Obituaries, September 30, 2023
Marlene Fields-Kingman
Marlene Fields-Kingman, born March 24, 1936, in Huntington, Indiana, died at age 87 in Colorado Springs, Colorado on August 16, 2023. Marlene was, first and foremost, dedicated to her family and to her Christian faith. She was a loving wife, first to Don Fields for over 40 years until his death in 2000, and for the last 16 years, to Frank Kingman, who survives her. She loved her daughters and their families fiercely and was especially proud of her four grandchildren. She was a loving daughter to her parents Howard and Juanita Keister, including tirelessly helping them in their family store and restaurant in Sturgis, Michigan, and being a devoted and caring support to her Mom throughout her later years. She was enduringly fervent in her faith and was a dedicated member of the First Church of God in Kokomo, Indiana for over 40 years. She was one of those people that you could count on to be there every time the church doors opened (with her three daughters in tow), serving for many years as the church organist, singing in quartets and in the choir, helping organize and clean up after many a church dinner, and manning the prayer chain.
Anyone who knew her would say Marlene was a beautiful person while also being “a real character”. She would offer a “thank you Jesus” and a bawdy joke within the same breath. She was a force to be reckoned with – independent, feisty, tireless, blunt, and with a strong point of view – and she loved big, freely, and generously. Having grown up in a situation of scarcity, she was driven to make sure her daughters had plenty. She always worked and worked hard. She was a school cook at Western School Corporation for 18 years while her kids were in school (so she could keep an eye on them), but before that, she was a hairdresser, worked at Kroger’s, JC Penney, and had an in-home daycare and took in ironing. After she retired as a school cook, she worked in the kitchen at Woody’s Deli in Kokomo for over 10 years, making gallons and gallons of deli salads, soups, and hand-crafted sandwiches that folks would come from miles around to enjoy. She was an amazing cook and homemaker, and the home she and Don built was the frequent gathering place for her daughters’ friends, with prayers, laughter, an abundant home-cooked meal, and unbelievable amounts of ice cream available to all. Fellowship and fun with church friends were a constant source of joy and support – many of those relationships endured a lifetime. She always had a plan for dinner – and enjoyed nothing more than a good meal with those she loved.
After her husband Don died suddenly in 2000, she relocated to Colorado Springs, CO, and succeeded in building a happy final chapter to her life. She married Frank Kingman of Longmont, CO in 2007 and they shared many joys together, enjoying travel, visits with family, and wonderful fellowship with their Paradise Villas neighborhood friends and folks from their church community. She and Frank were members of Black Forest Baptist Church and worshiped more recently at The Church on the Ranch. She loved gospel music and attended (first with Don and later with Frank) the National Gospel Quartet Convention more than 30 times, planning her annual calendar around that worship experience like some plan for the Super Bowl. Frank was a very loving caregiver to Marlene as her health declined and he kept the gospel music playing right up to her final hours.
Marlene is survived by her husband Frank Kingman; daughter Cheryl Fields Tyler and her husband Tom Tyler, and their children and their partners, Sage Tyler and Katya Balakhovsky, and Maya Tyler and Audrey Lipps; daughter Shawna Fields; daughter Dacia Fields-Chambers and her husband Tim Chambers, and their children Simeon Chambers and Jadyn Chambers; and Frank’s daughters Donna Mullison and Joanne Kingman-Fodge and their families. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don Fields, and her parents, Howard and Juanita (Ziegler) Keister.
A graveside service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at Sunset Memorial Garden in Kokomo with a luncheon to follow. Donations in her memory can be made to the Pikes Peak Hospice Care Foundation. Shirley & Stout Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting the family with arrangements. Messages of condolence may be left at www.shirleyandstout.com.
Think of her when you hear gospel music in four-part harmony, have an ice cream sundae, or wonder what’s for dinner – and join us in gratitude for her beautiful soul, her faithful heart, and a life well-lived.
Sharon Ann (Moulder) Franklin
Our mother, Sharon Ann (Moulder) Franklin, died peacefully September 20, 2023, at Aston Gardens in Naples, Florida under the care of Avow Hospice. Born July 7, 1931 in Lafayette, Indiana, she was the daughter of Thomas Penn Moulder, Sr. and Cynthia I. Hobbs.
