Clara Delores Zook, 94, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, at Oak Woods Manor, La Porte.

She was born March 28, 1926, in Michigan City, Ind., to Dewey and Hattie (Killingbeck) Fogus.

Clara was a beautician for many years. She enjoyed shopping and spending time sharing with her friends.

On March 7, 1953, in Michigan City, she married Clifford D. Zook, who preceded her in death in 2000.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and son, Douglas A. Zook.

Surviving Clara are her children, Carla (Robert) Cook of La Porte and Darryl (Sheri) Zook of San Antonio, Tex.; 3 grandchildren, Chad (Rebekah) Zook of New Braunfels, Tex., and Kyle Zook and Nick Zook of  San Antonio; and sister-in-law, Tammy Zook of San Antonio.

A private family burial will take place at Pine Lake Cemetery, La Porte. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date. Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte, is handling arrangements.

Memorial donations may be made to the family c/o Carla Cook, 2900 Monroe St., La Porte, Ind. 46350, or to the donor’s choice.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Gabriella Grace Swager passed away Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at Northwest Health-La Porte.

She was born Dec. 14, 2020, in La Porte, Ind., to Nahul L. and Marisa R. (Garcia) Swager.

Gabriella Grace was a beautiful, sweet girl. She is loved by so many individuals. Her beauty and spirit will lift us up forever.  Gabriella Grace will forever be missed by her mommy, daddy and sister.

Surviving Gabriella are her parents; sister, Lilyana R. Swager; grandparents, Amy Puentes, Theresa Loera, and Jackie and Jorge Loera; and bonus grandparents, Joy and Chris Sizemore.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother, Virginia Swager.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte, with Pastor Jeff Zigler officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Lake Cemetery, La Porte. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the service Saturday at the funeral home.

Due to the recent Governor’s Order, anyone attending the visitation and/or service is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing of 6 feet. Also, the funeral home is limited to 50 people in the building at any given time. They kindly ask for your patience as they oversee these mandated guidelines.

Memorial donations may be made to the family c/o Nahul Swager, 2900 Monroe St., La Porte, Ind. 46350.

Messages of condolences may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Jeffrey Robert Toutloff, 63, of Trail Creek, Ind., passed away peacefully at 4:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, at Life Care Center of Michigan City, Ind.

He was born Dec. 21, 1956, in La Porte to Robert Chester and Cecelia Therese (Gallagher) Toutloff.

Jeffrey honorably served in the United States Marine Corps.

Surviving are two sisters, Mary Elizabeth (Steven) Peterka of Trail Creek and Ann Marie (William) Sandy of Spring, Tex.; two brothers, Steven Toutloff of Beaumont, Tex., and Paul Toutloff of Trail Creek; and many nieces and nephews.

His parents preceded him in death.

Cremation will take place. A private inurnment will take place at a later date in Marion National Cemetery, Marion, Ind. Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory, La Porte, is handling arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Dunes Hospice, 4711 Evans Ave., Valparaiso, Ind. 46383, or www.duneshospicellc.com/donations, in loving memory of Jeffrey Robert Toutloff.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.LakeviewFHC.com.

Caden Asher Mancuso, age 1, of Michigan City, Ind., passed away Dec. 12, 2020, at Franciscan Hospital in Michigan City, Ind.

He was born Dec. 5, 2019, in South Bend, Ind., the son of Elizabeth Mancuso.

Caden loved playing with his brother and his mother singing to him. He enjoyed watching TV shows with lots of lights.

He is survived by his mother; brother, Colton Mancuso; and two great-grandparents, Patricia and Jerry Dunn. 

The family will receive friends at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, La Porte, Ind., on Tuesday, Dec. 22, from 2 to 3 p.m. A life celebration will be held at 3 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor David Swartz officiating. Cremation will take place. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the family in Caden’s name. 

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com.

