PAGE C2 | TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 | RO
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DEATH NOTICES
OSCAR RITZ | June 17, 1915 — May 5, 2014
Brettner, Robert E., 96,
Wheatfield
Clarkson, Eleanor R.
(nee Stevenson), 70,
Hammond
DePew, Nellie M.
(Lockwood), 101,
Indianapolis
Duke, Linda, 68, Crown
Point
Gifford, Gregory A., 34,
Cedar Lake
Guillod, Josephine
(nee Urbas), Kouts,
formerly Hebron
Hamilton, Lillian, 90,
Portage, formerly Lake
Station
Heitz, Marie J. (nee
Gustafson), 77, South
Holland
Holleman, Gerrit, 82, St.
John
Kolas, Roy W., 92,
Munster
Mayfield, Kenneth L.,
64, Calumet City
Miles, David A., 68,
Hammond
Petri, Ronald L. Sr., 56,
Gary
Pozywio, Lois J.
(Gottschalk), 70,
Highland
Searcy, Louie E., 77,
Mulga, Ala.
Shepherd, Dennis K., 64,
North Judson
Szaller, Dola L.
(nee Jordan). 89,
Schererville
Von Alven, Harry,
81, North Judson,
formerly Beecher
Wisowaty, Arthur J., 87,
Calumet City
York, Lucille H. (nee
Dedo), 85, Dyer,
formerly Hammond
Crown Point’s Ritz was proud family man
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CARRIE RODOVICH
Times Correspondent
Services for Oscar Ritz were private. Burns Funeral
Home handled arrangements.
Oscar Ritz was a hardworking, honest man
who prided himself in serving the community
and taking care of his family, said his daughter,
Janice Ritz.
Oscar Ritz, 98, of Crown Point and formerly
of Merrillville and Indianapolis, died May 5. He
worked many years in the insurance business,
and served as state insurance commissioner.
He is survived by Audrey Ritz, his wife of
70 years. The couple met when he went into
Handley’s Drug Store to buy an alarm clock and
she was working behind the counter.
He purchased the clock for $1, she said. The
clock remains in the family, and was joined by
a silver clock for their 25th anniversary and a
gold clock for their 50th.
The couple was one of the early families to
move into Merrillville, building a home there in
the early 1950s.
“He declared he would build the house
ROY W. KOLAS
MUNSTER, IN
Roy W. Kolas, 92, of Munster formerly of Hammond, entered
into the presence of the Lord on Saturday, June 14, 2014. He is
survived by his four loving children: Patricia (Rev. Otto) Wegner,
Joyce (Rev. Hugh) Duncan, Rev. Roy( Rev. Sharon) Snapp-Kolas
and Sherri (Dale) Vandersteen; 11 grandchildren: Candace
Wegner, Rev. Jonathan Wegner, Joanna Giunta, Hugh Duncan
Jr., Deborah Duncan, Jill McDaniel, Joshua Snapp-Kolas, Christopher Snapp-Kolas, Rev. Matthew Vandersteen, Michael Vandersteen and Ryan Vandersteen; 16 great grandchildren; and
several foster grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and friends.
Preceded in death by his parents: William and Bessie Kolas; wife
Martha (nee Prohaska) and Ivadell (nee Stump); siblings; Eleanor
(Edward) Klafta, Chester (Alice) Kolas and Norma Kolas.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday June 19, 2014 at 10:00
a.m. DIRECTLY at The Gate (formerly First Assembly of God),
5670 Sohl Ave., Hammond, IN with Pastor Roy Snapp-Kolas and
Pastor J. Calaway officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood
Cemetery, Hammond. Friends are invited to meet with the family
for a time of visitation on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Kolas
Christian Bookstore, 2635 Highway Ave., Highland, IN from
10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until
10:00 a.m. at the church.
Roy was born on March 20, 1922 in Hammond. He was a graduate of Hammond High School class of 1940. Roy was a proud
WWII Army veteran having served during the Battle of the
Bulge. He was a lifetime faithful member of First Assembly of
God Church in Hammond. Roy was also part of the seniors group
at Life Point Church in Hessville. He was a charter member of the
Christian Booksellers Association. Roy began selling Christian
books from his home in 1947 then founded the Kolas Christian
Bookstore in downtown Hammond in 1950. When it relocated to
Highland in 2007, Mr. Kolas started a weeky Bible study which
continues to this day. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend. He had been an
influential leader in the church and community for over 65 years
and touched the lives of countless individuals.
