General E-Mail: adtrib@bright.net
Newsroom E-Mail: atnews@bright.net
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1998
Elizabeth 'Betty' Leahy
Tiffin's 'Mrs. Democrat'
Elizabeth Clare ''Betty'' Leahy, 87, affectionately known as ''Mrs. Democrat,'' 275 W. Market St., died at 5:33 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1998, in the Intensive Care Unit of Mercy Hospital of Tiffin.
She was born in Conneaut April 12, 1911, to John and Mary (Shannon) Kelley. On Feb. 8, 1937, in St. Mary's Catholic Church, Conneaut, she married James C. Leahy. He died May 11, 1989.
Survivors include: three sons, James Patrick, Daniel Edward and Timothy Joseph Leahy, all of Tiffin; five daughters, Mrs. David (Susan Elizabeth) Aller of Royal Oak, Mich., Colleen Marie and Shannon Roseanne Leahy, both of Chicago, Ill., Mrs. Robert (Theresa Louise) Kline of Lake Havasu, Ariz., and Mary Catherine ''Molly'' Leahy of Anchorage, Alaska; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
An infant daughter, Bridget Jane; an infant son, Terrance Thomas; two brothers, James Cletus and Peter Cornelius Kelley; and a sister, Mary Kelley McGovern, are deceased.
Mrs. Leahy, a member of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church since 1937, was for many years the deputy registrar of the Department of Motor Vehicles in Tiffin, retiring in 1984.
She was the president of the Seneca County Federation of Democratic Women and also active in the Federated Democratic Woman of Ohio. She was a member of the Seneca County Democratic Executive Committee for more than 30 years and served as her precinct committee woman for many years. She was very active in the campaigns of many local and statewide Democratic candidates through the years.
She also served in various capacities with her church including serving as president of the Rosary Altar Society for a number of years; Daughters of Isabella, St. Francis Guild Home Auxiliary, The Emblem Club, which she served as an officer at various times; and the Seneca County Commission on Aging.
For many years, from the late Forties through the Sixties, she was involved with the Seneca County and Tiffin Girl Scouts. During her tenure as president of the Girl Scouts, a farm was purchased in Seneca County for Scout activities, which is in use today. For her service in Girl Scouting she received the Thank You Award from the National Board of Girl Scouts.
Mrs. Leahy also was honored by the Federated Democratic Woman of Ohio as the Ohio Democratic Women of the Year in 1987.
The Rev. Frank Murd will be the celebrant at the 10 a.m. Saturday funeral Mass in St. Mary Catholic Church, Tiffin, where the Rosary will be recited at 9:45 a.m. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation at the Hannay-Traunero Funeral Home will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Friday; a wake service will be at 3:30.
Memorials may be made to the St. Mary's School Tuition Assistance Fund.
Flora Elizabeth Koon
Fostoria homemaker
Flora Elizabeth Koon, 88, of 725 Columbus Ave., Fostoria, died at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1998, in the Good Shepherd Home, Fostoria.
She was born Feb. 27, 1910, in New York to Orville B. and Lula (Hill) Shafer. On Aug. 18, 1934, in Sodus Point, N.Y., she married Kenneth S. Koon. He survives in Fostoria.
Other survivors include: four daughters, Sheril Green and Joan Koon, both of Johnson City, N.Y., Susan Rhodes of Fostoria and Ann Larkins of Marietta, Ga.; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
A homemaker, Mrs. Koon had been a Girl Scout Troop organizer and leader for more than 50 years. Also a Girl Scout Day Camp director, she was a member of the Home Bureau, all of Maine, N.Y.
She also was a member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church, Endwell, N.Y.; she has served as its camp director.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Mrs. Koon had been employed as a substitute teacher at Maine-Endwell High School in New York.
Services will be private and there will be no visitation. The Hoening Funeral Home, Fostoria, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to Northminster Presbyterian Church, Endwell, N.Y., in care of the Hoening Funeral Home, 242 W. Tiffin St., Fostoria, OH 44830.
Jeannette Louise Phillips
Tiffin native/former store owner
Jeannette Louise Phillips, 91, formerly of 615 Foster St., Fostoria, died in the Good Shepherd Home, Fostoria, at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1998.
She was born in Tiffin, May 13, 1907, to Edward and Dais Mae (Myler) Flechtner. Her husband, William A. Phillips, whom she married June 18, 1932, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tiffin, died Feb. 27, 1961.
Survivors include: a daughter, Linda Kuhn of Fostoria; two granddaughters, Rachel and Anna Kuhn; and a brother, Edward ''Bud'' Flechtner of Tiffin.
Also preceding her in death were a sister, Gayle Stutz; and five brothers, Bryon, Paul, James, Ned and Bill Flechtner.
Mrs. Phillips, a 1925 Columbian High School graduate, was the owner/operator of Jeannette's Little Folks Shop (a children's clothing store) in downtown Fostoria for 35 years.
She was a member of St. Wendelin Catholic Church, Fostoria.
A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Wendelin Catholic Church, where the Rosary will be recited at 10. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation at the Hoening Funeral Home, Fostoria, will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Friday; a Christian Wake service will be at 8:30.
Memorials may be made to the church or a charity of the donor's choice.
Helen H. Schmitz
Former Clyde resident
Helen H. Schmitz, 85, of Stinchcomb Street, Fostoria, formerly of Clyde, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1998, in the Toledo Hospital.
Born June 11, 1913, in Clyde, to Joseph and Ellen (Guisinger) Sutter, she maried Gerald G. Schmitz, Jan. 16, 1934. He died Dec. 13, 1985.
Surviving are five children, Mrs. Paul (Nancy) Missler of Columbus, Gerri Brent of Fostoria, David Schmitz of Clyde, Mrs. Kenneth (Judi) Pappenfus, also of Fostoria and Thomas Schmitz of Union, Ky.; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Richard Sutter of Clyde.
Three sisters, Agnes Bookmyer, Marie Brutsche and Cecilia Held; and a brother, Cletus Sutter, also are deceased.
Mrs. Schmitz, a homemaker, had attended St. Joseph High School, Fremont.
She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Clyde, and was active in the Democratic Party in Sandusky County, where she was named ''Democratic Woman of the Year'' in 1980.
She was a long-time Clyde area resident before moving to Fostoria.
A funeral Mass in St. Mary's Catholic Church, Clyde, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation at the Mitchell-Auxter Funeral Home, Clyde, will be 6-9 p.m. Friday, where prayers will be said at 10:15 Saturday morning.
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame, Toledo, or Hospice of Sandusky County.