Norman “Ed” Dierdorf, 73, of Michigan City, Ind., passed away peacefully at 9:04 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, at Franciscan Health, Michigan City.

He was born June 9, 1947, in Michigan City to Paul E. and Nora Mae (Bedwell) Dierdorf.

Ed was a Vietnam veteran who honorably served in the U.S. Navy. He was a steelworker for Bethlehem Steel, then continued the trade at Arcelor Mittal. Prior to steel work, Ed was a volunteer fireman for Pines Fire Department in Michigan City. He loved motorcycles, attended car shows frequently and was a lifetime member of the North American Hunting Club. Ed loved his dog, Dazy, and loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was a really good chef. Ed was a very caring person who would give the shirt off his back to someone who needed it.

He is survived by one daughter, Gabrielle (Anthony) Osowski; two brothers, Kenneth (Pam) Dierdorf of La Porte, Ind., and Paul Edward Jr. of Michigan City; three grandchildren, Noah Osowski, Jayce Osowski and Dominick Osowski; close cousin, Richard (Jean) Byers of Union Pier, Mich.; and his close friends, Sue Hullinger and Paul (Paulette) Brown.

Preceding him in death were his parents and one sister, Marcella Bearickx.

A celebration of his life will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory, La Porte, with Pastor Bob Vale officiating. Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. until the service Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family c/o Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory, 247 W. Johnson Rd., La Porte, Ind. 46350.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.LakeviewFHC.com.

Nina May Campbell, 92, of La Porte, Ind.,  passed away Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020.

She was born Dec. 8, 1928, in Crawford, Ind., to Earl and Nelli (Woodward) Lockhart.

Nina was a homemaker, a member of the Presbyterian Church of La Porte, and a Pink Lady with La Porte Hospital.

On Feb. 6, 1949, she married Harold W. Campbell, who preceded her in death on Oct. 15, 2010.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; son, Harold Campbell; grandchildren, Peter and Kevin Campbell; siblings, James Robert Lockhart, Jesse Lockhart, Dorothy Miller and Emma Jean Neary; and daughter-in-law, Jeannie Campbell.

Surviving are her children, Larry (Diana) Campbell of La Porte, Danny Campbell of La Porte, Mark Campbell of Fish Lake, Ind., Catherine (Mike) Stoler of La Porte, Vicki Clouse of La Porte, and Beth (Jason) Eigenmann of La Porte; 12 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, La Porte. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday following the visitation.  Burial will be at Patton Cemetery, La Porte.

The funeral service will be aired live at  https://www.facebook.com/esslingchapel

Due to COVID-19, everyone in attendance must wear a mask and social distance.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 130 Red Coach Drive, Mishawaka, Ind. 46545.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

Alice Marie Saliwanchik, 78, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Friday, Dec. 18, 2020.

She was born April 30, 1942, in La Porte to Charles and Marion (Niendorf) Biege.

Alice worked at American Rubber many years ago. She was a bookkeeper for the family business, Saliwanchik & Son Welding & Fabrication, and drove a school bus for 25 years for the La Porte Community School Corporation. She enjoyed growing flowers and plants. She loved her dogs, Happy, Candy, and Gus.

On Feb. 12, 1966, Alice married Johnny E. Saliwanchik, who survives with their sons, Ted (Sheri) Saliwanchik of La Porte and Scott (Catherine) Saliwanchik of La Porte; grandchildren, Alex, Ben, Hunter and Amber; and great grandson, Oaklee.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Charles “Sonny” Biege.

Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, La Porte. A funeral service will follow the visitation at 11 a.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be at Pine Lake Cemetery, La Porte.

All attending must wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 130 Red Coach Drive, Mishawaka, Ind. 46545.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

Eloise May Moore, 93, of Englewood, Fla., and formerly of La Porte, Ind., passed away Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2020.

She was born Oct. 7, 1927, in Huntington, Ind., to Hershel and Mabel (Whorwell) Miller.

