alamosa, Colorado.
Leonard was preceded in death by his parents and one brother; Tom Shaffer.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Feller and Clark Funeral Home, 875 South Wayne Street in Waterloo. Additional visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service Friday morning from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the funeral home.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the funeral home with Pastor Jim Kemerly officiating.
Burial will take place at Sedan Cemetery in Corunna.
Memorial donations may be given to the Maple Grove United Methodist Church, 1948 CR 28, Corunna, Indiana 46730.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.fellerandclark.com and on our Facebook page at Feller and Clark Funeral Homes.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Feller and Clark Funeral Home in Waterloo.

Hobart Michael Poyser was born to Ralph and Margaret Poyser on March 11, 1943, in Kendallville, Indiana. In 1948, they moved from their home in Rome City to Wolcottville, where Hoby graduated from Wolcottville High School in 1961.

He joined the United States Air Force in 1962, serving in Hawaii, Guam, and several locations in the United States. He saw active duty in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, during his military career. He was honorably discharged in August 1976.

After living in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1970 to 1978, he returned to Indiana, where he worked as Water Plant and Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator for the City of Kendallville and was an employee of the East Noble School Corporation.

After graduating from the American Paralegal Institute in 1992, and Indiana University in 1993, he was employed by the law firm of Emerick and Diggins in Kendallville until 1995, when he left that firm to work for J. Scott VanDerbeck, Attorney in LaGrange. In 1997, he was employed as a court reporter for LaGrange Circuit Court, until his retirement in 2005.

Mike’s civic activities were spread across a wide spectrum of interests. He was one of the founding members and first president of the Laubauch Literacy Council of Noble County, from 1985 to 1987. He served on the Kendallville Public Library Board for several years, serving as its president in the late 1980s.

He was a past president of the St. Joe Valley Conservation Club in St. Joe, Indiana, in 2007, having been a contributing life member from 1999. He won several local and state trap shooting competitions.

He was a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1972. He was a member of Grandview Lodge #618 A.F.&A.M., Grandview, Missouri; Kendallville Lodge #276, F.&A.M., Kendallville; 32nd Scottish Rite Mason, Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, Valley of Kansas City, Orient of Missouri; a Knights Templar, Kansas City Commandery No. 10, Kansas City, Missouri; and a member of the Kansas City Council #45, Royal and Select Masters and Grandview Chapter #145 R.A.M., Grandview Missouri. He was a member of the Philalethes Society and the Masonic Society; the Scottish Rite Research Society; and the Iowa Lodge of Research and Quanti Coronati Lodge #2076, Correspondence Circle of London England.

In his later years, he returned to his hobby of Amateur Radio of more than 40 years. His call sign, KR9G, is well-known to all his amateur friends and around the world.

Hobart Michael Poyser, 79, of Kendallville, Indiana, died on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at his home.

He is survived by his loving wife, Linda (Weber) Poyser, of 35 years; and a son by a previous marriage, Darin Patrick Poyser and his wife, Lisa, of Blue Springs, Missouri; two grandchildren, Abby and Austin; and his brother, Ralph W. Poyser Jr., of Kendallville.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Janet Poyser Ihrie.

A Celebration of Life service with military honors is being planned for July.

Preferred memorials may be directed to Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, P.O. Box 5, Huntertown, IN 46748.

Young Family Funeral Home, Kendallville Chapel, 222 S. State St., Kendallville, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Share memories and condolences at www.youngfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Jack Dold, age 85, of Auburn was welcomed into the arms of Jesus on Sunday, March 13, 2022 at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.Mr. Dold was born on June 16, 1936 in Fort Wayne to Charles and Esby (Barnett) Dold. He married Nancy Jo Herber in 1957.  She preceded him in death on October 17, 1998.During his working career Jack worked for Western Southern Life Insurance in Fort Wayne as an agent for 15 years.  He was then a manager at Instant Copy of Indiana in Fort Wayne for 8 years.  Jack then was the plant manager of Uniform Printing in Kendallville for 5 years and lastly he was a project manager at Renaissance Publishing Company in Auburn for 5 years before retiring in 1999.

