Columbus Indiana Obituaries

[David Sechrest]

A word of explanation: Since this Historic Columbus Indiana Message Board is still rather new, I have elected to set up the board where I am the only one who can create "threads," or folders. I can envision that everyone who stops by here will create a new folder when they leave their message, and I envision that this could lead to a rather unruly, disorganized Message Board.

I have created Folder Topics for discussions. Please select the Folder topic you feel your comments pertain to. If I need to create a new Folder for a specific discussion, I will do so.

This folder should be considered as a sacred place where you can honor the passing of your family, relatives, or friends.

[David Sechrest]

Dean Knulf died at 10:31 am on Friday, July 2, 2004. He was 53 years old.
Dean was a high school friend of mine. We walked through the halls of CHS together, and drove through the streets on those nights when our driver's licenses were still adjusting to the newness of our wallets.
Although we lost touch with each other over the years, Dean would pop in and out of my life. I remember visiting his house in the early 1980's when he and Mary lived in that big white two story house on the south side of US 31 between Columbus and Taylorsville. I can't drive by it today without looking at it.
The last time I saw Dean was when Jack Fitzpatrick's mom passed away in February. We spent a short time together at the funeral home, catching up with each other's lives, and the last thing he said to me before we parted company that day was he wanted the old gang to get together sometime this summer. We exchanged several emails over the course of the passing months, discussing this website, and talking about all of us getting together sometime soon.
Well, it appears that we will all get together, but the circumstances surrounding the gathering will be to pay our respects to him. We will honor his memories, and share stories of our "glory days," yet he will remain quiet.
I'm sorry we waited too long, Dean...

[Ann Grady Fackler]

Hi Class of 1970-
I have just read about the recent death of Dean Knulf, and know that Dayla East of our class passed away this last year. Does anyone know the names of other people who have passed away from our class?
Thanks
Ann Grady Fackler

[David Sechrest]

Have you done a search for "J. Irwin Miller" on Google? If so, you've noticed that his death was covered in newspapers such as the L. A. Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, only to name a very few.

[Debbie Sexton Brock]

My brother, Gary Brock, passed away November 20, 1999. Gary graduated from Columbus High School in 1966. Gary played Little League with Dean's brother, Dennis. Our families spent a lot of time together in those days.

I am sorry to hear about Dean. My thoughts are with his family.

[David Sechrest]

For those of you who have followed the exploits of this message board and website, you know by now that I had a pretty bad go of it last year. My appendix ruptured in May of 2003, I was hospitalized for two months, and once I came home, I was pretty much homebound for the rest of the year. To only add to my own health issues, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2003, my dad came down with pneumonia and was hospitalized. Hospice sent him home a couple of weeks before Christmas, and said that dad's chances of survival weren't too good. On the night of Monday, December 22, 2003, my dad went to sleep, never go wake up again.
I spent Christmas eve at mom and dad's house. Dad was covered with a cream colored blanket and lay in a bed that hospice had provided. The bed was set up in the tv room. My mother and sister, along with some relatives, and myself sat there with the tv on, paying no attention whatsoever to the 24 hour weather station it was turned to. We talked of things present and things past and every now and then, I'd glance over at dad. His breathing was very labored. His body was slowly shutting down. Sometimes his body trembled when he breathed. Mom told me that, a couple of times, dad had called out for her in his sleep.
I sat on the couch with a huge regret hanging in front of me, and I wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. I had visited mom and dad prior to him getting pneumonia, and he and I got into a big fight. I sat on the couch, wondering what the fight was even about and couldn't remember. I regretted saying the words that came out of my mouth that day and I hoped dad would wake up just long enough for me to tell him that I was sorry and that I loved him, but I knew I would never get that opportunity. I sat in the room where we'd celebrated so many Christmases and memories of decked out Christmas trees and my kids waking up on Christmas morning filled my mind while I sat there on the couch, looking at my father.
Mom called me at 8:30 Christmas morning. She was crying, and I knew that dad had died. Even though I knew that dad was dying, when she spoke the words, they sounded surreal and distant. I knew dad was going to die, and I tried to prepare myself for this fact, but I don't think it is something you can prepare yourself for. It's still a shock.
Call me crazy if you like, but I honestly believe that my father visited me once before he died and once again after he passed on.
The first time was early in the morning on Christmas eve. It's been a family tradition in our home to set up my train set under the tree every year, and while I sat on the floor playing with the trains that ran around the tracks, I felt a very strong presence. It was as if someone was standing right behind me, watching along with me. The feeling was so strong, I turned around to see who was there, but no one was in sight.
The second time was Christmas night. I had just turned in and was lying in bed on my side. I distinctly felt someone pat my shoulder. It was a comforting pat, like the ones your father would give you when you were little, but when I turned over, no one was there...