Eloise was employed with the La Porte County Auditor’s Office and was a real estate salesperson with Ingram Realty. She was a former member of the La Porte Presbyterian Church.

On Nov. 15, 1947, in La Porte, she married Clarence “Bud” P. Moore, who preceded her in death July 25, 2020.

Surviving are her children, Gail Kujawski, Judi (Joe) Hahn and Garry (Cindee) Moore; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Betty (Larry) Druckten of Crown Point, Ind.

Private services and burial will take place. Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, La Porte, is handling arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Development, 1900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, Fla. 36607 or online at lovetotheresque.org; or to the Charity of Donor’s Choice.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

On Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, Primitivo H. Jorge, loving husband and father of three children, passed away at age 69 at Northwest Health – La Porte, Ind.

He was born June 16, 1951, in Las Cruces, Jalisco, Mexico. He raised two sons, David and Jaime, and one daughter, Crystal. On Jan. 11, 2003, he married Alejandra Avila.

Primitivo had a passion for spending time with family regardless of the distance. He was an avid fan of  Las Chivas de Guadalajara, a soccer team from Jalisco, Mexico; the Chicago Cubs; the Atlanta Braves; the Chicago Bears; and Notre Dame. He loved listening to a variety of music ranging from ranchera, especially Vicente Fernandez and Los Luceros del Río Verde, to English bands as well.

Primitivo was preceded in death by his father, Tranquilino, his mother, Lorenza, and nine brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Alejandra; his three children, David, Jaime and Crystal; his brothers, Santiago and Juan; three grandchildren, Angel, Jennifer and Tristan; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Mass will take place Tuesday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, La Porte. The Mass will be in Spanish. Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, La Porte, is handling arrangements.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com.

Scott M. Moyer, 63, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Friday, Dec. 18, 2020.

He was born Aug. 15, 1957, in South Bend, Ind., to Paul Dickenson and Patricia (Day) Moyer. He was raised by Patricia and Michael Moyer.

Scott was a machine operator for many years at Dwyer. He enjoyed golfing and watching westerns. Scott was a Notre Dame fan. He dearly loved his pets.

On Aug. 16, 2010, in Lakeville, Ind., he married Deborah Widener, who survives.

Also surviving are his step-daughter, Jennifer (Keith) Conn of La Porte; one granddaughter, Olivia; one sister, Traci Moyer of Mishawaka, Ind.; three brothers, Tony (Denise) Catanzarite of Michigan, Mike Catanzarite of Mishawaka and Jason Moyer of Indianapolis; special cat, Molly; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-father, Michael Moyer; and two dogs, Dayzee and Sandy.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte, with Pastor Jeff Zigler officiating. Cremation will follow the service. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the service Saturday at the funeral home.

Due to the recent Governor’s Order, anyone attending the visitation and/or service is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing of six feet. Also, the funeral home is limited to 50 people in the building at any given time. We kindly ask for your patience as we oversee these mandated guidelines.

Memorial donations may be made to the family c/o Deborah Moyer, 2900 Monroe St., La Porte, Ind. 46350, or to the donor’s choice.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Joan Elaine Scherer, 83, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, at Northwest Health – La Porte. 

She was born in La Porte on Aug. 10, 1937, to Bernard and Dolores (Diedrich) Luther. 

Joan started her nursing career at La Porte Hospital. She then managed the office as a nurse for Dr. Alfred Seritella for 20 years. Joan was a very active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, where she assisted in its Thrift Shop. She was also a member of Theta Ki Sorority. When her sons were young, she was a Cub Scouts Den Mother. Joan loved family gatherings, especially during the holidays. Over the span of 50 years, she and her family took multiple trips to Walt Disney World and enjoyed breakfast with her favorite character, Goofy.  

On Jan. 23, 1954, in La Porte, she married Ronald Scherer, who survives. 

