January 2026
Mrs. Carole Brown -
Brown was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. George Brown, a Full Elder in the United Methodist Church, who served Buttzville-Free Union, New Jersey 1957; Somerset, OH (Zanesville Dist) 1959; Maize Manor, Columbus 1963; Belmont (DS) 1972; Lancaster (N) 1979; Wilmington District Superintendent 1983; and Cincinnati Westwood (C) 1988.
Brown was born on Christmas day in 1934. Her mother was going to name her Judith but the nurse, a nun at Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, insisted she be named Carol because of the holiday. Her mother added the "e" on the end of her name, so it wasn't quite as obvious. Carole enjoyed telling this story throughout her life. She grew up as an only child on the west side of Columbus, and it was at West High School that she met and fell in love with George Brown. They went on to attend and graduate from The Ohio State University, he in theology and she in nursing. Before her children were born, she worked as a nurse at University Hospital and later for the Community Blood Center of Dayton. Although she was a caring and accomplished nurse, it was her work as a mother that allowed her to really shine. As George began his pastoral ministry, Carole's gifts as a caring and loving person were perfectly matched for life in the church. She was a talented soprano and sang in choirs her entire life. She loved getting to know new people and would take them under her wing to make them feel included. She could start up a conversation with anyone and many described her as one of the loveliest and kindest persons they knew.
Carole and George moved to Otterbein Lebanon SeniorLife Community after George's retirement, and they quickly became involved in many activities on campus. After George's death in 2020, Carole continued to connect with others while enjoying life to the fullest.
Carole was a loving mom, a wonderful grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed it when the family gathered for special celebrations. She liked sharing meals, laughter, and music with those who were closest to her. As a person of deep faith, she trusted in the abiding presence of God, and her family believes the light of heaven is shining on her as she reunites with her dear George and so many others.
Carole is survived by sons Rev. Larry Brown (Kelly), Phil Brown (Kathy), and daughter, Julie Albright (Mark). In addition, there are many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family that were very special in Carole's life. A memorial service will be held at Otterbein Community UMC on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Visitation will be at 1:00pm, followed by the service at 2:00pm.
Memorial gifts may be made to Otterbein Lebanon SeniorLife Benevolent Care in Carole's memory: https://otterbein.org/donate/.
Condolences can be left online or sent to Rev. Larry Brown, 3583 Foxcroft Drive, Lewis Center, OH 43035.
Garnet Lucille Nuhfer -
Nuhfer was born in Woodville, Ohio on July 29,1934 to Kenneth and Theda (St. Clair) Miller. She grew up in Woodville and graduated from Woodville High School. On September 14, 1952 she married James Nuhfer, who was drafted into the Army the following February. Their first child was born the following November. Jim was home for five days before shipping out to Korea. Lucille kept their daughter acquainted with her daddy with a picture in her crib and many stories.
When Jim was to be discharged, Lucille signed Jim up for College at Otterbein in Westerville in the ministerial program and obtained housing for them. Jim started Otterbein in the fall of 1955.
Lucille had a nursery school in their home while Jim was in college. When Jim was hospitalized in 1958, she took over his janitorial job at the college church. Their second child was born in Jim’s Junior year at Otterbein.
Lucille was always a help mate for Jim in his ministry. It was a team effort. For 40 years she was active in women’s work. She was a district officer and leader. She also was a craft director for all of Jim’s camps at Camp St. Mary’s. Lucille helped organize the Singing Minister’s Wives of Ohio and for many years enjoyed the fellowship and joy of singing. She always sang in the choir of her church. Lucille served as Jim’s secretary. She typed many term papers and was kept involved in his education to that degree. Their third child was born while serving a church in Marion. Jim and Lucille served many churches throughout Ohio in Rossburg, New Lebanon, Helena, Marion, Findlay, Fremont, Toledo, Archbold and St. Mary’s.
In retirement, Jim and Lucille lived in St. Mary’s and she was active at the Auglaize Council of Aging, volunteering and leading programs and singing. At Grace Church she was a liturgist and soloist. She was active in missions for over 40 years serving as mission chairman, organizing mission projects for “Festival of Sharing”. She was also president of the Grace United Methodist Women for 4 years.
