December 16, 2004

 

OBITUARIES

Evelyn J. Smith

Evelyn J. Smith of Yellow Springs died Wednesday, Nov. 10, at her residence at Friends Care Community. She was 75.

She was born on Dec. 8, 1928, at her home in Xenia.

She was known around the village as the “walking grandma.”

Evelyn and her husband, Richard, spent hours with their daughters reading poetry, literature, listening to classical music, as well as participating in other family activities such as board games, picnics and camping trips. A teacher of history and English who taught for many years at the Ohio Soldier’s and Sailor’s Orphanage Home in Xenia, Richard died at age 60 in 1986. Richard’s home as a child was this orphanage, an experience that made it important to him that his daughters, Sheryl McCormick and C.J. Leet, have a full-time mother and father.

Evelyn’s eight grandchildren benefited greatly from her giving and selfless nature. Toward the end of her life, when her great-grandchildren were born, she seemed to shine most brightly, and her love will sustain her great-grandchildren as they move forward through life. She was the personification of love to all who knew her, including her biological family and to those who called her mom, grandma and friend. She believed that humans are all the same sparks of the only truth: love.

She is survived by her daughters, Sheryl McCormick of Yellow Springs and C.J. Leet of Florida; grandchildren, Christina and Kelley Fox, Michael Spencer, Craig McCann and Samantha Stewart, all of Yellow Springs, Douglas McKenzie of Florida, Molly McCormick of Kettering and Casey McCormick of Dayton; great-grandchildren, Tyler, Kelsey and Alisia Fox, Cindy Ferguson, Symon Spencer, Kaitlynn McCann, Marcus McCormick and Matthew McCormick; five great-great-grandchildren, Ashley, Emilee, Taylor, Timothy and Kalista; and three of her seven siblings, Robert Turner of Palo Alto, Calif., Melvin Turner of Hillpointe, Wisc., and Mary Mabel Turner of New Orleans.

In keeping with her giving and selfless lifestyle, Evelyn donated her body to Wright State for medical research. There will be no memorial service. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Friends Care Community or Hospice of Dayton.

Helen K. Kellogg

Helen K. Kellogg died peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 28, in Chicago. She was 85.

She was born in Chicago on May 29, 1919, the daughter of Nancy and Gottfried Klement.

Helen considered Yellow Springs her second home, since her husband, James, resides at Friends Care Community.

She was a lover of the arts and an accomplished water colorist, as well as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents and five siblings.

She is survived by her husband; sons, Dennis and Scott and his wife, Linda; and daughter, Susan Steffey; six grandchildren, David, Leslie, Peter, Elaine, Philip and Alexander; and two great-grandchildren, Aiden and Evan.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 4, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago. A casual memorial service will be held Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 10:30 a.m., at Friends Care Community, with a reception following at the Yellow Springs home of Scott Kellogg, Helen’s son.

Memorial donations may be made to the Greater Chicagoland Food Depository, which can be reached at 773-247-3663 or www.chicagofoodbank.org.

Rebecca Ann Goldstein

Rebecca Ann Goldstein (Becky Brown) died on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at her home in Bellingham, Wash., where she had lived for the past six years, near her two brothers, Matt and Rick. She was 56.

She was born on Sept. 9, 1948, in Yellow Springs.

She had an unexpected, short battle with cancer and was surrounded by family and friends when she died.

She was a free spirit and kept a sense of humor throughout her illness. She managed to cross off a few things on her “to-do list” in her last days, including a trip in a helicopter and savoring an unusual Thanksgiving treat.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret J. “Peggy” Brown; and her husband, Marc Goldstein, of New Bedford, Mass., where she lived for many years and raised her two sons.

She is survived by her sons, Nick Goldstein, of Washington, D.C., and Luke Goldstein, of Los Angeles; brothers, Matt and Rick of Bellingham, Wash.; and her father, Thomas Brown of Absecon, N.J.

An informal open house in her home will be held for neighbors, friends and family who wish to share their thoughts and memories of Becky on Sunday, Dec. 19, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Clyde Michael Wethington

Clyde Michael “Hippie” Wethington died on Thursday, Dec. 2, at home, surrounded by family and friends. He was 64.

He was born in Huntington, W.Va., on April 3, 1940, the son of Bernard A. Wethington and Mary Elizabeth Bell. He was raised in Louisville and worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for over 30 years.

Clyde was a husband, father, best friend, volunteer firefighter, bird watcher and bartender for the American Legion. He was a path builder and an explorer who left gentle but profound footprints. He was kind, generous, and a trustworthy man who walked his talk. Most of all he had a smile, quick wit and twinkle in his eye that made people want to get to know him. He always claimed to be a hermit yet his life was full of people who loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Rosann Miller-Wethington of Jemez Springs N.M.; his children, Rachel and her husband, Rob Zwelling, Kent Wethington, and Shelby Wethington of Columbus; stepchildren, Shane Johnson of Jemez Springs, Selanie Johnson and her husband, Eli Hurwitz of Yellow Springs, Steven Johnson of Charleston, S.C.; grandchildren, Zachary, Brandi and Tanner Zwelling; stepgrandchildren, Tyler Krystene Johnson, Aza Rose Hurwitz and Marjorie Wethington of Louisville; and the Wethington clan of Owensboro, Ky.

A memorial service will be held in Jemez Springs, N.M., on Sunday, Dec. 19. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul Catholic Church on Saturday, Jan. 29, at noon. A potluck reception at the Glen Helen Ecology Institute will start at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Glen Helen Ecology Institute.

William P. Barron

William P. Barron of Xenia died Tuesday, Dec. 7, at his residence. He was 81.

William was born on Sept. 5, 1923, on his father’s farm in Pulaski County, Ky. He attended Bobtown Schools before moving prior to World War II to Dayton, where he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served as a ship’s cook second class aboard the escort carrier U.S.S. Tripoli CVE-63, in the North and South Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. He was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal WWII Victory Medal, the American Theater Medal, the European Theater Medal and the Asia-Pacific Theater Medal.

After the war he was employed as a rubber parts press operator at NCR in Dayton until he retired in 1975. He was a longtime member of the Old Timer’s Club, the Dayton Chapter of Mended Hearts and the UAW. He belonged to the First Baptist Church of Fairborn for over 50 years.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Rosalie “Kitty” Barron; his parents, William Mathias and Ida E. (Whittaker) Barron; sisters Ora Mae Meece and Lucille Hayre; and brothers Joe Barron, Hershel Barron and Earl Barron.

He is survived by his daughter, Linda Campbell of Xenia; three sons and their spouses, William P. Barron Jr., Philip and Pam Barron of Xenia and David and Betty Lou Barron of Yellow Springs; grandchildren, Donald and Loretta Barron of Paradox, Colo., Jessica and Brandon Hawkins of Seattle, Karen and Ryan Gibbs of Xenia, Brant and Becca Watson of Delphos, Terri and Jarrett Murray of Xenia, Paul and Ruth Barron of Jamestown, and Danny Barron of Yellow Springs; seven great-grandchildren; sister Thelma Minnich of Bakersfield, Calif.; and brothers and their wives, Gene and Velma Barron of Dothan, Ala., and Beecher and Alberta Barron of Franklin, Ky.

Services were held Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Newcomer Farley Funeral Home, with burial following at Byron Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Hospice of Dayton.

William C. Banks

William Charles Banks of Xenia died on Tuesday, Dec. 7, in his residence. He was 56.

He was born Dec. 8, 1947, in Hope, Ark., the son of Alice Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, DeAnne “DeeDee” Banks and one brother, Herman Banks.

He is survived by four daughters, Dannette “Punkin” Banks of Xenia, Yvette Anderson of Xenia, Michell Morris of Wilberforce and Charla of Yellow Springs; son, Shawn Porter of Florida; sister, Laura Shepherd of Mansfield; granddaughter, Tamerah Jabbar; and the mother of his daughter, Mildred “Sissy” Banks.

Graveside services were held Saturday, Dec. 11. Porter-Qualls Funeral Homes are in charge of arrangements.