Muriel ‘Jean’ Adkins
Muriel “Jean” Adkins, 97, of Versailles, Indiana, passed away at 10:50 a.m. on Sunday, December 18th, 2022 at the Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville, Indiana.
She was born near Vevay on June 6th, 1925, the daughter of Everett and Juanita Ramseyer O’Day. Jean attended school in Vevay and upon her family’s move to Ripley County she graduated from Versailles High School in 1943.
She was married to Alfred Adkins in Corpus Christi, Texas on March 19th, 1944 and he preceded her in death on May 29th, 1987.
Jean was a long time clerical worker for the Jefferson Proving Ground, Ripley County Clerk, Treasurer and Auditor Offices and also cleaned homes for folks in the Versailles community. She was a volunteer for the Madison State Hospital for over 50 years and in her spare time enjoyed working crossword puzzles and reading. Jean had kept a diary of the everyday events in the life of her family for several years.
Jean was a member of the Tanglewood Baptist Church and was a member of the Versailles American Legion Auxiliary for over 50 years.
Survivors include her four sons: Timothy Adkins of Madison, Ted Adkins of Modesto, California, Pat Adkins of Akron, Ohio, and Tracy Adkins of Versailles; by her 18 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren; and by her three great great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, Jean was preceded in death by her parents; by her daughters: Denise Goodpaster and Melissa (Mitzi) May; by her sons: Tommy and Micheal Adkins; by her grandchildren: Garrett Goodpaster and Meghan May; by her great-grandson Ryan Davis; by her son-in-law David May; by her daughters-in-law: Velia Adkins and Normalene Adkins; and by her brothers: Earl O’Day and Nelson Graham.
Visitation was held on Monday, December 26th, at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 27th, with Reverend Becky Pohle officiating at the funeral home.
Burial was in the Vevay Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the Versailles American Legion Auxiliary in care of the funeral home.
Norma Chase
Norma Laverne (Tapp) Chase, age 79, of Vevay, passed away at 11:55 p.m. on Saturday, December 24th, 2022, at the Norton King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison.
Norma entered this life on July 16th, 1943 in Madison. She was the loving daughter of the late Walter and Mary Etta (Earls) Tapp. She was raised in Vevay, and was a 1961 graduate of Vevay High School.
Norma was united in marriage on July 1st, 1961 to Clarence “Buster” Chase, Jr. in Vevay. This happy union of over 61 years was blessed with four children: Dianna, Vicki, Mark and Jason.
Norma was employed for the U.S. Shoe Factory in Vevay, retiring in 1999, after 25+ years of service. She was later employed as a cage cashier for Belterra Casino & Resort in Florence, Indiana for several years and for the Vevay IGA for a few years.
Norma was a member of the Vevay Church of Christ in Vevay.
In her early years of life, Norma loved playing softball and bowling. Norma also enjoyed playing bingo, slot machines, bunco and working crossword puzzles. She loved watching game shows and attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and functions.
Norma will be missed by her daughters: Dianna South and her husband Jerry of Vevay and Vicki Peters of Vevay; by her sons: Mark Chase and his wife Shirlee of Independence, Kentucky and Jason Chase and his wife Jamie of East Enterprise; by her grandchildren: Chris Peters and his wife Chasity, Cody Peters and his companion Amber Johnson, Katie Ricketts and her husband Brett, Kelsi Robinson and her husband Chad, Allen Michael Chase and his wife Jennifer, Blaze Chase and his wife Olivia and Brett Chase; by her great-grandchildren: Zoey, Leo and Milo Ricketts, Oliver and Willa Robinson, Casyn and Caelynn Peters, Lincoln and Kinsley Peters, Teagan and Henry Chase and Autumn, Ivy and Marshall Chase; by her sister-in-law, Doris Chase of Florence, Indiana; by her brother-in-law Jesse Dale Edwards of Vevay; and by her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary Etta (Earls) Tapp; by her husband, Clarence “Buster” Chase, Jr., who died on August 4th, 2022; by her grandsons: Dylan James Chase and Jason Tyler Chase; by her brothers: Harry R. Tapp and Harold Vernon Tapp; by her sister Ella May Edwards; by her son-in-law, Charlie Peters; by her sister-in-law Beulah Tapp; by her nephew Walter Burke; by her nieces Pamela Sue Howard and Mary Ann Strout; by her great-nephew Brandon Michael Burke Pike; and her precious dog, ‘Fuzzy’, who died on October 2nd, 2022.
Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 29th, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana, 47043.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 29th, by Brother Shawn McMullen, at the funeral home.
Interment will follow in the New Liberty Cemetery in East Enterprise.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the New Liberty Cemetery Fund. Cards are available at the funeral home.
Donn Lorton
Donn William Lorton, age 96 of Madison, died at 11:55 p.m. surrounded by his loved ones on Monday, December 19th, 2022 at the Waters of Clifty Falls in Madison.
Donn entered this life on January 6th, 1926 in Springfield, Ohio. He was the loving son of the late John William “Bill” and Agnes Gertrude “Aggie” Balsis Lorton. He was raised in Springfield and graduated from Washington High School in Washington, Indiana in 1944.
Donn was inducted into the United States Navy on January 27th, 1944 in Washington, Indiana during World War II and rose to the rate of Seaman First Class and served aboard the USS Prince William CVE-31. He was honorably discharged on May 10th, 1946 at Great Lakes, Illinois earning the World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal and American Area Campaign Medal.
Donn returned home and was united in marriage on July 20th, 1946 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana to Mary Louise Stratman. This happy union of 28 years was blessed with Marilyn, Donna, Sarah, Patti, Michael and John.
Donn began a career in the power industry and worked for eight years for Ohio Edison in Springfield, Ohio and then moved to Madison in 1954 and worked as a shift engineer with the Indiana Kentucky Electric Corporation, retiring in 1988.
Donn was united in marriage after the death of his first wife to Mary Carol Stanner on October 15th, 1976 in Madison. Donn and Mary Carol blended their two families together and he accepted her children as his own.
Donn was a faithful member of the Prince of Peace Catholic Parish in Madison and had served as a greeter and usher, the Knights of Columbus, 3rd (Father Riehl 934) and 4th Degree (Prince of Peace Assembly 3002) serving (Navigator) and was instrumental in the Squires program, Fair Play Fire Company No. 1, the Major Samuel Woodfill Post No 9 of the American Legion, the Clearing House, Prince of Peace Parish Thanksgiving End of the month meals, Pro-Life, Birthline and served his community wherever needed.
Donn made his famous wooden pocket crosses with hearts and gave them and presented them wherever he could bless someone with the comment, Jesus died for all of us and our sins. He also enjoyed building floats for the Madison Regatta Parade and other events; one of his floats was of the Santa Maria and it traveled all over the State of Indiana and some of his floats of the American Flag did as well. He also volunteered multiple times in the Bronx with Mother Theresa and missionaries of charity.
Donn was presented with the honor of Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Frank O’Bannon in 2001 and two Kentucky Colonel accolades, first by Governor John Y. Brown in 1983 and Governor Paul Patton in 2000. He was awarded the Madison Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award at its annual banquet in 1991. Donn loved to travel with his wife and traveled with his daughter in 2009 to the Holy Land, a trip that he greatly enjoyed.
Donn will be missed by his loving wife of 46 years, Mary Carol Stanner Lorton of Madison; by his loving children: Marylyn Kirchner and her husband Joe, Donna Turner, Sarah Ray and her husband Danny, Patti Welsh, Michael Lorton and his wife Louise, Barbara McDonough and her husband Dennis, Scott Karst and his wife Michelle, John Lorton, and Beth Taylor and her husband Bryan; by his grandchildren: Tom Kirshner, Julie Lee, Jenny Baldwin, Louann Kirchner, Robert Turner, Jr., Daniel Ray, Kelli Schmidt, Buddy Welsh, Mandy Christensen, John-Michael Lorton, Mary-Louise Lorton, Lucy Lorton, Mindy Hoback, John McDonough, Jack Karst, A.j. Karst, Cody Taylor, and Cori Taylor; by his 38 great-grandchildren; by his 10 great great-grandchildren; by his loving sister, Maripearl Kitchen; by his sisters-in-law: Peggy Stratman, Gladys Stratman, Jeanette Hertz of Madison, Sally McKenna of Madison, and Susan Burke of Charlestown, Indiana; by his brother-in-law, Mike Scarff and his wife Nita of Madison; and by his several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his father, John William Lorton, who died on December 18th, 1973; by his mother, Agnes Gerturde “Aggie” Balsis Lorton, who died on December 9th, 1970; by his first wife of 28 years, Mary Louise “Mecie” Stratman Lorton, who died on February 5th, 1974; by his great grandson, Skyler Ray, who died on September 28th, 2016; and by his sisters: Eldora Marie Gaines, who died on March 28th, 2000, Martha Johnson, and Pauleen Bachellor; and by his son-in-law, Robert Turner.