Gleason "Leon" Sechrest was born January 25, 1919. Although my dad's first name was Gleason, I never heard anyone ever call him by that.
Dad's life was a rough one. His mom died when he was 9, and his dad moved in with another woman. The woman took in all of dad's brothers and sisters, but not dad. She didn't like him. Dad was more or less on his own at the age of nine (1928).
Dad went as far as the third grade and that was it. He worked odd-jobs and stayed with some people that took him in.
I remember a story he told me about riding the trains when he was young. He didn't have any money, but would travel around in search of work. Riding the trains was the way to go, but it was dangerous, and if you got caught, there was hell to pay from the guy that caught you.
One night, he left Chicago, Illinois on an old coal fired engine, and rode it to Mt. Vernon, Illinois. That's a pretty good clip, even by car in these days. He stood on the side of a boxcar, right behind the coal car. Black smoke from the engine was so thick that he couldn't see through it. When the train arrived in Mt. Vernon, he was literally froze and covered with black soot. He couldn't step off the car, but instead, fell off onto the platform. He glanced up at a temperature sign at the depot. It read -23 degrees. A man who knew dad passed by.
"Leon, is that you?"
The man took dad home, got him cleaned up, and gave him something to eat.
Dad worked alot of odd jobs. He said the hardest job he ever had was picking asparagus. I can't remember how much he got paid for the job, but he said it only lasted one day. They gave him a stick with a cutter on the end and a cone shaped bushel basket with a rope attached to it. You wore the basket over your shoulder and it hung down aside your leg. You walked the rows, clipping the asparagus, then bent over, picked it up, and threw it in the basket.
Dad spent the day picking asparagus and, when the day's work was finished, he had a huge blister on the side of his leg where the basket had rubbed against it.
That was it for picking asparagus.
Another time, he got a job working at a dairy. He spent his time doing manual labor. The guy who owned the dairy liked dad, and told him he was going to make him a delivery driver. Dad was happy about this promotion, but it only lasted one day. When he got out on the delivery route, he realized that he didn't know how to make change, something all of us don't even think twice about today...
With the outbreak of WWII, dad joined the navy and was assigned to the USS Piedmont. The USS Piedmont was a destroyer tender. Dad was on the deck of the USS Piedmont the day that Mount Hood blew up. Mount Hood was approximately 3500 yards from the Piedmont when it exploded in flames. Between Mount Hood and Piedmont was Mindanao. It sustained heavy damage from the explosion.
Dad told stories of battles on the seas. Japanese fighter pilots would come by so close that he could see their eyes.
The USS Piedmont was one of the first ships to reach port in Japan after the war ended. Dad watched them sign the treaties.
Dad moved to Columbus Indiana in 1939. Back in these days, the city block just north of the Courthouse (along 3rd between Washington and Jackson) was home of several bars. Dad said they used to have spitting contests along that sidewalk. Whether or not this was a statement regarding the city officials of this time is unknown to me...
My dad loved to do physical work. After the war, he worked for Reliance, a clothing manufacturer, located on Washington Street (the building just north of what used to be home to Dooley's Bagels). At that time, we lived on Jackson Street and he walked to work. I was too young to remember much about these days, but the house we lived in was an old shotgun style home. The old switching yard was behind our house, and that's where I first fell in love with trains...
Dad always did physical work. He worked for Stadler's for quite some time, and during my high school years, he was custodian for the Presbyterian Church. He worked there until he was diagnosed with histoplasmosis in the early 1970's.
Dad saw Columbus change and grow. He was outspoken and didn't hold many of his thoughts back. I have a feeling that this hindered him when it came to job promotions, and it also precipitated alot of our arguments, but in looking back at this point in time, I can honestly say that dad only spoke the truth.
One of my favorite sayings is from Mark Twain: "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."
I remember my dad as he would like for me to remember him. I think about him often, and visit his grave at Garland Brook. We have one-sided conversations with no arguments.
If I had to describe my relationship with my father, I would say that I was a selfish bastard. I was so busy trying to show my dad that I was grown up and could make my own decisions that I disregarded many things he said to me. I was too busy trying to show him that I could do things on my own and didn't need his help, or advice. But dad always gave me his advice regardless. Now I find myself wishing I would have looked at things in a different light.
I'm not saying that I'm a great writer, but I've always enjoyed plucking the keys on a keyboard. I've been writing on and off now for going on 36 years. I always thought I got this from my mom, probably because mom was more educated than dad, but throughout the years, I realized that I got this trait from dad. He used to sit and write at the kitchen table. He wasn't half bad, either.
I told myself I was going to sit down with dad and get his stories on tape. I told myself this years ago, and always added that there's plenty of time to do this. Now, the time is up, and I blew the chance. He took many of those wonderful, eye-opening stories with him when he left.
My dad loved music. We had an old 45 record player that sat on a table in the living room on Center Street. We'd go shopping downtown on Saturday afternoons, and chances were pretty good that dad would pick up a 45 or two at Murphy's. We'd sit in the living room on Saturday nights and play those 45's, sometimes the same one over and over. My dad gave me, not only an appreciation of music, but an appreciation for different kinds of music, and we'd sit in that little living room and listen to rock n' roll, soul, country, easy listening, and classical music all in the same night...

