Obituaries, April 19, 2023
Richard C. Abresch
Born June 10, 1950, Richard C Abresch was the son of Charles Abresch and Donna Sarver. He passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was 72.
In 1968, he graduated from Western High School and joined the United States Air Force. In 1969, he donned his Air Force blues and married the love of his life, Mickie Richey, and she survives.
Together, they made two children Robin Abresch and Renee (Eddie) Sanders. He has three grandchildren Ashli 'Scoot' Oliver (Garry Hovis), Joseph Abresch and Kalib Abresch. Two beautiful great grandchildren, Brazalyne Hovis and Railyn Hovis, his Princesses. His special daughter and son, Jackie and Troy Wideman. Special grandson Alexander Kirkpatrick. He had ten brothers and sisters: Terry Sarver, Sally Rogers, Michael (Patti) Abresch, Keith Abresch, Angela (Tom) Mason, Charles (Kelli) Sarver, Peggy Holloway, John Adkins, Charles Abresch, and Tami Abresch. Four of his beloved siblings were waiting for him when he went Home. He loved each and every one of his siblings. He was their rock, their big brother. He stood up for them, defended them, loved them. No matter what happened or the choices they made, he was there… unconditionally. He also had many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, honorary children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He was the fun uncle. There for anyone he considered family.
His mother raised him to understand that love and family were not defined by blood. Charles Sarver, his mother's second husband, was just as much a father to him as his biological father. The same could be said for his step- mother, Patricia Abresch. He didn’t have step siblings or half siblings, he just had siblings. He also had four 'bonus' children who he and Mickie took in and raised after his brother Keith passed. Kara Abresch, Laura Abresch. Katie (Abresch) Cunningham and Adam (Elizabethe) Abresch. He wanted to make his little brother proud. No doubt, he did.
To encapsulate Rick's life in a few short paragraphs does not do him justice. See, he lived a full-sized life of service to his family, friends, and community. He did not know a stranger and would do anything for a friend.
He and Mickie settled down in Indian Heights, and he found a small volunteer fire department there. It called to him and he joined. If he had known then the lifetime of service this one decision was going to create… This moment started everything.
He was a member, officer and chief of Indian Heights Volunteer Fire Department (IHVFD) for over two decades. Always giving more of himself than most. Always doing the job, fighting fires, working accident scenes, saving lives. It was his passion. He was an EMT for over 30 years and a Master Class Firefighter. He was an EMT instructor for two years. He blended technical knowledge and experience to become one of the best. His path eventually moved from IHVFD to Howard County Emergency Management (EMA). There, he partnered with Bill Tygart and together they changed the face of EMA firefighting. He built a Mobile Command Unit. He was very proud of that. EMA's Light and Air truck became practically a staple on big fires. He was deputy chief and chief of the EMA fire department, Chief 201 until he attempted to retire and was quickly made an honorary member. In 1993, he was named Firefighter of the year.
Firefighting is a calling, especially for a volunteer. During his 40+ year career, he found a brotherhood among the men and women, fellow volunteers. They ran into burning buildings together, fought the Beast relentlessly, never quitting until it was defeated, and sometimes, they had to carry each other out. It formed unbreakable, unshakable bonds. As a volunteer EMT, he delivered babies, patched up wounds from broken bones and lacerations. He saved lives performing CPR, always cool under pressure. He lost patients as well, but he wouldn't give up on them until he handed them over to the hospital. Later in his career, he would work with the coroner’s office and pick up deceased people. There were times he would pull the ambulance up to the residence of an old friend or relative. His heart would ache, but he always knew he always put others first.
He taught the Hunter's Safety Course for the county. He always enjoyed doing that. As a matter of fact, he really did not say "No" very often.
He helped his baby brother build a miniature golf course right by Indian Heights. He helped a friend who rents homes fix up a house. They completely gutted and renovated it. He built on to his own home… twice. He and two fire department buddies bought an old fire truck to restore and sold it 'as is' a million years later. It sat in his garage for a very long time.
In 1987, he joined the Taylor Band and Guard when his oldest daughter joined the color guard. He became a Prop Pop. His girls went through guard and three of them were four year members. He never missed a competition. He rose to every challenge of prop building thrown at him. Whatever prop Shelley wanted, he made. He turned the Taylor High School gym into some amazing scenes: A little girl's toy box, a prom with a very horrible break up, a farm, a beauty pageant. He painted a full-sized gym floor tarp… over and over and over. He loved to hate that tarp. He helped the band in the same way. He built their props, helped the pit crew. With the band, he was the Pit Crew. The Guard, he was Prop Pop. To all the kids, he was Uncle Rick. They were all his kids, every single one. If they needed anything, money, a ride, an ear, a band aid, it was Uncle Rick and Aunt Mickie to the rescue. In 2002, he was the recipient of the IHSCGA Guardianship Award. He was the FIRST recipient. It was a recognition of his over 20 years of dedication to the sport and the kids. He didn't do it because he had a child in it, not by then. He simply loved helping the program, the kids, the directors. He loved Taylor High School and the Music Program. He believed in the kids.
In the 80's, he was a softball coach. He and a brave friend took on the task of coaching girls softball. It was a culture shock, coaching girls. Girls cried, screamed, threw bats. Girls became enraged when they broke manicured nails. There was no 'rubbing dirt' on it because 'gross'. Coaching was, without a doubt, the greatest challenge he ever loved. To these girls, he was Coach Rick, and he was no less important in the formation of their lives. No girl ever went without. At away games, every girl had something to eat or drink. Every girl had a uniform. He understood hardship, especially during childhood. He helped anyone who needed it so everything could play.
Rick had a quirky sense of humor. Was sarcastic by nature. He could quote lines from movies or songs with ease. He loved to pick on people, never cruel. Always smiling, laughing at his own jokes that sometimes only he understood. He could make up jokes on the fly, entertain young kids with his thumb wind up toys, or freak them out with his magical separating finger.
He loved animals. His most beloved was a dog named Wanda, a female Doberman. If you knew Rick, you probably heard stories about the famous Wanda. She loved her daddy. He loved cats, especially Chloe. She hated everyone, and he found that so funny. As a kid, he had a Shetland pony, a pig… he told so many stories about that mean Shetland pony. His life of service never slowed as he grew older. His Firefighter brother, Ray Fitzgerald, had an idea to start a Howard County Chapter of Pink Heals. Rick, being who he was, signed up right away to volunteer. He was not going to pass up the opportunity to 1) help out a brother or 2) help out the sick and terminally ill who Suzanne, the Howard County Pink Heals truck, visited. They would visit homes of sick men, women, and children and he would put on his pink turnout gear and spend time with the family and friends: giving comfort or making people smile. It was his gift.
Last year, Suzanne did a procession for one of his Firefighter brothers, Greg Little. Rick sat by his side that evening, talking about the good old days, crazy nights with the dinner club, life, family, kids, Greg's favorite cat. They joked about Dad's favorite award the 'We Can Do That' award. Dad always said "We can do that", and he generally took Greggie with him. He just spent time with him because time was precious. He knew the volunteer work he did with Pink Heals was precious.
Rick understood how important it was to give of himself, to help those who needed it, to stand up for not only what he believed in but for who he believed in. His family meant so much to him, but that family wasn't just his wife and children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. That family was his firefighting family, the Taylor High School Music Department and all the kids who were a part of it. Family was his softball team, his endless number of children, nieces and nephews, who grew up calling him Coach, Uncle, or Pops. It was everyone who came into his life. He loved with his whole heart.
The family would like to thank Nurse Kathryn from Compassus Hospice, the staff and management out at Wellbrooke, and the 4th Floor Medical and Emergency staff, especially Dr. Josh Schultz at Ascension Health. All are amazing, wonderful, and beautiful people who went above and beyond to help Rick in his final days.
Military honors, provided by the United States Air Force and the Kokomo VFW Military Rites Team and the Firefighter Last Call will begin Rick's celebration of life at 3 pm on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Church of God of the Union Assembly, 538 E. County Road 400 S, Kokomo, IN 46902, with Pastor Ronnie Bumgarner officiating. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Saturday at the church. Donations can be made to Taylor High School Music Department. Shirley & Stout Funeral Homes has been entrusted with arrangements. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.
Martha E. Fecher
Martha E. Fecher (Roler) of McMurray, formerly of Kokomo, Indiana, passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2023, age 95, wife for 58 years of the late Gene Fecher, beloved mother of Robert (Mary), sister of the late Lawrence Roler, loving grandmother of Beth Fecher and Katie Smith (David). Martha attended Peters Creek Baptist Church.
She retired from Continental Steel after 38 1/2 years of service and St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo, IN.
Visitation Wednesday, April 19, from 5-8 p.m. and Thursday, April 20, from 10 - 11 a.m. at the David J. Henney Funeral Home, 6364 Library Road (RT 88), Library, where a service will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, April 22, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home, 2097 W. Alto Road, Kokomo, IN, where a funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Burial in Sunset Memory Garden.
Christy Renee Black-Herron
Christy Renee Black-Herron went to be with her son in Heaven on April 14, 2023 at 3:12 p.m. at Community Howard Regional Health in Kokomo. She was born on March 31, 1971, in Kokomo, the daughter of Fondra Acord.
Christy worked for many years at CarQuest Auto parts and loved to help others. She was a person that was always on the go but was never on time for anything. She was an avid collector of anything she could find. She loved to make things and had an infectious smile that everyone always noticed. She had the sweetest soul and would help anyone with anything even when she needed help herself.
Along with her husband James Herron, she is survived by her daughter, Samantha (Kaleb) Nutter; mother, Fondra Acord; in-laws, Linda (Roger) Evans; brother, Eric (Lori) Accord; nieces, Melanie (Tony) Smith, Priscilla (Sean) Ward, and Kortne (Sonny) Kessler; nephews, Trent (Heaven) Black and Seth (Allison) Acord; grandsons, Axtyn Black and Kamron Nutter; along with several close friends that will miss her dearly.
She was preceded in death by her late husband, Jimmy Black; son, Zachary Ryan Black; grandparents, Otto and Winifred Snyder; and in-laws, Nancy and Charlie Frankin.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 29,2023, at Northside Village Kokomo, 2430 N. Jay St, Kokomo, IN, with Pastor Kenneth Schweter officiating. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 p.m. until the service on Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shirley & Stout Funeral Home to help the family with funeral expenses. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Shirley & Stout Funeral Home in Kokomo.
Frances “Fran” Mary Jones
Frances “Fran” Mary Jones, 92, of Kokomo, passed away 4:25 pm Sunday April 16, 2023, at Kokomo Place. She was born in London, England, on October 23, 1930, the daughter of the late Sydney George Pope and Florence Edith (Tookey) Pope. On September 9, 1950, she married Charles Owen, and he preceded her in death on November 29, 2012..
Frances studied at Pitman’s College in London, England. She retired from J.C. Penney where she worked in the warehouse. She was a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Frances had a passion for animals, but especially loved cats and bird watching. She was a generous and charitable woman who routinely donated to animal shelters, the rescue mission, world hunger, and C.A.M.
Frances is survived by her grandchildren, Jim (Beta) Jones, Jennifer (Derek) Dishon; and several great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sydney and Florence Pope; husband, Charles Owen; son, Rhys Jones, and sister, Constance Freeman.
In honor of Frances’ wishes, there are no public services scheduled. Shirley & Stout Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.