Byron Wayne Showalter

Byron Wayne Showalter, 89, of Pleasant Township, went to be with his Lord Tuesday evening at Mercy Health in Lima.

He was born October 24, 1930, in Van Wert County, the son of Byron A. and Eva (Lare) Showalter, who both preceded him in death. On November 4, 1950, he married the former Louise C. Hoffmann, and she survives.

Other survivors include his children, Anita (Larry) Gentry of Van Wert, Bruce W. (Beth) Showalter of Van Wert, and Christina (Michael) Heldwein of Independence; a sister, Vivian Oechsle of Van Wert; seven grandchildren, Ben (Ashley) Showalter, Stephanie Showalter, Ashley (Chris) Gentry, Laura Gentry, Joshua Heldwein, Grace Heldwein, and Bea Smith; and six great-grandchildren, Kaileigh, Mackenzie, Mason, Fallan, Will, and Alexandria.

A brother, Richard Showalter, also preceded him in death.

Wayne was a 1948 graduate of Van Wert High School and a Korean War veteran of the U.S. Army. He had been a machinist at New Idea in Coldwater, a field representative for the Aid Association for Lutherans, and retired from farming. He was an active member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, having served as chairman of the congregation, an elder, and treasurer, and was on the cemetery board. He was a member of the Van Wert Camp of Gideons International, the Lutheran Laymen’s League, the Van Wert County Farm Bureau, American Legion Post 178 of Van Wert, and served on the board of the Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Harrison Township, with Pastors Timothy Sims and Roger Peters officiating. Burial will follow in Evangelical Protestant Cemetery in rural Van Wert County, where military honors will be rendered by combined units of Legion Post 178 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803, both of Van Wert. 

Visitation is from 3-8 p.m. Friday, January 31, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert, and an hour prior to services Saturday at the church.

Preferred memorials: Gideons International, St. Thomas Endowment Fund, or Worship Anew.

Condolences may be expressed at cowanfuneralhome.com.