Dad--wherever you are, I love you and wish you a Merry Christmas...

Your son David

[Pat Hagerman]

With dismay and surprise, I found out about Dean Knulf passing this last week when I called UPS in Indianapolis about my impending retirement in two years.
The lady in personnel proceeded to tell me about Roy Burke, Jerry Durham and Dean.

Dean and I were good buddies as well as our wives during my tenure at the brown drop of chocolate.

Dean was someone I could always go to along with Dave Alvis and Mike Hardin and share what was on my mind.
He was so damn friendly and so giving from the heart.
Columbus lost a man I would take a bullitt for.

I pray for his family Mary and the girls....

I did not expect life to change so quickly here. I hope to see him again some day in heaven and I will .
God bless you buddy. You touched my life so much.
All the best
Pat and Sharryl Hagerman
828-675-9843

[BobLane]

Hi David and fellow CHSers, I am glad to see the obit pages start to work. I will send one of my Brotherm Gary Lane, soon. He died a few years ago. What I'm writting about is an obit I saw in the Indy Star, a mini-obit on Danial Elgin Dooley.He may be family to someone I thought a lot of when in high school. This is really important to me. I would like to know. Due to the generosity of the Republic, we have to be a paid subscriber to the paper to read the complete obit. If you or a reader could copy and e-mail the full obit to me I would really appriciate it. He died on 12/28/04. Probably in the paper on the 29th or 30th. Bob Lane [e-mail]

[David Sechrest]

Bob

Daniel Dooley's obit was in the Republic, December 29, 2004. It was listed as "Arrangements incomplete," which means normally that more information will follow.

The obit read as follows:

Daniel Elgin Dooley, 70, of Columbus, died 12:45 pm Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at his residence. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Dooley. Arrangements are incomplete at Myers Funeral Service, Reed and Jewell Chapel.

I checked the the December 30th and 31st editions, plus January 1st, and no further word, but the January 1st edition did not include any obits.

Maybe more information will be offered in tomorrow's paper...

[BobLane]

Thanks, David, I hope more complete news will follow. I appreciate your effort. BobLane

[David Sechrest]

I picked up the paper this morning only to find that Bob Chappell has passed on. Bob was a teacher at Columbus High School during the years (1968-1970) I spent there. Bob taught biology.