The Nuhfer’s have three children Kimberly (Patrick) Thomas of Kenton; Kris (Laura) Nuhfer of Bowling Green and Jan (Steve) Bertonsachi of Westerville. They have four grandchildren Ben Harruff of Sidney, Krista (Jeff Miller) Nuhfer of Dublin, Erik Nuhfer of Bowling Green and Julie Brown of Columbus.
Lucille is also survived by her sister Kathy (Terry) Murphy of South Carolina, a niece Becky Brools of Woodville and nephew Terry Murphy Jr. of Florida. Lucille was proceeded in death by her parents, husband and her son, Kris.
Following Jim’s passing in 2010 she moved from St. Mary’s to Otterbein Portage Valley in Pemberville. She became a member of the Faith U.M. Church in Luckey. At Portage Valley she was involved in bible studies, activities and volunteering at the gift shop. She then moved to assisted living in Westerville and finally to Blanchard Place in Kenton, Ohio.
Family and friends will be received 10-11 a.m., with a memorial service at 11 a.m., Friday, March 20, 2026 at Marsh & Marsteller Funeral Home 201 W. Main St., Woodville, OH. Interment will be in Westwood Cemetery Woodville, OH at a family committal. Officiating will be Rev. Peter Johnston.
Memorials can take the form of contributions to: Faith United Methodist Church, Tranquility Hospice, or Trustwell Living at Blanchard Place. If you would care to share a memory of photo with the family, you may do so at WWW.marshfuneralhomes.com
Rev. Katie M. Wilson -
Rev. Wilson of Trotwood, Ohio was a retired Deacon in the United Methodist Church, serving at Miami Valley Hospital as a Case Manager (MIV) 2006, and in Children’s Ministry at Dixon UMC (GMD) since 2010.
Visitation will be on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 10:00 am at Dixon United Methodist Church, 1691 Infirmary Rd., Dayton, OH, with the funeral service to follow at 11:00 am. Rev. Dr. Bridget Weatherspoon officiating. Arrangements entrusted to House of Wheat Funeral Home.
Click here to read her full obituary
Condolences can be left online here, or sent to her family at 451 Tapestry Lane, Trotwood, Ohio 45426.
Rev. William "Bill" Hunter -
Rev. William "Bill" Hunter passed at the age of 81 after years of living with many years of living with the complications of Parkinson’s disease.
Rev. Hunter shared the beauty of life with his wife, Pat, for over 55 years. Love and laughter flowed in their home, as they nurtured their children, Marcy and Brett, into adulthood. That circle of love has grown wider with the marriages of Marcy to Dave, and Brett to Angie; and wider still the circle of love has grown to include precious grandchildren, Carley, Imre, Max, and Nova.
For more than 40 years, Rev. Hunter served in ministry among the congregations of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. He loved and served four church families in his years of ministry: Wayne UM Church, Oregon Faith UM Church, William Street UM Church in Delaware, Ohio, and Northwest UM Church in Columbus, Ohio. Bill also served at the District and the Conference levels, first as the Findlay District Program Assistant, and later as the Columbus South District Superintendent and member of the Bishop’s cabinet (Wayne (F) 1970; Findlay DPA 1974; Oregon Faith (T) 1979; William Street (CN) 1984; Supt Columbus South Dist 1993; Northwest (CN) 1997). Although Rev. Hunter grew in knowledge and experience in those administrative roles, each time he became “homesick” to return to a church family to be their Pastor. Rev. Hunter loved, and was loved, by so many. He is remembered for his creative, caring, and also his sense of humor.
He embraced God’s people with Faith, Hope, Love, and Unconditional Grace; and it lives on in our memories, and in the lives he has touched.
Rev. Hunter's life will be celebrated with a service at King Avenue UM Church; Date TBD.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to NNEMAP Food Pantry, a nonprofit social service agency distributing food and other resources to residents of Columbus, Ohio. Donations can be sent to NNEMAP, Inc. P.O. Box 10614, Columbus, Ohio, 43201. Please include “in memory of Bill Hunter”.
Obituary information for William Hunter
Noreen Rohrer -
The wife of Rev. David Rohrer, she served alongside her husband serving West Ohio Conference and these congregations: Harpster (F) 2000; New Hope (A) 2004; Payne St Paul (NWP) 2012
Below is the obituary published on Legacy.com by Beinhauer Family Funeral Homes - Peters Township - McMurray on Jan. 6, 2026.