Also surviving are her 3 sons, Terry (Renee) Scherer, Greg M. Scherer and Jeff Scherer, all of La Porte; 6 grandchildren, Noelle Anderson and Brittany, Andrew, Nicole, Kathryn and Curtis Scherer; 3 great-grandchildren, Daven, Tatum and Willow Anderson; brother, Dale (Margo) Luther of Hilton Head, S.C.; sister, Susan (Randy) Nowicki of Fish Lake, Ind.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Curtis Scherer; brother, Lauren Luther; and grandson, David Matthew Scherer.

Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at the funeral home with Pastor Schaeffer officiating. Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. until the service Monday at the funeral home. 

Due to the recent Governor’s Order, anyone attending the visitation and/or service is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing of 6 feet.  Also, the funeral home is limited to 50 people in the building at any given time. We kindly ask for your patience as we oversee these mandated guidelines. 

Memorial contributions may be directed to Riley’s Hospital for Children, 705 Riley Hospital Drive, Indianapolis, Ind. 46202; or St. John’s Lutheran Church, 111 Kingsbury Ave., La Porte, Ind.  46350. 

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Grace E. Goers, 89, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at her home surrounded by her family.

She was born Aug. 21, 1931, in La Porte to Frank and Lucinda (Thompson) Schreiber.

Grace was a bookkeeper and realtor for many years. She was a member of the American Legion Post 83 Women’s Auxiliary. Grace enjoyed traveling, especially taking cruises. Most importantly, Grace enjoyed spending time with her family.

On Sept. 17, 2003, she married Dennis Robert Goers, who preceded her in death May 8, 2015.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; husbands; three sisters; one brother; and one great-grandson, Michael Kiger.

Surviving Grace are her children, Linda (Tim) Howell of La Porte, Douglas (Laurie) Kiger of La Porte, Robert Kiger of La Porte, Mindy Gaunt of La Porte and Jeffery B. Goers of California; nine grandchildren, Angela Kiger of La Porte, Doug (Melissa) Kiger, Jr., of Florida, Troy (Dana) Webb of Lakeville, Ind., Jaime Howell of Indianapolis, Jeremy (Trisha) Collings of La Porte, Courtney (Clay Marshall) Kiger of La Porte, Zachary Kiger of Indianapolis, Kyle (Andrea) Ahlgrim of La Porte, and Tyler Ahlgrim of La Porte; many great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Graveside Service will be held at Patton Cemetery, La Porte, with Pastor Bob Vale officiating.

Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of La Porte, 1225 Michigan Ave., La Porte, Ind. 46350.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Perry Franklin Stump, Jr., 88, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, at Franciscan Health, Michigan City, Ind.

He was born in Hammond, Ind., on Nov. 14, 1932, to Perry F. Stump, Sr., and Alma B. Bowman.

In 1951, Perry graduated from Hammond High School, where he lettered in football as a junior and senior. He attended Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and graduated in June 1955. While at Indiana Central, he was elected Student Council president and was treasurer of Alpha Psi Omega drama organization. After graduating from Indiana Central, Perry attended Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Ind. He obtained his law degree in 1958 and passed the Indiana Bar Association exam in 1959.

Perry began his law career in Indianapolis for Merchants National Bank in its Trust Department and then, the Union Title Company as a title attorney. In 1961, Perry was transferred to La Porte, Ind., to become manager and later president of La Porte County Abstract Company. In March of 1968, he joined the law firm of Newby, Lewis, Kaminski & Jones.  He retired as a former partner on Dec. 31, 2000.

Perry attended First United Methodist Church and served as president of its Board of Trustees.  He was also a long-standing member of the La Porte Kiwanis Club, joining in 1963 and serving as president during the 1975-1976 year.  Perry also served on the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra board.

Perry and his wife, Mayme, loved to travel and connect with people. They hosted foreign exchange students, Jan and Cecilia from Sweden, and Nikki from Germany. Either just the two of them or with family or friends, they enjoyed taking many cruises and going to the Caribbean Islands.

