Joyce (Gineman) Eichar - 6/3/2025

Joyce (Gineman) Eichar, 89, was the spouse of Rev. Paul H. Eichar on November 24, 1957, who prodeeded her in death.

Eichar is survived by her daughters, Miriam (Hank) Flores of North Baltimore; Betty (James, Jr.) Zeigler of North Baltimore; and Denise Flis of Edmond, OK; her son Jon (Rose) Eichar of North Baltimore; her grandchildren, Ashley, Ray, Rachel, Nathan, Jessica (Jonathan), James (Jamie), John (Kristina), Kelly (Bryce), Daniel, Josh (Erin), and Jordan; her great-grandchildren, Adam, Jackson, Bennie, Jayme, James, Jr., Madilynn, Ruth, Gabe, Johhon, Graeme, Nora, Ivy, Odin, Leighton and Harper.

Joyce was a registered nurse for over 35 years serving and caring for patients at Marysville Hospital, Tiffin Mercy Hospital, and the Physician's Office of Dr. Lapica & Pagarigan for 13 years, the Wood County Hospital for 11 years, and the Fairfield Mercy Hospital for 13 years. Joyce also served faithfully along side Paul at the five parishes where they were assigned.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 12, 2025, at SMITH-CRATES FUNERAL HOME, North Baltimore, with Pastor Megan Kerr officiating. Burial will be in New Maplewood Cemetery, North Baltimore. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at SMITH-CRATES FUNERAL HOME, North Baltimore.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Memorial Fund, North Baltimore and/or North Baltimore Meals on Wheels and/or Bridge Home Health and Hospice.
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Mrs. Margaret Tomer - 5/14/2025

Mrs. Margaret Tomer at the age of 93.

She was the wife of Rev. Albert Tomer, who passed away in 2014.  Together they served these congregations: Greaves (Lancaster, England) 1955; South Somerset, Massachusetts 1956; Kenton Epworth 1960; Toledo Broadway 1964; Church of the Saviour (C) 1971; Supt Cincinnati Dist 1985; Mason (W) 1988; Retired 1994; Clifton Assoc (C) 2000

She met her husband, Albert Tomer, at The London School of Economics, where their love blossomed. The couple married in England in 1955 and moved to the United States in 1956, beginning a new chapter filled with joy and dedication to family and community. Together, they were devoted partners until Albert's passing in 2014.

Margaret's professional journey was marked by her Master's Degree in Gifted Education and significant contributions as the Gifted Coordinator in the Clermont County School District. Her passion for teaching earned her the prestigious title of Educator of the Year in Ohio in 1990. She dedicated her career to nurturing young minds and helping students realize their full potential.

A true lover of the arts, Margaret had an enduring passion for acting and theater, both directing and performing in various plays. Her strong faith anchored her throughout her life; she was actively involved in her church, where she taught Bible study courses that inspired and uplifted those around her.

Margaret will be lovingly remembered by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as her nephew Steven (Sarah) Terry. She joins her late husband Albert, her brother Geoffrey Terry, and her parents William and Clara Terry, her nephew Richard Terry and niece Anne Huett in eternal rest.

Visitation with family will be held on Monday, June 9, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by her funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at Clifton United Methodist Church, 3416 Clifton Ave. Memorials may be made in her honor to Clifton United Methodist Church. We invite all who knew and loved Margaret to join in memories of this extraordinary woman.

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Rev. Darrel Robert Loar - 5/6/2025

Rev. Loar passed away at the age of 96. 

Darrel was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose life was defined by his deep faith, quiet wisdom, and genuine kindness. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert “Mark” Loar; siblings Winona Downhour, Georgia Purdy, and Deane Loar; and his parents.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Sandra Loar, and his former wife, Ruth Ann Loar. He is also survived by his sons, Mike (Janna) Loar and Tim (Brenda) Loar; grandchildren Brittany (Sean) Saffell, Jackie (Nick) Wiedenhoft, Brooke Lucas, Carly (John) Mitchell, and Mackenzie (Brian) Ogrin; and seven great-grandchildren, with an eighth on the way.

Darrel served many churches in the West Ohio Conference as a United Methodist pastor. He began his ministry in 1950 as a circuit rider pastor serving two congregations in southern Ohio. He retired in 1991 after serving a total of ten churches during his 41 years in the ministry.

A service celebrating Darrel’s life was held on Friday, May 16th

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a church of your choosing.

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Carol J. (Connolly) McCormick - 5/1/2025

McCormick Carol was the widow of Rev. Michael McCormick who faithfully served  churches in the West Ohio Conference. 

She graduated from Liberty Center High School and attended Bowling Green State University. While there, she met her future husband, Michael McCormick. The two were soon married and raised a family in Vanlue.