Age 74, of Scott Township, formerly of Canton, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Noreen was the cherished wife of 50 years to David J. Rohrer; loving mother of Audrey (Mike) Bode, Dan (Sarah) Rohrer, Lesley (Adrian) Good, Paul (Edward Wilson) Rohrer; grandma of Annabelle, Will, Violet and Asher Bode, Samuel and Joseph Rohrer, and Evan Good; sister of Frederick W. (Joann) Smith; sister-in-law of Mary Jo (John) Dietrich. Noreen is also survived by her nephews Chad (Maria) Smith, Ryan (Chrissie) Smith, and special niece Sarah (Ambrosia) Blasier-McCollum, and her daughter Anais. Preceded in death by her parents Alvin and Harriet (Ward) Smith, twin sister Doreen May Blasier, and half-brother Robert E. "Bobby" Smith.
The family will hold a private memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please donate to UPMC Family Hospice (clikc her to donate). Arrangements by BEINHAUER, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 15317.
All services private.
December 2025
Rev. Katherine Riley -
Rev. Katherine Riley was a retired full elder in the United Methodist Church, servingSomerville Gratis (DS) 1974; Barlow Bartlett (A) 1987; Rocksprings Enterprise (A) 1989; Rawson New Hope (F) 1991; Clark Street-Salem Charge (T) 1994; Sherwood (D) 2003; and Coolville Chg (FTH) 2008, before retiring in 2014.
Arrangements are being handled by White Funeral Home in Coolville, Ohio. Funeral to be held in January 2026, with Rev. Phil Thomas presiding. Condolences can be sent to Carlene Triplett, 16 Hooper St., Athens, Ohio 45701.
To read her obituary, Click here.
Sally Reiff Dickey -
Sally was the wife of Rev. E. James Dickey. Until his retirement in 1998, they served a number of churches in the West Ohio Conference: Student Minister, William Street, Delaware 1954; Youth Minister, Westgate, Columbus 1956; Asst, Epworth (Worcester, Mass) 1959; Assoc, Trinity (Columbus) 1960; Medway 1963; Wilmington (W) 1969; Riverside (CN) 1976; High Street (S) 1986
Sally was comfortable in any room. She was an encourager, hostess extraordinaire, award-winning volunteer, wise counsel, and a tireless Mama Bear. Known for her boundless enthusiasm and her "ready to help" spirit, Sally spent her life building communities and supporting the institutions she loved.
A graduate of Boston University and Ohio Wesleyan University, Sally remained deeply connected to Ohio Wesleyan throughout her life. Her service to the university was extensive, including eight years on the Alumni Board and a term as the National President of the Association of Monnett Clubs. In 1985, she was honored with the Alumni Award in recognition of her tireless efforts to strengthen the university community. Sally was also a cornerstone of the Kappa Alpha Theta sisterhood, serving on the House Corporation and mentoring generations of young women. Whether she was chairing campus events with her trademark imagination or serving on the Annual Fund Council, Sally's leadership was defined by her warmth and her ability to inspire others to give back. Sally was honored as Upper Arlington's Northwest Woman of the Year in 1985 for her many contributions to non-profits and civic organizations.
Sally's connections were rooted in tradition and family. She followed in the footsteps of her parents at Ohio Wesleyan and later shared that bond with her husband, sister, and children. She was a woman who believed in the power of moral leadership and the importance of lifelong learning.
Beyond her formal roles, Sally was known as a patron of the arts, lover of music, and hosting family and friends. She lived a life "worthy of emulation," leaving a mark on every organization she touched.
Sally is preceded in death by parents N.M. Reiff, Martha Reiff, and daughter in law Ann Dickey. She is survived by husband E. James, sister Jo (Sam) Pollock, children Debby Shellard, Doug (Dee) Dickey, David Dickey, and Derek (Anna Kertesz) Dickey and grandchildren Robby (Sarah) Shellard, Jessy (Kyle) Gilbert, Austin (Abby Turay) Dickey, Alli (Nick Friedeman) Dickey, Adam Dickey, Katie Dickey, Elizabeth Dickey, Jack Dickey, Josh Dickey, Abigail Dickey, Charlotte Dickey, and many nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren.
Memorial service will be held Sunday, December 28 at 11:45am at Glenview Community Church, 1000 Elm St., (at Glenview Road) Glenview. Click here to read obituary.