Memorials will be directed to Christian Ministries that Roy supported. For more information you may call Bocken Funeral
Home at (219) 844-1600 or www.bockenfunerals.com.
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CARLOS VON HATTEN
"CHALE"
EAST CHICAGO, IN
Carlos "Chale" Von Hatten, age
76, of East Chicago, IN passed
away Thursday, June 12, 2014 at
home. He is survived by his wife
of 53 years, Margarita (nee Ortega) Von Hatten; five children:
Norma
(George)
Petrunich,
Carolyn (Thomas) Blackburn of
South Carolina, Carlos Von
Hatten, Jr., Marsha Von Hatten
and Sandra (fiancee Victor
Casares) Von Hatten; 14 grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; brother, Eduardo Gustavo
(Amelia) Von Hatten; five sisters: Carmen (late Eddie) Abete,
Margarita Arne, Lucila (late Enrique) Pena, Alicia (late Ceasar)
Castaneda
and
Concepcion
(Charles) Harrison; in-laws:
Guadalupe
(Irene)
Ortega,
Eliseo Oropeza, Robert Ortega,
Ramona Ortega and Juanita
Trevino; numerous nieces and
nephews. Preceded in death by
parents: Gustavo and Michaela
Von Hatten; brother, Robert
(Rita) Von Hatten of California.
Funeral services will be held
Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 9:15
a.m. from the FIFE FUNERAL
HOME, 4201 Indianapolis Blvd.,
East Chicago, IN and 10:00 a.m.
Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Church, East Chicago, IN. Cremation to follow. Visitation at
the FIFE FUNERAL HOME will
be from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on
Wednesday, June 18, 2014. The
American Legion Post #369 will
post colors 6:00 p.m. on
Wednesday.
Carlos retired from L.T.V. Steel
Company after 31 years of service. He was a U.S. Navy veteran
and a member of the American
Legion Allied Post #369. In lieu
of flowers, donations to the
family would be appreciated. To
share a memory or send a permanent online condolence,
logon to:
www.fifefuneralhome.com
ELEANOR R. CLARKSON
(NEE STEVENSON)
HAMMOND, IN
Eleanor R. Clarkson (nee Stevenson), age 70, of Hammond,
passed away June 14, 2014. She
is survived by her husband,
Richard of 47 years; one son,
Christopher (Valerie) Clarkson
of Munster; her daughter,
Heather Clarkson of Hammond;
and grandson, Ethan. Preceded
in death by her parent, John and
Doris Stevenson and her sister,
Donna Glee Profit.
Funeral services will be held at
1:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 18,
from McCoy Funeral Chapel,
6713 Hohman Ave. Hammond
with Pastor Stephen Jones officiating. Interment Oak Hill
Cemetery, Hammond. Friends
may meet with the family Tuesday, from 4:00-8:00pm.
Eleanor enjoyed being a homemaker and was dedicated to her
family and church.
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himself,” Janice Ritz said. “He would work all
day and, in the evenings, we would go to the
house. He and Mom would put shingles on
while my sister and I entertained ourselves.”
Ritz believed in community service, and was
involved in many groups around Gary. He also
had been the Republican chairman of south
Lake County.
Oscar Ritz was an avid gardener, and was
especially proud of his zinnias.
Janice Ritz said her parents traveled, going
to numerous conventions associated with his
work. A favorite family trip came in the summer of 1959, months after her father won a
Thunderbird from a Gary car dealership.
“My parents, sister and I piled into the
Thunderbird, and it took us out to California
and back,” she said.
Janice Ritz said her father remained in good
health and had full mental capacity until a few
months before he passed away.
“He lived a full life and still read the Wall
Street Journal every day,” she said.
ROBERT E. BRETTNER
WHEATFIELD, IN
Robert E. Brettner, age 96, of
Wheatfield, IN passed away on
Wednesday, June 11, 2014.
Robert is survived by his children:
Sharon
Harlan
of
Wheatfield and Terry (Mary)
Brettner of Marietta, GA;
grandchildren: Jeanette (Brian)
Ingram and Stacy (Ben) Karably;
great grandchildren: Kylie and
Hailey Ingram, and Grace and
Hazel Karably; sisters: Evelyn
Applequist of New Mexico and
Lorraine Follansbee of Colorado. Preceded in death by his
wife, Esther; brothers: Elmer,
William, and Jim Brettner; and
sister, Myrtle Dritlein.