Here is the complete obit as published in the Republic:

Bob Chappell, retired North teacher, tennis coach, dies

Bob Chappell, 81, of Columbus died Friday, December 31, 2004 at Franklin United Methodist Community. Mr. Chappell was a US navy veteran, serving in WW II. He received a bachelor's degree from Evansville College, and received a master's degree from Purdue University. He completed postgraduate work at New Mexico Highlands University, the University of Arizona, the University of Oklahoma, Murray State College, and Boyce Thompson Institutue in New York. He taught biology at Redkey High School from 1955 to 1959. From 1959 until his retirement in 1985, he taught biology at Columbus North High School. He coached the Columbus North Tennis Team from 1959 to 1994. During his 36 year tenure as coach, Mr. Chappell had a record of more than 500 wins. In addition to posting an 80 percent win-loss record over his career, Mr. Chappell's players won 18 South Central Conference championships, 16 sectional titles, nin regional crowns, and four semistate titles. In 1992 Mr. Chappell was inducted in the Indiana Tennis Hall Of Fame. Along with Bob Burnett, Mr. Chappell developed the first formal tennis program at Columbus Parks and Recreation, providing years of instruction for children and adults. He was an avid fisherman and wrote a weekly column for the Republic. A memorial service will be at 2pm Tuesday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Kaetzel officiating. Bartholomew County Veterans Color Guard will perform a military salute after the service. A second memorial service will be at 2pm Wednesday at the Methodist Church in Huntingburg. Family will receive friends after each service at the churches. Memorials may be made to Hospice of South Central Indiana, the Alzheimer's Association, or to Just Friends Adult Day Care.
Born April 26, 1923, in Huntingburg, Mr. Chappell was the son of Hobart and Minnie Hollander Chappell. He married Sue Lukemeyer. Survivors include his wife; daughters, Sandy Brown of Beverly Hills, CA, Sara Scott of Carmel and Susan Fields of Flat-Rock; a son, J. R. Chappell of Beverly Hills; grandchildren Ashley and Charlie Scott, both of Carmel; a sister, Rosemary Freson of Huntingburg; and a brother, Jerry Chappell of Holland. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Hobart and Jack Chappell; and a sister, Jewell Jenkins.

Although I didn't know Bob personally, he was a great teacher, and I'm most certain that his impact on the lives of his students will carry him thoughout many more years...

[David Sechrest]

Am I the only person that reads the Republic that thinks the word "officiating" is a bad choice of words to be used in the Obituaries section? Every time I read the word, I flinch. I associate the word with sports, and feel it has no place in any obituary whatsoever.

I have read other obits in other papers, and haven't run across this word being used before.

It seems to me that a version of "preside" would be a more comforting word, and make this sad time sound like something less than a sporting event.

[BobLane]

Obituary for:
Gary Roger Lane, born September 13, 1939, slipped over to his heavenly home on March 31, 1998 at age 58. Gary was married to Mary Hatcher. They had twins, a boy and a girl, Keith and Kelly. They all now live near Atlanta GA.
Gary graduated from Columbus North in 1957, later attended the Greenville collage at Greenville, IL. Majoring in accounting. Gary and family lived most of their lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL. where he worked as commercial account manager. Gary’s Parents, Robert and Hazel preceded him in death. He has one brother, Bobby Lane, Indianapolis.
He lost his battle with an extreme case of Arthritis, and complications to the rest of his health. He is missed a lot by all of us.

Submitted by: Bob Lane Jan. 7, 2005

[Margo CHS Class of 55]

Dear Bob,
May I express my condolences on the passing of your brother, Gary Lane. From your messages I have read, you and Gary must have been very close. Our family was brought up that way, and I can remember many family Reunions celebrated at Donner Park each summer. Life was good during the 40's and 50's and it was a great blessing to grow up in Columbus. Your 5th Street friend, Margo McCalip Hughey

[Margo CHS Class of 55]