Steven R. Sykes -
Steven Sykes, 76, was the husband of Rev. Maggie Sykes, who served Troy First (MIV) 2011; Troy First & Christiansburg (MIV) 2012; Casstown-Bethel Charge (MIV) 2013; Concord Englewood (MIV) 2019; and SonRise (WLD) 2023; and is currently serving at Cridersville UMC (WLD).
In addition to his wife, Sykes is survived by son and daughter-in-law: Christopher and Stacy Sykes of Greenville; daughters: Megan Myers and Beth Anne Myers both of Troy; grandchildren: Alexia (Brad Baker) Sykes of Greenville, Brandon (Fiancé Taylor Harvey) Sykes of Virginia Beach, VA and Asia (Trey Frech) Sykes of Greenville; great granddaughter: Adah Jean Frech and brother: Kerry (Sandy) Sykes of Urbana. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 38 years: Donna Lea (Houchen) Sykes and sister: Tammarra Kuntzman. Steve was a faithful member of SonRise Church. He served as a Pastor with the Troy and Piqua Freewill Baptist Churches and Troy Gospel Tabernacle for a total of 23 years.
Services were held today at First UMC in Troy.
Obituary Link, Memorial contributions may be made to Honor Flight Dayton.
Condolences can be expressed to the family here.
November 2025
Mrs. Sheila Lambert -
Sheila is survived by her husband Rev. Jeffrey Lambert, who served the Oak Hill Faith, and St Paul UMC in the Scioto River District.
Funeral arrangements are Thursday (Dec 4). Visitation 11-1, Funeral Service at 1pm at the Buchanan Chapel Church, 81 Buchanan Chapel Rd, Catlettsburg, KY 41129.
The full obituary is not available at this time.
Condolences can be sent to Rev. Jeffrey Lambert at 18 Shady Lane, South Shore KY 41175
Rev. Gary M. Carlson -
Born to Marvin and Hildur (Nelson) Carlson, Gary spent his childhood in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He and his sister Susan learned early the value of family (particularly a Swedish one!) with their grandparents living in the second-floor apartment of their home, looking after their mother, assisting their father, and traveling often to Chicago to be part of Nelson and Carlson family celebrations. After graduating high school in 1964, he served in the United States Air Force, leaving his service early to care for his aging parents—a testament to the deep family devotion that would define his life.
Gary met the love of his life, Jean Stayer, when they both volunteered at a children's home. They married in October 1972 and welcomed four children, raising them with unwavering love and dedication. Gary was a coach for his children's sports teams, a steady presence at every school event and performance, and later traveled near and far to witness the important milestones in his grandchildren's lives.
His hands were rarely idle. Gary found joy in working on cars, tackling mechanical projects, reading, and playing cards. He had strong opinions about how everyday household chores should be done—practices his children lovingly carry forward. But what he treasured most was time spent with Jean, their children, their spouses, and his beloved grandchildren.
Gary's faith was central to his life, and he served with distinction at First United Methodist Church (UMC) in Ravenna, Ohio; Community UMC in Union City, Ohio; Nelsonville First UMC and Buchtel UMC in Athens County, Ohio; and West Independence UMC in West Independence, Ohio. Those who knew him through these communities remember his warm smile, his generous hugs, his deep care for others, and his unfailing presence during times of both joy and sorrow. He had a gift for encouraging others to ponder, and he never missed an opportunity to tell someone how proud he was of them.
Gary is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jean (Stayer) Carlson; his four children, Gretchen Carlson Natter (Rob), Jeremy Carlson, Adam Carlson, and Emily Carpenter (Matt); his grandchildren, Signe, Lily, Ella, Grace (Joseph), Grady, Chad, Olivia, and Sadie; and many brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Chad Carlson; his parents, Hildur and Marvin Carlson; and his sister, Susan Biro.
Gary's legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched with his kindness, his steadfast love, and his faithful service. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
Friends and family were received Sunday, November 30, 2025, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna, OH 44266. A memorial service was held on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 11:00 AM at The Church in Aurora, 146 S Chillicothe Rd, Aurora, OH 44202, with a time of fellowship to follow.
Condolences may be sent to Mrs. Jean Carlson at 535 N Scranton St, Ravenna, OH 44266-1429
In lieu of flowers, Gary’s family invites you to donate in his memory to hospice services in your community or a charity you hold close to your heart.