While living on Pretty Lake Jack was the Director of the LaGrange County Chamber of Commerce, he was a member and served as the Past President of the Pretty Lake Conservation Club and he was a member and Past President of the Indiana Wildlife Conservation Federation.  After moving to Auburn he was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Auburn.  He also got heavily involved in the world of amateur radio and he enjoyed all of the connections and friends that he was able to make.  He was a member of the Northeast Indiana Amateur Radio Club, a Past President and current board member of the Fort Wayne Radio Club, a member of ACARTS, a member of the Land of Lakes Radio Club in Angola and he was involved with and a net operator for the Little Red Barn net.  He was a long-time admirer of the air personalities at the 50,000 watt power-house, “Voice of a Thousand Main Streets,” WOWO in Fort Wayne.  It was in remembrance and respect of his treasured experiences at the WOWO studios that prompted the adoption of his vanity call sign, W9OWO.  More than anything Jack was a family man and he loved spending time with his family. 

Survivors include: 

Son and daughter-in-law; Richard “Rick” and Kandy Dold of Columbia City.

Son and daughter-in-law; Michael and Melaine Dold of Hamilton Lake.

Son; Timothy Dold of Pretty Lake.

Son; John Dold of Auburn.

Daughter and son-in-law; Deanna “Dede” and Andrew LaRowe of Auburn.

Eight grandchildren and their spouses; Rikki Dold, Cory and Erica Dold, Michelle Dold and Jeremy Billingsley, Jennifer and Jory Westerman, Sean and Brooke Dold, Abigail LaRowe, Nathaniel LaRowe and his fiancé Maggie Perkins and Mitchell LaRowe.

Ten great grandchildren; Lainey, Callen, Claire, Aiden, Valarie, Mariah, Amiyah, Savannah, Areyah and Daisy.

His beloved dog; Mandy.

Many loving nieces, nephews and other extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife; Nancy Dold, great granddaughter; Kaleah and daughter-in-law; Barb Dold.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Feller and Clark Funeral Home, 1860 South Center Street in Auburn.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 500 East Seventh Street in Auburn with Father Mark Enemali officiating.  Due to scheduling issues there will be no visitation prior to the Funeral Mass and those attending are asked not to arrive prior to 12:45 PM.

Burial will follow the Funeral Mass at Catholic Cemetery in Fort Wayne.

Memorial donations may be directed to Masses through Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. 

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.fellerandclark.com and on our Facebook page at Feller and Clark Funeral Homes.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Feller and Clark Funeral Home in Auburn.

Lester R. Lee, 81, of Decatur, IN passed away on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at Parkview Regional Medical Center. Lester was born on April 10, 1939 in Huntingdon, PA to the late Roger L. and Bernett D. (Renschler) Lee. On September 16, 1989, Lester married Tammy I. Wolfe.

Lester was a former member of the Calvary Temple. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 43, where he was very active in the Color Guard and was Past Commander; a lifetime member of the V.F.W.; a lifetime member of the Amateur Hamm Radio; a member of the Eagles Lodge in Decatur and member of the Knight Templar’s. He played in the Fort Wayne Community Band, and loved to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

Lester served his country in the United States Army. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he had the opportunity to represent Pennsylvania and fire the cannon during the ceremony. He also represented Indiana by playing everlasting TAPS across America at Bath, NY on May 21, 2005.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Tammy I. Lee of Decatur; 2 sons, Roger S. Lee and Guy L. “Tiny” (Heather) Lee both of Decatur; 7 grandchildren,  Caleb (Alisha) his kids, Levi, Lydia, Logan and Lucas, Emily, Rebecca, Alex David, Magnuss, Delsyn and Kaigan.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at Haggard-Sefton-Hirschy & Zelt Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 11:00-1:00 p.m. prior to services.

Burial will be in Decatur Cemetery with Military Graveside rites by American Legion Post 43 Color Guard.

Memorials may be given to ACCF Angel Kidney Fund.