JUDY ECKLES ARBUCKLE CHS Class of '55

Judy Eckles Arbuckle passed away 7-05-02. Judy lived at 17th and Elm Streets and was a very close friend of mine all through High School. I spent many a night at her home for slumber parties, and enjoyed walking to school with her as we entered High School. She later moved to 13th and Grand, and it was a much closer walk from there.
After graduating in '55 she was married that summer to Bob Arbuckle, who was serving in the AF at that time. Together they had 4 children, 3 boys, 1 girl. When I married Bill Hughey in '57 we had 4 girls. We always remained close and our children grew up together. The 4 adults would gather for Euchre games on the weekends and the children all played together. Her mother, Lela Eckles made the best home made pies and noodles. Judy was allowed to drive their family car after the ball games. She just had to take her dad Bill, to work at the Public Service Substation first. Many times we all piled into her car and " did the drag" down Washington Street to celebrate our victories with Bill Stearman as coach to our "Impressive Bulldogs"!! We all managed to chip in our small allowances to buy $.50 to $.75 worth of gas. It had to register at the same mark when she picked her father up, as Bill always checked the gauge.
Many, many fond memories shared with her at school and at First Baptist Church. She was a original member of our "Class of '55 Saturday Lunch Bunch" that meets every month at Grindstone Charlies'. The first lunch there were three classmates, now we are close to 30 from the Columbus Area.
Judy, we miss you sorely, but are comforted in the fact we shall meet one day again in heaven.
Even though we were not sisters by birth, God put us together as "Sisters in Heart" Margo McCalip Hughey

[Margo CHS Class of 55]

BETTY NIEMOELLER QUILLEN ~ ~ CHS Class of '55

Betty passed away 1-28-04. I was not as close to her during High School but renewed our friendship at the monthly Saturday Lunch Bunch gatherings. She married Clayton Quillen and they had two daughters. Betty and Clayton lived on 11 ( former 31) close to Daughtery Cemetery. She had an ongoing hip problem so did not venture out much except to Church in Jonesville. She really enjoyed coming to the Lunch Bunch and chatting with the classmates.
Betty , you too are missed and I know some day we will meet again in heaven. Your friend and Classmate.. Margo McCalip Hughey

[Margo CHS Class of 55]

GLENN L. FLINT Aug.4,1926 ~ ~ March 4,2005

Glenn L. Flint passed to Heaven on Friday, March 4th 2005 . Glenn is survived by his spouse, Sally Swope Flint , a son, Lt. Eric Reeves Flint, Chaplain US Navy, daughters Ellen Flint Godfrey and Diane Flint Robison.

Glenn was a Navy Vet and served on the USS Midway during WWII. He was a retiree from Arvin, ham radio operator, pilot, and an award winning photographer.

I first met Glenn one year at the Commons when the Ham operators had gathered at Christmas time to send messages to Active Duty Military overseas.

I asked him to send a message for me to my two brothers, Jim in the Navy, and Bill Turpin in the Army. I could tell he was extremely pleased to be offering this service, and I will never forget how kind he was to me that day.
His wife, Sally Swope Flint, is a classmate of mine and is also a member of First Baptist Church ,where the services were held.
May you rest in peace, Glenn... your friend, Margp McCalip Hughey

[nanc]

April 11, 2005

As I prepare to go to my uncle's 100th birthday celebration in Texas this week, (John Hughes, CHS class of 1924), I decided to "test" my computer skills and launch into a search for Jim Maple, last known whereabouts: TEXAS. And that is surely like looking for a needle in a haystack!

Jim, younger brother and sister, David and Louise, and some even younger siblings I did not know, lived over by Cummins, attended Garfield, and were some of the neighborhood kids that I played with. I had the basketball hoop in the neighborhood, so many were the times that the guys were at my house for a game of HORSE, or one on one.

In elementary school, without a doubt, Jim was the brightest kid in the class. He hated to copy down the math problems, and never, ever showed his work. AND always got in trouble with the teacher for that, and can recall "sticking up for him." Might add, he always got 100% on those math papers. In return, when the teacher, and it does seem it might have been Miss Yeager, would complain about my messy desk Jim would verify that I had just cleaned it out. ;D

Probably around Jr. High years, Jim and his family moved to North Vernon, but would return to Columbus and visit. Not quite sure just "how," but not too long after we moved to California, we had a call telling us that David was out here, had been in a serious motorcycle accident, and was in the hospital, and would we go and see him. And we did. Jim went on to college, Purdue, I think, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

More years passed, and the beginning of the building of the Alaskan Pipeline. Jim was working for Exxon, I believe, and was going to be "on loan" for the building of the pipeline. En route to Alaska, he stopped by and we had a long, long visit. And in the last 25 years + I had lost touch with him and his family, wife Betty, and two daughters.

