September 25, 2003

OBITUARIES

Sharon Dalrymple

Sharon E. Dalrymple of Corwin died Thursday morning, Sept. 18, in Hospice of Dayton after an illness of several months. She was 58.

Born in Madison, Wisc., on July 13, 1945, she was the daughter of James Alan and Donna Marie Dalrymple. The family moved to Yellow Springs when she was a small child.

Sharon had resided in Yellow Springs for many years. Well known for her leadership in community theater, she was an officer and board member of Yellow Springs Center Stage until the late 1990s.

Formerly a sales officer for YSI Incorporate, she later obtained a degree in social work from Clark State Community College and became a counselor in mental health. She worked for the Clark County Mental Health Agency and for South Community Mental Health in Kettering. Most recently, she was a counselor for the Warren County Mental Health Agency.

In 1992 she married John Eric Siemer of Yellow Springs. They lived in the village until 2000, when the couple purchased a 14-acre property at Corwin, near Waynesville. There they developed a bed-and-breakfast inn, campgrounds and a bicycle business, which they operated until she became ill early this summer.

The couple were active in many youth activities in Yellow Springs and the Waynesville/Corwin area. They were international exchange coordinators for the EF Foundation, a program that sponsors, places and looks after foreign exchange students from 25 countries worldwide, finding students host families in Ohio and following up on their activities and education. For eight years they hosted students themselves.

She is survived by her husband, John Eric Siemer of Corwin; a sister, Denise Mefford of Stout, Ohio; a brother, Carl Dalrymple, of Phoenix; a son, Sean Campbell; two grandsons, Kyle and Jordan Campbell, of Waynesville; and six nieces and five nephews.

A memorial service will be held for family and friends on Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., at the Glen Helen Building.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cobblestone Community Church, 1100 West State Route 122, Lebanon, OH 45036, or to Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420-1885.

Jack Follrath

Former local resident Jack K. Follrath died Monday, Sept. 15, after an extended illness. He was 76.

He was born in Springfield on Nov. 21, 1926, the son of Carl and Minnie (Hughes) Follrath. He was a graduate of Wittenberg University and an avid Ohio State University football fan and dedicated member of the OSU alumni marching band for 10 years. Mr. Follrath’s romance with OSU football started when he was taken to a game in Ohio Stadium at age 10 and it never waned.

He owned and operated the Perfection Laundry linen supply and uniform company and Kwik Kleeners in Springfield. In Florida, he made his mark in real estate and land development.

A 33rd degree Mason and a 55-year member of Anthony Lodge 455, he also belonged to Springfield Chapter 48, R.A.M., Springfield Council 17, R.&S.M., and Palestine Commandery 33, Knights Templar. He was a member of the Springfield Rotary Club and in 1990 was named a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He served in the U.S. Army and in Korea in 1945–46, receiving a Bronze Star and a Presidential Unit Citation.

He and his wife of 39 years, Yvonne (Savig) Follrath, were married in Yellow Springs, where they lived for 10 years.

He is survived by his wife; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kristina and Dr. Frank Wilson of Atlanta and Shannon and Lt. Col. Lawrence Eichhorn of Fayetteville, N.C.; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Kevin of Lake Mary, Fla., and Noel and Minnie Follrath of Marietta, Ga.; three stepchildren and their spouses, Larry and Lourdes Mengelkoch of Tallahassee, Fla., Lt. Col. Jerry and Kerry Mengelkoch of Albany, Ga., and Bill and Terri Mazur of Cedarville; sister, Carmelita Brumfield of Springfield; and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Sept. 20, in the Littleton & Rue Funeral Home. Interment was in Ferncliff Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Mercy Hospice, 2600 North Limestone Street, Springfield, Ohio 45503.

Dorothy Lewis

Dorothy M. Lewis of Monticello, Ky., formerly of Yellow Springs, died Thursday, Sept. 18, at Cumberland Community Hospital. She was 86.

She was born Aug. 17, 1917, in Hazard, Ky., the daughter of John and Rachel (Smith) McKee.

Mrs. Lewis was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Willard J. Lewis, in 1996.

She is survived by her daughter and a son-in-law, Naomi Lewis and James Ritchie of Monticello, Ky.; five grandchildren, Kendall Conley, Keith Conley, Michael Ritchie, Carlos Ritchie and Terry Oberschlake; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Sept. 22, at the Burcham Funeral Home in Fairborn, with burial following in Byron Cemetery.

Ellen Griffeth

Ellen B. Griffeth, a Fairborn resident who was living in Friends Care Community, died Thursday, Sept. 18. She was 85.

She was born Oct. 13, 1917, in Heavener, Okla., the daughter of the late Berry Earl and Lucinda Twiss Doyle.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Griffeth, in 2002.

She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Connie and Ron Gyure of Ft. Worth, Texas, Carolyn and Bill McMillan of Fairborn, Tom and Sharon Griffeth of Pittsburgh and Dolores and Chris Ramey of New Hampshire; grandchildren, Ronnie and Todd Gyure, John and Tricia and Andy McMillan, Tommy and Tanya, Tim and Sarah Griffeth, and Emily and Gregory Ramey; and great-grandson, Will McMillan.

Memorial services were held Sunday, Sept. 21, in the First Presbyterian Church in Fairborn. The family requests contributions be made in Ellen’s memory to Friends Care Community. Arrangements entrusted to Belton Funeral Home in Fairborn.