Perry enjoyed fishing in Canada with close friends, golfing, and watching the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cubs.

On Aug. 27, 1955, he married Mayme M. Ewert. They have four children, Terri (Jeff) Hundt, Greg Stump (Bunny Nash), Tammy Stump and Wendy McNamara, and two grandchildren, Sarah Hundt (Blake Childs) and Kevin Hundt.

Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte. A private Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held.

A public Celebration of Life Memorial Gathering will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, at the funeral home.

Due to the recent governor’s order, anyone attending the gathering is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing of 6 feet. Also, the facility is limited to 50 people in the building at any given time.  We kindly ask for your patience as we oversee these mandated guidelines.

Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church of La Porte, La Porte City Band, La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, University of Indianapolis, or an organization of your choice.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Raechel Ann Franson, 70, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, at her home in La Porte with her husband at her side.

She was born Dec. 30, 1949, in La Porte, the daughter of Floyd and Mary Frances (Farwell) Tuttle.

A graduate of La Porte High School, Raechel worked for a variety of businesses, including Lighthouse Electrical and Nielson Hyundai. She attended Mill Creek Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir.  Raechel was a gregarious, fun-loving woman who loved people and always made them laugh. She loved traveling and cruising with her husband to such places as Hawaii and the Caribbean. She was also an avid collector. Her treasures included masks, dragonflies, little witches and bears, which she proudly displayed.  She adored her dogs: Bichon, Sugar and Cabichon, Gigi.

On Sept. 29, 1984, she married Edward Charles Franson, who survives. 

Also surviving are her son, Ryan Seymour of Michigan City, Ind.; two step-sons, Allan Lewis (Staci) Franson of Mishawaka, Ind., and Douglas Allan (Bekki) Franson of Mishawaka; daughter, Amy (Ray) Wolfenbarger of New Carlisle, Ind.; step-daughter, Cynthia Ann (Jeff) Sawyer of Elkhart, Ind.; sister, Sandy Engbrecht of Naperville, Ill.; five grandchildren, Bailey Wolfenbarger, Lauren Franson, Lucas  Sawyer, Joseph Sawyer and Ray Vinton; great-grandchild, Carson; and mother of her stepchildren, Eilene Marie Franson.

Raechel was preceded in death by her sister, Janet Simon, and sister, Elaine Baldwin.

The family will receive friends at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, La Porte, on Wednesday, Dec. 23, from 10 to 11 a.m. La Porte time. A life celebration will follow at 11 a.m. La Porte time at the funeral home and will also be shown via Facebook live through Haverstock Funeral Home. The burial will be Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m. La Porte time at Southlawn Cemetery, South Bend. Pastor Bob Vale will officiate.

Anyone attending the services will be required to wear masks and practice 6-foot distancing.

Memorial contributions may be made to Dunes Hospice, 4711 Evans Ave., Valparaiso, Ind. 46383; Riley Children’s Hospital, 705 Riley Hospital D, Indianapolis, Ind. 46202; or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 S. Danny Thomas Blvd., Memphis, Tenn. 38105.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com.

Stacy Starr Sawaya, 46, passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, at Northwest Health – La Porte, Ind.

She was born Sept. 28, 1974, in Michigan City, Ind., to Sam and Sharon (Peters) Sawaya.

Stacy was a bartender at Smutzer’s Club Tavern, La Porte. She enjoyed cooking, reading and laughing. Her daughter, family and friends were her everything.

On April 21, 2018, in La Porte, she married Jeremy Reed, who survives.