Those left behind to cherish Carol's memory are her daughters, Deb Crawford and Susan (Gary Moore) Godfrey; son, Patrick (Lori) McCormick; grandchildren, Jessica (Kenton) Reichley, Alyssa (Eric) Hauff, Katie (Justin) Buckingham, Colleen (Alan Samaha) McCormick, Katina McCormick, Conner Moore, and Carter Moore; great-grandchildren, Blair and Jase Reichley, and Brinley and Valerie Hauff; brother, Terry Connolly; sister-in-law, Gloria Connolly; brother-in-law, Denton (Doreen) McCormick; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Mike; grandson, Sean McCormick; son-in-law, Marvin Crawford; brother, Tim Connolly; sisters-in-law, Jean Connolly and Laurie Connolly, Cathy Yoxtheimer; and Cathy's husband, George.

There will be no services per Carol's request. Final interment will be at a later date. HUFFORD FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 1500 Manor Hill Rd., Findlay, (419-422-1500) is honored to serve her family.

Memorial contributions in Carol's name may be made to Fox Run Manor, 11745 Township Rd. 145, Findlay, OH 45840.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.huffordfh.com

Marguerite T. McGrady - 4/30/2025

Marguerite T. McGrady, (widow of Rev. Jesse F. McGrady), of Rockbridge, Ohio at the age of 100. 

Marguerite was born January 9, 1925, in Hocking County, Ohio to Lester Riggs and Theresa B. Daubenmire Riggs. She was a Logan High School graduate; formerly worked at Elberfeld’s, Sharff’s, Sears, Tupperware for 10 years, and Diamond Power for 13 years; began her career being a lay speaker in 1981, eventually speaking at New Plymouth, Mt Pleasant, Locust Grove, Morgan Chapel, and Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Churches, and several other churches in Hocking County; member of The Scenic Hills Senior Center; member of Someone Cares in Logan; was a Sunday School Teacher and Youth Leader prior to 1981; and a member of Right to Life in Logan.                   

Surviving are sons, Rev. Mark P. (Arline) McGrady of Massachusetts, Jack F. (Naomi) McGrady of Rockbridge, and Rev. Ned R. (Marlene) McGrady of Indiana; daughter, Sue E. (Darrell) Riggs of Millersport; grandchildren, Shannon (Lauren) Casto, Jessica (Zac) Hiser, Christopher (Kate) McGrady, Jennifer (Christian) Perdomo, Joshua McGrady, Jordan McGrady, David McGrady, Sherry Casto, and Leah Woofter; 6 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Donna Riggs of Rockbridge; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am Tuesday May 6, 2025, at the Rockbridge United Methodist Church, where she was a longtime member, and the oldest member, with Rev. Ned McGrady, Rev. Mark McGrady, and Rev. John Williams officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Rockbridge, Ohio.

Calling hours will be observed 4-8 pm Monday at the Heinlein-Brown Funeral Home in Logan and 10-11 am Tuesday at the church. In lieu of flowers, Marguerite requested donations be made to The Gideons, P.O. box 961 Logan, Ohio 43138.

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Rev. James H. Cattran - 4/26/2025

Rev. James H. Cattran age 86 of Hamilton passed away. He served as a pastor in West Ohio Conference for 40 years.

James was born July 13, 1938 in Lancaster, Ohio, the son of the late Orrie Cattran and Dorothy (Alvis) Cattran. Rev. Cattran was raised in Lancaster, Ohio and attended Asbury College and the Methodist Theological Seminary in Delaware, Ohio. On August 1, 1964 in Kingston, Michigan he married Marilyn (Everett) Cattran and she preceded him in death on December 21, 2020.

Cattran served Troy First Assoc 1966; Milford Center-Unionville Center Charge 1967; North Hampton (S) 1969; St Paul-Trinity (T) 1977; Mt Moriah (W) 1981; Hillsboro First (W) 1993; Fairfield St Mark's (W) 1998.

He loved music and was a great musician. He was devoted to his family and faith and enjoyed traveling throughout the United States.

Rev. Cattran is survived by two sons Jeff (Debbie) Cattran and Aric (Jennie) Cattran; grandchildren Michaela Cattran and Jacob Cattran, and one brother William (the late Rita) Cattran. He was also preceded in death by his brother David Cattran, sister Joann Scott, brother-in-law William Everett, and nephew Steven Klein.

Visitation on Tuesday May 6, 2025 at the Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church, 681 Mt. Moriah Drive, Cincinnati from 9:00 AM until the time of the funeral service at 11:00 AM.

Burial to follow in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. THE WEBSTER FUNERAL HOME, Fairfield is serving the family. www.websterfuneralhomes.com

Deborah Jo Ling - 4/17/2025

Deborah Jo (Lambert) Ling, spouse of Rev. Stanley Thomas Ling, was born in upstate New York on May 28, 1950—the youngest of three sisters. She was raised on a dairy farm, exploring every corner of the land: feeding cats, talking to crows, and learning more than she ever could in school. But she was also book-smart. Her middle name was a nod to Little Women, and Deborah Jo read ferociously her entire life.

She earned several college degrees, and worked passionately in therapy and spiritual direction. Deborah married her loyal husband, Stanley Thomas Ling on the little farm where she grew up, on June 15, 1974. They celebrated over 50 years of marriage. The couple had twins, Thomas Blake and Micah Elizabeth. They were the family of two girls and two boys: two pairs of blue eyes and two pairs of brown eyes.  

