Vincent L. Smith

Vincent L. Smith of Convoy died at 4:40 a.m. Sunday, July 6, 2014, at his residence. He was born May 30, 1940, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the son of the late Charles and Opal (Lyon) Smith. He married Dianna (Hill) Smith, who also preceded him in death. Survivors include four children, Dawndee (Ken) Smith-Joyce of […]

Susan Kay Baksa

Susan Kay Baksa, 58, of Paulding, died Thursday, July 3, 2014, at her residence. She was born December 22, 1955, in Van Wert, the daughter of C. Eileen (Knittle) Rice and the late George E. Rice. On November 2, 1974, she married Roger W. Baksa, who survives. Other survivors include three children, Carrie Baksa of […]

Sharon L. Ashbaugh

Sharon L. Ashbaugh, 76, of New Haven, Indiana, died Sunday morning, July 6, 2014, at her residence. She was born October 30, 1937, in Paulding, the daughter of the late Robert and Alyce (Smith) Miller. She married David J. Ashbaugh, who preceded her in death on December 27, 2003. Survivors include two sons, John (Julie) […]

Evelyn Louise Heath

Evelyn Louise Heath, 92, of rural Van Wert, died peacefully, surrounded by her family, at 3:14 p.m. Friday, July 4, 2014, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born March 5, 1922, in York Township, Van Wert County, the daughter of the late Howard Silas Miller and Grace C. (Emerling) Rickman. On […]

Holiday at Home 2014

There were plenty of things to do on Friday during Van Wert’s Holiday at Home celebration of the Fourth of July holiday, as shown above. (VW independent photos by Jan Dunlap and Dave Mosier)

Patriotic Pops

The Lima Symphony Pops Orchestra played patriotic music and much more as it entertained a large crowd in Fountain Park on the Fourth of July. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)

A-G has new sex offender search service

Ohio Attorney General’s information COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association today unveiled a new reverse lookup feature accessible through the Electronic Sex Offender Registration and Notification (eSORN) Database, which is maintained by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Starting today, the new feature allows anyone to input unfamiliar phone numbers, email addresses, […]

Marjorie Marie Secaur

Marjorie Marie Secaur, 95, of Van Wert, died at 6 p.m. Friday, July 4, 2014, at Vancrest Health Care Center in Convoy. She was born September 23, 1918, in Van Wert, a daughter of the late Artie and Ola (Eller) Neiford. On September 21, 1940, she married Dwight D. Secaur, who preceded her in death. […]

Virginia Marie Holden-Gamble

Virginia Marie Holden-Gamble, 91, of Van Wert, died at 4:15 p.m. Friday, July 4, 2014, at Van Wert Manor. She was born February 20, 1923, in Toledo, the daughter of the late Ray Howard Kelsey and Gladys Marie (Gill) Kelsey-Billieu. She was divorced. Survivors include a son, Larry J. (Linda) Holden of Convoy; one sister, […]

Time to defend our veterans

In a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams wrote, “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epoch, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance […]