February 8, 2007

OBITUARIES

Esther Miller

Esther Pauline Weiss Miller, a lifetime resident of Yellow Springs, died early Sunday morning, Feb. 4, at her residence. She was 90.

Esther was born in Yellow Springs on Sept. 9, 1916, the daughter of Paul W. and Louise (Geiger) Weiss. She grew up in Yellow Springs, graduated from Bryan High School and attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She then worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base during World War II. She was a longtime employee of Antioch College.

Esther married Russel Miller on Sept. 18, 1947. They would have been married 60 years in September.

Many years ago, Esther suffered a severe stroke. She underwent physical therapy, enough that she could ride downtown in her battery-operated chair. However, for quite a long time she had not been able to leave the house except for medical appointments and family gatherings.

She had long been interested in folk arts and crafts and, in the times of Christmas bazaars at the First Presbyterian Church, she contributed many interesting items for sale. Esther was one of the oldest living members of the First Presby- terian Church.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Kenneth; and her two sisters, Mary Dykstra and Mabel Weiss.

She is survived by her husband, Russel; her nieces, Jane Force of Arizona, and Susan Bothwell of Oregon; one great-niece, Jill Bothwell Failla, of Portland, Ore., and four great-nephews, Rex Force of Pocatello, Idaho, Andrew Force of Portland, Ore., Clark Force of Tucson, Ariz., and Seth Bothwell of Yellow Springs, four great-great nieces, including Jillian, Caitlin and Allison Bothwell; and five great-great nephews.

A memorial service is being planned for later in the spring. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presby- terian Church.

Evadene Holyoke

Evadene Garber Holyoke died Feb. 5 at home in Yellow Springs, where she had been under the care of Hospice of Dayton. She was 85.

She was born on Aug. 7, 1921, to John and Pearl (Toms) Garber in Belleville, Ohio. She grew up on a farm in central Ohio, attended a one-room school for her elementary education and was driven to and from high school, 10 miles away, by an enterprising classmate, license not required. She graduated from Ohio State University in 1943 with a bachelor of science degree in home economics and within two years, showing her considerable executive ability, became buyer/department head simultaneously in two departments of the original Lazarus department store in Columbus, positions she resigned in 1948 in order to assume her preferred role of full-time mother and homemaker.

Evadene was a talented knitter, seamstress, tailor and needlepoint worker. She designed and constructed many articles of clothing for herself and her family: hats, scarves, gloves and mittens, dresses, blouses and shirts, sweaters, sport jackets, trousers, and overcoats and must have made thousands of meticulously hand-sewn button holes.

Evadene was active in The League of Women Voters, and, as a dedicated gardener/landscaper (with flowers, inside or out year-round) active in the Friendly Gardeners. She was an avid grower and hybridizer of daffodils and became a judge and board member of the American Daffodil Society.

Along with Tom and sometimes the rest of the family, she became a world traveler, spending three years in Mindanao, Philippines (from which the young family made their way back the long way on a shoestring at a time of unrest in Asia), two years in Malawi (where she became, in her words, the king’s gardener, i.e., supervisor of the gardens of the four palaces of “president-for-life” H. Kamuzu Banda, of the permanent garden staff, and, most of the time, of some 50 prisoners as a working force), and one year in Botswana, where she underwent the interesting experience of being robbed while she was peddling along on her bicycle.

Evadene enjoyed playing card games with family and friends and, to please Tom, also in a mildly competitive setting. She read much, especially in connection with gardening.

She was preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Bert Watson and son-in-law, Peter Jensen.

Evadene is survived by Tom, her spouse of 59 years; daughters, Linda Odell of Morrow, Ohio, and Kitty Jensen of Yellow Springs; son and daughter-in-law, Andy and Beth Holyoke of Yellow Springs; grandchildren, Tristan and Alban Holyoke, David and Katie Odell, and Lila and Kumar Jensen; sister, Ruth Watson; three nieces; and many members of Tom’s extended family.

At Evadene’s request, her body was donated to the Medical School of Wright State University and there will be no public memorial service for her. Memorial contributions may be made if desired to Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420-1885.

Rickie Kincer Sr.

Rickie J. Kincer Sr. of Fairborn passed away on Jan. 28. He was 41.

He was born on May 7, 1965.

Mr. Kincer was preceded in death by his parents, D.W. Kincer, Sr. and Dorothy Kincer.

He is survived by two sons, Rickie J. Kincer Jr. of Altha, Fla., and Joshua A. Kincer of Fountain, Fla.; two daughters, Stacey A. Crews of Altha, Fla., and Rachel L. Kincer of Altha, Fla.; five brothers, D.W. Kincer of Springfield, Ohio, Tim Kincer of Fairborn, Ohio, DWayne Kincer of New Carlisle, Claude Kincer of Huber Heights, Matt Rainer of Springfield; one grandson, Ethan Kincer of Altha, Fla., and 19 nieces and nephews.

The family received friends at the Yellow Springs Christian Center, Yellow Springs, on Saturday, Feb. 3.