Robert proudly served in the
U.S. Air Force during WWII and
was a member of the Wheatfield
American Legion Post #406.
Friends may visit with the family on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at
Geisen Funeral, Cremation &
Reception Centre, 606 E. 113th
Ave./South St., Crown Point,
IN 46307 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
Funeral services will be held on
Friday, June 20, 2014 at 9:00
AM at Geisen Funeral, Cremation & Reception Centre in
Crown Point. Interment will
take place at Abraham Lincoln
National Cemetery in Elwood,
IL. Memorial donations may
be
given
to
the
Alzheimer's Association. View
directions
and/or
sign
guestbook at:
www.GeisenFuneralHome.com
or contact (219) 663-2500
NELLIE MARIAN DePEW
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Nellie
Marian
DePew
(Lockwood), age 101, a resident
of Robin Run Village in Indianapolis, gently and quietly entered eternity on June 10, 2014.
She was born September 13, 1912
in Morrison, VA to Mark and
Nina ( Carpenter) Lockwood.
Nellie grew up on a hard working farm in Pleasant Lake, IN.
She married William Gerald
DePew June 6, 1931. They
shared 60 years together. Nellie
was a devoted, loving mother
who delighted in and supported
her two children, five grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling,
crocheting, being involved in
her community, church and the
Indiana Extension Homemakers
Association.
Visitation will be Thursday,
June 19, 2014 from 1:00-2:00
p.m. Funeral service will follow
visitation at 2:00 p.m. at Chapel
Lawn Funeral Home, 8178
Cline Ave., Schererville, IN
46375. A memorial service in
celebration of Nellie's life will be
held Monday, June 23, 2:00 p.m.
at Robin Run Village, 5354 W.
62nd Street, Indianapolis, IN. In
lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her
name to the Resident Council of
Robin Run Village Heritage
Fund. For more information or
to sign our online guestbook,
please visit:
www.chapellawnfunerals.com
LINDA DUKE
CROWN POINT, IN
MARIE J. HEITZ
(NEE GUSTAFSON)
SOUTH HOLLAND, IL
Marie J. Heitz (nee Gustafson),
age 77, of South Holland, IL
passed away Monday, June 16,
2014. Beloved wife of the late
Ralph Heitz; dear mother of
Richard (Nancy) Heitz and
Carin (Jim) Olson; loving grandmother of Krysten (Ryan)
Harres, Kourtney Heitz, and
Doug Olson; dear sister of Rosa
(Steve) Sadlek.
Visitation, Thursday June 19,
2014 from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
at the Smits, DeYoung-Vroegh
Funeral Home, 649 E. 162nd
St. (Rt.6/159th St.) South Holland, IL 60473. Funeral service,
Friday, June 20, 2014 at 11:00
a.m. at the funeral home with
services conducted by Rev.
Beverly Conway. Interment at
Cedar Park Cemetery, Calumet
Park, IL. Memorial contributions may be given to Redeemer
Lutheran Church (651 E. 166th
St. South Holland, IL 60473).
For further info, please contact
708-333-7000 or visit our
online obituary and guest book
at www.SMITSFH.com.
Linda Duke, age 68, of Crown
Point, IN passed away Sunday,
June 15, 2014 at Methodist Hospital in Merrillville, IN.
Linda is survived by daughters:
Michelle (Frank) Silva of Lowell
and Mary Waggoner of Crown
Point; grandchildren: Christopher, Caitlin, Timothy, Grace
and Alyssa; and great granddaughter, Ryilee. She was preceded in death by her husband,
Earl "Frank".
Linda was a former member of
the Sauk Village Church of God.
She was a homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her
daughters and grandchildren.
Friends may call on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Geisen
Funeral-Cremation & Reception Centre at 606 E. 113th
Ave/South St. (two blocks east
of Broadway), Crown Point,
from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Funeral
services will be held Thursday,
June 19, 2014 at Geisen Funeral,
Cremation & Reception Centre
in Crown Point, IN at 10:00 AM
with Pastor James Gambill officiating. Interment will take
place at Orchard Grove Cemetery in Lowell, IN. View directions and/or sign guestbook at
www.GeisenFuneralHome.com
or contact 219-663-2500.
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