She first married Allen B. Rayl in 1954, and later married Benjamin W. Franklin. She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota with a B.S. in Art. She and Allen had three children: Eleanor Rayl of Bonita Springs, FL, Allen B. Rayl, Jr., of Waterford, MI and Elizabeth “Libby” (Christopher) Riesen of Estero, FL, who survive her. She is also survived by her step-children; Karmen Hayes and Benjamin (Nancy) Franklin; her sister, Sara “Sally” (Moulder) Neave of South Africa; two nieces and one nephew, and their children, several cousins and six (Rayl) nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, Allen and Benjamin, her brother, Thomas Penn Moulder, Jr., step-daughters Karen Engel and Benille Appelgreen, and brother-in-law James Neave.
Sharon was a lifelong member of Grace United Methodist Church, Kokomo. She was active with Tri Kappa sorority in Kokomo, where she served as chapter president in the 1960s. She was also an insurance agent with Citizens Insurance, where she was a partner with her husband. Noted for artistic skills, there are several paintings that she did during her lifetime. Sharon treasured time spent at family cottage on Klinger Lake in Sturgis, Michigan. She shared activities of skiing and fishing with her children, building life-long memories of time spent at the lake.
There will be a time for visitation on Monday, October 2, 2023, from 10am-noon at Grace United Methodist Church, 219 W. Mulberry St., Kokomo, IN, 46901. At noon, there will be a gathering and short graveside service where she will buried in Crown Point Cemetery, 1101 E. Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, in Sharon’s honor. Please mail to 212 W. Walnut St, Kokomo, IN 46901.
John Haydn Dobbs
John Haydn Dobbs, 71, of Kokomo, Indiana passed away September 26, 2023. He was born on January 13, 1952 in New Castle the son of John R. and Ima (Lester) Dobbs. April 18, 1972 he married his high school sweetheart, Geraldine "Jerrie" F. (Wright) Dobbs.
He attended Taylor High School, then Carroll High before enlisting with the United States Army in 1970. He served in Vietnam as Asst Gunner in the 39th Airborne Field Artillery Cavalry Regiment "Blackhorse". He later transferred to the Indiana National Guard where he served 18 years with the artillery battalion in Kempton, Indiana and retired as Staff Sergeant. He attained his Associate’s degree in building construction. Throughout his working years some of his main jobs included Chrysler, Western & Southern Life Insurance, and DuPont Photomasks.
He is survived by his wife or Russiaville, IN; daughter, Heather R. (Jim) Hozey of Russiaville, IN; daughter-in-law, Teresa Dobbs of Kokomo, IN; 6 grandsons, Dakota Dobbs of Indianapolis, Austin Hozey of Indianapolis, Dylan Dobbs of Kokomo, Josh (Jenny) Hozey of Elsmere, Kentucky, Noah Hozey of Russiaville, and Hunter Hozey of Russiaville; 2 great-grandchildren, Marley and Gavin Dobbs of Russiaville; brother, David Dobbs of Fairborn, Ohio; sister, Cindi McNeil of Kokomo; aunt, Bettie Dobbs of Kokomo; sister-in-law, Denise White of Bunker Hill; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother and sister-in-law, William and Sherry Dobbs; son, Brandon Dobbs; mother-in-law, Glenna Ballew; and father-in-law, Robert Wright.
Visitation will take place at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home, 2097 W. Alto Road, Kokomo on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, from 11:00 am until the start of funeral services at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow. Share a memory with the family at www.sunsetmemorygarden.com.
Donna Marie Barker
Donna Marie Barker, 78, of Kokomo, IN passed away September 29, 2023. She was born on August 1, 1945 in Logansport, IN. She married Freeman Thomas Barker, Jr. who preceded her in death.
Donna was a beautiful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her family very dearly and enjoyed spending time with them. Donna retired from St. Joseph Hospital after 27 years of housekeeping in the surgical department.
Surviving relatives include two daughters and two sons, Sandy Garrett (Roger) of Kokomo, IN; Debra Peirce of Kokomo, IN; Jeffrey Barker (Kim) of St. Louis, MO; Vance Barker of Kokomo, IN; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a sister Margie Foust of Kokomo.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, twin brother and sister Judy Smith and John K. Rybolt.