Deborah loved music: BB King, the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder. She loved movies, and art, and her garden. She could talk to anyone on the planet. 

Before the internet or apps or GPS, Deborah planned countless vacations out west for the family she loved. The Lings explored national and state parks together all over the country. They camped, rafted, rock climbed, and hiked. They rode horses, found swimming holes, and ate ice cream. 

Deborah could identify flowers, drive a manual transmission, and grow tomatoes bigger than softballs. She will be remembered for her humor, her curiosity, and her ability to make everyone feel at home. 

There will be a Service of Life on Sunday, June 1, 2025,  3pm at King Avenue United Methodist Church (visitation from 2-3pm). 299 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201, 614-424-6050. If you have questions about the service, please contact Stan Ling at stanling331@yahoo.com, 614-315-3409. 

Rev. Bonnie Frost (DiCesare) - 3/27/2025

Reverend Bonnie Frost (DiCesare) was born on December 10, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio.

She is survived by her husband of 35 years Jack; children Chris (Jill) Alexander, Joseph (Karen) Alexander, and Brittany (Eric) Alexander; step-daughter Dawn (Mark) Chandler; grandchildren Jamie (Branden) Macey, Joseph Alexander, Kelly (Bret) Sweat, Jordan (Michael) Fernald, Nicole (Alex) Ferrari, Lauren Alexander, Kaitlyn Alexander, Gordon Chandler; great-grandchildren Cole, Sofia and Marlee Macey, Sofia and Lorenzo Ferrari, Cooper Sweat, and Bonnie Fernald; Brother Joseph (Suzanne) DiCesare, sister-in-law Joedy Studer, and many aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. The family offers many thanks to the angels at Heartland Hospice.

Frost graduated from St. Mary of the Springs Academy in 1961 and from LeMoyne College in 1965. She earned her Masters of Divinity from the Methodist Theological School (MTSO) in 1997 and was ordained in 1998.

She became a chaplain for the Ohio Reformatory for Women and served as pastor of Rum Creek UMC, Zanesfield UMC, Rushsylvania UMC, and Unionville Center UMC. Bonnie also served on many Cum Christo, Emmaus, Kairos, and Epiphany teams as spiritual leader, speaker, and sponsor.

A service will be held at 1 PM on Sunday, April 6, followed by visitation from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm at SCHOEDINGER DUBLIN 5980 Perimeter Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.

Interment to take place later. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude or Heartland Hospice Columbus.

Rev. Paul L. Cocklin - 3/26/2025

He was born July 31, 1941 in Marysville, OH the son of the late Charles L. and June M. (Wheeler) Cocklin. He was a United Methodist minister, a member of the West Ohio Conference and served these congregations within West Ohio:  Magnetic Springs-Pharisburg 1974; College Hill (C) 1977; Ironton First (P) 1984; Toledo Hope (T) 1990; Beardshear (DN) 1992; Oak Hills (C) 1994; New Martinsburg (SHV) 2010; Russellville (SHV) 2011.

In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by 4 siblings.

He is survived by his loving wife, Dawne Cocklin of Winchester; children, Del (Christy) Cocklin of Wadsworth, OH, David (Judy) Cocklin of Lebanon, OH, Andrew Cocklin of Ironton, OH, Joan (Robert) Gibbs of Centerville, OH; 3 grandchildren, Jeremy Flach, Amber Cocklin-Stewert and Steven Cocklin and 2 great grandchildren Byanca and Baleigh Flach.

Funeral Services were held Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 10:00 AM at the Sardinia Hope Church, 105 S. Main St, Sardinia, with Rev Jim Schroeder officiating.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the American Cancer Society.

Rev. David Edward Kepple - 3/26/2025

Rev. David Edward Kepple, passed away on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

Kepple is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Janet (Nickoson) Kepple; his children Judy (Carl) Adams, Dan (Nuvia) Kepple, and Scott Kepple; his grandchildren Emily, Matthew, Alexandria, Isabelle, Benjamin, Jonathan, Cora, Denisse (Kyle), Rebecca (Armando), and Rachel; and by great-grandchildren Frankie and Tommy.

A graduate of Ohio University and United Theological Seminary, Kepple was a newspaper reporter from 1976 till 1999, most of those years at the Dayton Daily News. He was a United Methodist pastor from 1999 until he retired in 2021. Kepple pastored Union Chapel UMC and Saint Paris UMC and served in Kairos Prison Ministry for many years.

A visitation will be held Monday, March 31, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Anderson Funeral Home, 40 North Main Street, Springboro, Ohio 45066.

A funeral service will occur Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM, 40 North Main Street, Springboro, Ohio 45066. An interment will occur Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Highland Memorial Cemetery, 723 Upper Miamisburg Road, Miamisburg, Ohio 43542.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dave's memory to Kairos Prison Ministry. Checks can be written to Kairos of Ohio. In the memo field, please write “in memory of Dave Kepple Kairos LeCI)”. Checks can be mailed to: Kairos Ohio Prison Ministry, P.O. Box 14490, Columbus, OH 43214. Donations can also be made online at: https://www.kairosohio.org/donate.html.

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