Now into the world of technology, I did search yesterday as to Jim's whereabouts. Got about 99% of the info necessary, and shy, I ain't, so made a well placed call. It was probably one of the saddest calls I have ever made, and on the other hand, one of the most refreshing phone visits I have ever had.

Indeed, I reached Jim's wife, Betty. The sad part was when she told me that Jim had passed away about 3 1/2 years ago, and David passed about a year or so ago. That was the tough part of the call. From there we began chatting and sharing memories, and I had never ever met Jim's wife, but could share about people, Jim and David, that had had great meaning in our lives. We had the best time. Louise is living somewhere in Indiana. And Betty planned to alert Louise to this site, and I really hope that she, too, will post eventually. I'm sorry, but I know Betty told me of David's family, and I just can't recall the details.

Betty told me that Jim was recognized by the people building the Alaskan pipeline, and up near Fairbanks, in Fox, Alaska, there is a memorial monument dedicated to Jim and his work on the project. As far as she knows, Jim was the only individual to be so recognized. And yes, he was the brightest kid in elementary school!!!!

The good Lord was surely guiding me yesterday, as had I waited a day, Betty would have been out of town to attend her sister's funeral in Indiana. My condolences to her and her family.

In closing, I submit this sad news and great recollections in memory of Jim and David Maple. Thanks for the memories, God bless all.

Nanc Stevens

[Louise Maple]

Dear Nancy, Betty called me right away and said that she didn't know if I knew you! Even though I didn't play with you, I was a little younger, I knew all about you. I recognized your name instantly when Betty mentioned it.
Dave had mentioned that you visited him after his accident..very appreciative.
I appreciate your praise of Jim's intellect. You can see why I wanted to be like him. I wanted to also be like Dave. He won the chin-up competitions at Boys Club for several years. More than 20! I even think it was 30.
Later after returning from California where he spent 9 months in a cast--must have been horrible to not be able to get around as you know he would have wanted to do. So he would get his friends to lower him to the ground and he would do push-ups with the cast on! Then he learned to do one-handed push-ups with the cast on!!! After he returned to Indiana I watched him do 100 push-ups and then immediately do 10 one handed push-ups!
I really had a couple of terrific guys for models.
Betty said you two had a great conversation. Later I called Dave's wife, Bertha, and she recognized your name instantly, too. You were very important to both of my older brothers. When they would reminisce about Columbus, your name was always mentioned. It is funny that you mentioned Miss Yeager--she just recently died! She was 100 years old. She also was Bertha Maple's aunt. Bertha doesn't have happy thoughts of her either. tee hee.
I have other thoughts and questions so we can get in contact later. OK?
Louise Maple Cummings--My friends in Columbus often called me Sue Maple.

[nanc]

Louise, Sue, whatever, I am thrilled!!!!

Oh, am so glad that I made one more check of this site before I signed off this AM. It is just so great that you posted. And yes, your brothers were mighty good role models, and you have every right to be ever so proud.

I have always so treasured their friendships. And you really need to check out this website for all the memories that are being posted. They will definitely brighten your day. I am just enchanted with David's efforts to make this website just wonderful. Not only all the history, but the message boards that are increasing each and every day, and filled with random memories.

Think if you click on my name in the posts, you will come up with my profile and my email address. And by all means, promise me, you will keep in touch. Last night I called my best friend in Columbus, Donna Hollenbeck, a little redhead, they called us Mutt and Jeff, that lived on Maple between 6th and 7th, to relate my conversation with Betty yesterday. As sad as that conversation was, it was, on the other hand, just so great. For ever so many reasons. So glad that you are here!!!!

With love to all of you, and fond memories,
Nanc