Ohio County Times

Ella Jean Gray Wagstaff, a resident of Beaver Dam Health Care Manor, passed away at the Ohio County Hospital on November 29, 2006.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester Wagstaff; her parents, Ada Mae Cambron and Ira Gray; brothers, Olen and Warren G. Gray; and sisters, Commie Powers and Zella Baxley.

She is survived by two sisters, Anna Jones and Betty Jo Ortiz of Winter Park, Florida; two sisters-in-law, Morine and Wilda Gray of Hartford; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at the Bevil Brothers Funeral Home in Hartford on Saturday, December 2, 2006, with Reverend Donald McGuire of Dundee Baptist Church officiating. Burial was in Clear Run Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that condolences be expressed through contributions to Hospice of Ohio County.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lorene Lyle, and his second wife, Nell White on January 20, 2006.

Survivors include a son, Kenny Midkiff of Columbia, Missouri; three daughters, Betsy Harris of Eddyville, Kentucky, and Carolyn Scott and Kathy Craig, both of Mahomet, Illinois; a sister, Bernadine Wilkerson of Owensboro; 15 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held on Friday, December 1, 2006, at Freese Funeral Home in Tolono, Illinois. Burial was on Saturday, December 2, at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Magan Station.

Sheila Kay (Bratcher) Tarrence, 55, of Horse Branch, passed away Wednesday, November 29, 2006, at her residence in Horse Branch.

She was the daughter of the late Willie Bratcher and Nevelyne (Iler) Bratcher.

She is survived by her husband, Fred Tarrence; and two brothers, Hoyt Bratcher and Royce Bratcher, both of Horse Branch.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, December 2, 2006, at William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam. Burial was in Hobart Tarrence Family Cemetery in Leach, Kentucky.

Helen Maier, 90, of Calvert City, Kentucky, died Thursday, November 30, 2006, at Calvert City Convalescent Center.

She was born on December 19, 1915, in Rosine, Kentucky, to the late William Edward Napier and Katie May Leech.

She was a homemaker, a flower gardener and specialized in Christmas Cactur. She and Joseph had a possion for the morel mushrooms and one year collected over two bushels. She also had a doll collection of more than 100 dolls of all sizes, shapes and styles. As a young woman, Helen sang gospel songs and enjoyed bluegrass music.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Woodrow Hatler; her second husband, Eldon Madlem on March 29, 1958; her third husband, Joseph J. Maier on December 30, 1979; daughter, Ida May Schaffer; step-daughter, Patricia Mazurkiewicz; step-son, Norris Madlem; step-granddaughter, Amy Miller; and sisters, Gertrude, Wanita, Nellie, and Lois; and brothers, Edward William Francis.

She is survived by a son, William Hatler of Benton, Kentucky; step-daughters, Phylis Brown and Alice Poseley of Elkart, Indiana, and Sandra McGregor and Joan Young of South Bend, Indiana; brothers, Herbert Napier of Rosine and Freddie Dye of Chattanooga, Tennessee; six grandchildren; 12 step-grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, December 6, 2006, at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home in Elkhart, Indiana, with Todd Thompson, pastor of First Baptist Church Elkhart, officiating. Burial was in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

Mary Louise “Micki” Meloni, 70, of Utica, died December 2, 2006, at Professional Care Health and Rehab Center in Hartford.

She was born on November 7, 1936, in Grand Island, Nebraska, to the late Gladys Sherzberk Schlotfeldt and Henry Schlotfeldt.

She is survived by her sons, Rod A. Leach of Sacramento, California, Mark R. Leach of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Bill Meloni of Corona, California; her daughter, Cindy Hensley of Utica, her brother, Harold Schlotfeldt of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 15 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at a later date. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery in Hartford. Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home in Hartford was in charge of arrangements.