Friends could visit the family on Tuesday, December 27th and on Wednesday, December 28th prior to the beginning of the service at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, 325 Demaree Drive in Madison, Indiana.
The Rosary was prayed at the Funeral Centre on Tuesday, December 27th.
Funeral services were conducted with full military honors by the Major Samuel Woodfill Post #9 of the American Legion, on Wednesday, December 28th, celebrated by Father Christopher A. Craig at the Prince of Peace Catholic Church in downtown Madison. Interment followed in the St. Joseph Cemetery in downtown Madison.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the ministries of Birthline, Pro Life (Prince of Peace) and Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Cards are available at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centres of Madison and Hanover or at the church.
Wanda Scranton
Wanda Lee (Sigmon) Scranton, age 78, of Fairview, Indiana, passed away at 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, December 25th, 2022, at the Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Vevay.
Wanda entered this life on December 6th, 1944 in Milan, Indiana. She was the loving daughter of the late Norman Francis and Pearl Leona (Cochran) Sigmon. She was raised on Red Hog Pike and was a 1963 graduate of Vevay High School.
Wanda was united in marriage on June 29th, 1963 to Donald Wayne Scranton at the Grants Creek Baptist Church. This happy union of over 59 years was blessed with five children: Lisa, Lora, Darian, Dwayne and Daniel.
Wanda was employed as Postmaster for the United States Post Office in Patriot, retiring in March of 2022 after 22 years of service. She was a sub postal employee for the Bennington Post Office and Patriot Post Office. She was a former employee for the Plastic Molding Factory in East Enterprise and for the Canning Factory in Rising Sun.
Wanda was a member of the Switzerland County Homemakers Club and enjoyed selling Stanley Home Products for several years.
Wanda was a former member of the Grants Creek Baptist Church, Fairview United Methodist Church and Bennington United Methodist Church. Wanda was currently a member of the New Life Fellowship Church in Vevay.
Wanda loved her family deeply and loved animals especially kitty cats and dogs. Wanda loved listening to music, sewing, crocheting, flowers and going to yard sales.
Wanda will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Donald Wayne Scranton of Fairview; by her daughters: Lisa Kay Jedding and her husband David of Aurora, Indiana and Lora Lee Shepherd and her husband Doug of Madison; by her sons: Darian Anthony Scranton and his wife Jill of Fairview, Dwayne Edwin Scranton of near Pleasant, and Daniel Iric Scranton and his wife Tonya of Patriot; by her grandchildren: Andrea, Aubrie, Kendall, Michelle, Tabetha, Joey, Logann, Lukas, Cole, Bella, Danielle, DJ, Charlotte and Rebecca; by her great-grandchildren: Justice, Brantley, Bralen, Brogan, Bryce, Baylor, Kylie, Eli, Addie, Fielding and Stella; by her special nephew, Harold Ray Scranton and his wife Lisa of Fairview; by her sister-in-law Connie Sigmon of East Enterprise; by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law: Harold Scranton and Louise Frazier of Fairview; and by several other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Norman Francis Sigmon; by her mother, Pearl Leona (Cochran) Sigmon; by her great-grandson, Briar Niko Scudder; by her brother, Francis E. “Fritz” Sigmon; by her sister, Christina Sigmon; and by her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Jerrie Ann Powers, Albert “Buster” Powers, Sr., Norma Jean Robinson, Robert Scranton, Grace Gentry and June Gentry.
Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, December 29th, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana, 47043.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 30th, by Pastor Larry Spoores, at the funeral home.
Interment will follow in the Vevay Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Keeping Pace Cancer Fund c/o Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. or Switzerland County Animal Shelter. Cards are available at the funeral home.