Also surviving are her daughter, Sophia Affeld of La Porte; mother, Sharon Sawaya of La Porte; step-children, Kaitlin, Logan and Tyler Reed; sisters, Stephani (Brent) Giffin of Crown Point, Ind., Shannon (Aaron) Zila of La Porte and Shawn (Kent) Arnsbarger of La Porte; brothers, Sam (Jessica) Sawaya of Valparaiso, Ind., Scott (Rachel) Sawaya of Valparaiso and Steven Sawaya of La Porte; nieces, Sarah, Whitney, Tori, Samira, Leila, Eloise, Hadley, and Adeline; nephews, Grant, Pierce, Elias, and Simon; great-niece, Ily; and great-nephew, Will.

She was preceded in death by her father.

Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte. A Celebration of Life Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the funeral home.

Due to the recent governor’s order, anyone attending the visitation and/or service is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing of 6 feet.  Also, the facility is limited to 50 people in the building at any given time. We kindly ask for your patience as we oversee these mandated guidelines.

Memorial donations for Sophia Affeld may be made to Stacy’s sister, Shannon Zila, 303 Canterbury Drive, La Porte, Ind. 46350.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

Donald E. Baugher, Jr., 76, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Monday, Dec. 21, 2020.

He was born Dec. 5, 1944, in Warsaw, Ind., to Donald, Sr., and Carol (Blackford) Baugher.

In 1963 Don graduated from Warsaw Community High School. After graduating he joined the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he was an air traffic controller. He then was stationed in Thailand, also as an air traffic controller, during the Vietnam War.

On Sept. 26, 1965, he married Angela Sensibaugh. They were married 55 years.

Don went on to finish his undergraduate degree at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. Indiana University Bloomington was his next stop, where he went to law school.

Don began practicing law in La Porte in 1972 with Osborn and Lanigan, later Osborn, Lanigan, Roule and Baugher. Through the years he was dedicated to the city and county of La Porte.  He served many positions over the years including county attorney, solid waste attorney, chief deputy prosecutor for La Porte County and La Porte County Fair Board. He finished his career as the city attorney. He served under Mayors Dennis Smith, Kathy Chroback, Leigh Morris and Blair Milo.

In 2012, Don retired. He and Angie traveled extensively, fulfilling their bucket list. Don was a well-loved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and friend. Any morning he could be found downtown having breakfast and coffee with an array of friends.  Many mornings he would meet with two or three different groups while wearing his signature red hat.

Don is survived by his wife, Angela; their children, Robin Smith of New Carlisle, Ind., and Aaron Baugher of Willits, Calif.; grandchildren, Skye and Ella Smith, Nivek Holloway, and Olivia, Athelea and Rain Tobar; and brothers, Calvin (Kathy) Baugher of Warsaw, Ind., and Randy (Laura) Baugher of Rochester, Ind.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, La Porte.

Those attending are asked to wear a mask and social distance.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

Cary M. Kraus, 87, of La Porte, Ind. passed away Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020 at Northwest-Health Hospital in La Porte.

She was born May 4, 1933 in Athens, Ala. to Edford Gardner and Viola (Pepper) Gardner Ransom.

A homemaker, Cary worked for Independent Steel in New Buffalo, Mich. for a short time as well. She was a member of the Shady Lane Church of Christ, Michigan City, Ind. for many years. She was a bird watcher and a bird lover who enjoyed gardening and tending to her flowers. Cary loved her family and adored her grandchildren.

She is survived by her three sons, Casimer (Tresa) Gazarkiewicz of Goshen, Ind., and Steven (Cindy) Gazarkiewicz and John Gazarkiewicz, both of La Porte; daughter, Judith Logothetis of Michigan City; six grandchildren, Wade, Holly, Paul, Sarah, Eric, and Jessica; five great-grandchildren, Caleb, Joey, Morgan, Zane, and Kendall; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Cary was preceded in death by her husband, Jessie “Bud” Kraus, in 2015; brother, Kenneth Ransom; and Casimer Gazarkiewicz, the father of her children.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28 at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 602 Maple Ave., La Porte, where a celebration of Cary’s life will follow at 1 p.m. with Ministers David Turnmire and Daniel Simpson, Shady Lane Church of Christ, officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, Michigan City.

