The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Janet Elaine (Sowers) Poling Ray

Janet Elaine (Sowers) Poling Ray, 92, of Troy, and formerly of Van Wert, entered heaven on Monday, May 28, 2018.

Janet Elaine (Sowers) Poling Ray

Janet was a homemaker, a secretary with Eaton Corporation (Aeroquip), worked at the Van Wert Times-Bulletin newspaper, and also worked at the Continental Can Company as a young woman. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, adoring grandma, supporting aunt, trophy-winning bowler, accomplished seamstress, and fun friend. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church while living in Van Wert and attended First Baptist Church while living in Troy.

She was born October 5, 1925, the daughter of Lewis K. and Margaret Ethyl (Longanecker) Sowers of Convoy, who both preceded her in death. She graduated from Tully Convoy High School in 1943. In 1945, she married James Vernell Poling of Hoaglin Township. They were married for 39 years and had five sons, three of whom survive. After the death of Vernell in 1984, she married Corwin “Doc” Ray of rural Convoy in 1986. Mr. Ray had three sons from a previous marriage. They were married for 29 years, until Corwin’s death in 2014.

She is survived by sons Dale Poling of Amelia, Ronald (Diana) Poling of Troy, Richard (Mary) Poling of Sherwood, Arkansas, and Don (Julie) Ray of Centerville; a sister, Sue (Chalmer) Plumley of Fort Wayne, Indiana; one brother, Robert (Pat) Sowers of Van Wert; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Two infant sons, Harold and Gerald; two stepsons, Roger Ray of Elkhart, Indiana, and Larry Ray of Findlay; three daughters-in-law, Mary Ray of Elkhart, Cara Ray of Findlay, and Alice Poling of Amelia; and brothers Richard Sowers of Van Wert, Gordon Sowers of Convoy, Darrell Sowers of New Haven, Indiana, and John Sowers of Convoy, also preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at noon Thursday, May 31, at Gearhart-Jurczyk Funeral Home in Convoy, with Pastors Jason Poling and Michael Rudolph, grandsons of the deceased, officiating. A graveside service will be held following the service at Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Visitation is from 10:30 a.m. until the time of services Thursday at the at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Heartland Hospice of Miami Valley, 580 Lincoln Park Blvd., Suite 320, Kettering, OH 45429-3493 or First Baptist Church, 53 S. Norwich Road, Troy, OH 45373.

Condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.

POSTED: 05/29/18 at 3:09 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries