CLOUSE

William (Bill) Edgar Clouse, age 77, peacefully went home to be with his Lord and Savior on September 17, 2018 at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, OH. He was born June 14, 1941 to the late Edgar and Neva (Stetler) Clouse.

A 1959 graduate of Willshire High School, Bill went on to complete his undergraduate work at Manchester College, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Education. In the years to come, he would go on receive his Master of Science in Education from St. Francis University, an agriculture degree from Ohio State University, his Driver’s Education degree from Bowling Green State University, and his Master’ Plus from Wright State University.

Bill married the love of his life, Sharon (Hamrick) on August 21, 1965 and began a long career of changing lives in the school system. He began his teaching career at Parkway High School. He was hired to teach science and driver’s education on a beginning salary of $4,000. From there, he went on to teach physics for ten years before transitioning into teaching vocational agriculture in the new high school building and becoming an FFA advisor. Bill received many accolades throughout his career, including being named the district’s teacher of the year in the early 1970s and receiving the 15 year Agricultural Education Award in 1993. The highlights of his teaching career always center around his students, feeling a sense of deep pride as he watched them succeed and reach their dreams.

After retiring in 1993, Bill turned his attention to his family and his new hobby, driving a charter bus. For 17 years, Bill and his wife, Sharon, owned and operated Riverside Charter, Inc, taking buses full of people all over the Midwest and beyond. With every hand he shook and every story he told, he brought smiles to hundreds of people. He never knew a stranger and could make you feel welcome with a single smile or joke. After selling the business in 2012, Bill took his love to people to the church, staying actively involved at Praise Point of Willshire, OH. He greatly enjoyed greeting people every morning and hearing their stories, even if that meant he had to sit down. He also found a new love in woodworking and was always staying busy. He was never one to sit still when there was work to be done. He was, and will forever be, a model to his children, grandchildren, former students, and all the lives he has touched with his life. 

He is survived by his wife, Sharon and their three children: Lisa Boznango, Jeanne (Gary) Osterfeld, and Gregory (Kristi) Clouse; and six grandchildren: Brooke, Brennan, Matthew, Shannon, Isaac, and Michael. Also survived are two sisters: Sally (Paul) Wehr and Peggy (Sheldon) Betterly; and three brothers: Thomas (Nancy) Clouse, Jack (Gloria) Clouse, and Jon (Betty) Clouse.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018 at Praise Point Church with Pastor Brad Kittle officiating. Burial will follow at Willshire Cemetery in Willshire, Ohio.

The family will receive friends and family from 1 to 4 and 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 at Praise Point Church.

Preferred memorials are to Praise Point Church.

WILLIAMS

Michael Paul “Fergie” Williams, 63, of Rockford, Ohio, went home to be with his Savior and Lord on Monday, September 17, 2018. 

Mike was born on April 29, 1955, in Van Wert, Ohio, the son of Bill and Barb Williams of Mendon, Ohio.  Mike  married Deb Bilter of Celina, Ohio, on August 1, 1975. 

They had two daughters, April Christie Williams Vann, from Celina, Ohio,  and Heather Nichole Williams ( Andrew) Miller from Manchester, Tennessee.  They have 8 grandchildren:  Dilon Vann from Kentucky, Montanna and Rylee Vann from Rockford, Ohio,  Kaitlyn, Tommy, Logan, Ava, and Zane Miller from Manchester, Tennessee.  Mike has 3 sisters:  Carolyn Warnock of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Connie (Greg) Stoner of Cridersville, Ohio, and Millicent (Sean) Ireland of Willshire, Ohio; and one brother, Adam (Lisa) Williams of Mendon, Ohio. Mike has a brother-in-law, Denny (Faith) Bilter, from Marysville, Maryland, and two sisters-in-law Brenda (Tom) Lange of St. Henry, Ohio,  Shelly (Mark) Shaw of Celina; Mike had several nieces and nephews as well.

Deceased are his daughter, April Vann, his mother-in-law and father in-law, Don and Madlyn Bilter, and two brothers-in-law, Don Warnock and Mike Altenbach.

Mike graduated in 1973 from Mendon Union School.  He then worked at Huffy’s for 10 years; when they closed, he started work at the Budd Company in Van Wert, Ohio.  He worked there for 24 years, and retired from there. 

Mike was a member of New Horizons Church in Rockford, where he had been a Sunday school teacher; and he worked at EGGS on Friday mornings before school, where they cooked breakfast for children. 

Mike loved making woodworking items:  he made plaques, doll houses, rocking horses, shelves, tables and many other items.  And he loved John Deere items!  He loved trains and had two rooms of trains and liked to see how many he could run at the same time.  He enjoyed going out to eat with Fred Getz for breakfast and then doing “guy things”.  He loved coaching with Steven Keller when his daughter was in softball.  His greatest love was when he and Deb would go and visit their daughter Heather and son-in-law Andy and the grandkids in Tennessee.  He also was happy to raise April’s children.  He always said God never gives you more than you can handle.

Services will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at New Horizons Community Church in Rockford, with Pastor Dave Souers and Pastor Ken Meyer officiating. 

Burial will follow in Mt. Olive Cemetery, outside of Rockford.  Friends may call at New Horizons on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., and 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday.  Memorials may be directed to Van Wert In-Patient Hospice or to the Cancer Association of Mercer County. 

Condolences may be expressed at ketchamripley.com