Due to current Covid restrictions, masks must be worn and six-feet social distancing will be required.

Memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org/memorials.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com

Lloyd Floyd Gurley, 86, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, at Aperion Care Arbors in Michigan City, Ind.

He was born Sept. 7, 1934, in Huntsville, Ala., to Roy George and Fanny Lee (Clark) Gurley.

Lloyd proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Japan. He was a crane operator for 29 years at U.S. Steel. Lloyd enjoyed hunting, fishing and tinkering with cars. He was a great storyteller and he always made the best of bad situations.

On July 5, 1954, in Georgia, he married Geneva Jeanette Henley, who survives.

Also surviving are his 9 children, Wilma (Al) Bond of Rapid City, S.D., Robert Michael Gurley of Michigan City, Jeff (Linda) Gurley of Memphis, Tenn., Cynthia (Paul) Przybylinski of Michigan City, Rickey Gurley of Michigan City, David (Christina) Gurley of Hobart, Ind., Keith Gurley of Michigan City, Terry Gurley of Michigan City, and Kimberly (Matthew) Przybylinski of Michigan City; 22 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte.  A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the donor’s local small animal shelter.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.

James Theodore “Ted” Cooper, 83, of La Porte, Ind., passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020.

He was born March 29, 1937, in La Porte to William and Frances (Bogenski) Cooper.

Ted was the owner of Community Motors in La Porte and had also owned a rental car business and asphalt business.  He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for 60 years, where he volunteered as a Eucharistic minister and commentator for 49 years. He was a past president of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry of St. Joseph Parish. Ted served his country in the United States Air Force, where he was a certified weather observer and hurricane chaser.

After serving in the military, Ted met and married Rita L. Pedavodi on April 2, 1960.

Ted leaves behind his wife, Rita; children, Michael B. (Michelle) Cooper of Plano, Tex., Kathleen Nagel of Hopkinton, Mass., Marie Taylor of Zionsville, Ind., Christopher A. Cooper of Wilmette, Ill.; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Shirley (Jerry) Zoborosky of La Porte.

A sister, Judith Atwood, preceded him in death.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, La Porte, with Rev. Nate Edquist officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery in Valparaiso, Ind. The Funeral Mass may be viewed live at https://www.facebook.com/esslingchapel. The video will also be archived on the Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel Facebook page to be viewed at your convenience.

Memorial contributions may be made to The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry of St. Joseph Parish, 109 C St., La Porte, Ind. 46350, or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

Betty J. Wallen, 94, of Hamlet, Ind., passed away Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, at Aperion Care in Michigan City, Ind.

She was born April 14, 1926, in Rocky Ford, Colo., the daughter of Cressel K. and Verda (Lain) Upp.

A resident of La Porte since childhood, Betty was a graduate of Rolling Prairie High School. She was a homemaker who enjoyed going to casinos and on cruises with her husband. Her family, especially her grandchildren, along with Haley, her chocolate Lab, were her joy.

On Sept. 3, 1949, Betty married William Wallen in La Porte.

She is survived by her son, Gregory Wallen of La Porte; daughter, Cindy (Ron) Eggert of La Porte; four grandchildren, Angela Wallen, Joshua (Christina) Eggert, Christopher Eggert and Stephanie Eggert; and five great-grandchildren, Nathan, Jonathan, Wyatt, Colton and Elodie.

Betty was preceded in death by her loving husband, William; brother, Lloyd Upp; sisters, Lois Boniface, Rosa Lee Bright and Donna Troy; and grandson, Sgt. Eric Wallen, USMC.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, La Porte. A life celebration will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Pine Lake Cemetery, La Porte.

Memorial contributions may be made in Betty’s name to the La Porte County Small Animal Shelter, 2855 W. Ind. 2, La Porte, Ind. 46350. 

Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com.