NORTH VERNON
Virginia Colleen Clarkson-Mason, 89, died on Friday, July 26, 2019.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 30th, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with calling from 11 a.m. until service time.
View complete obituary on funeral home website.
COLUMBUS
Sue E. West, 80, of Columbus, passed from this life at 4:35 a.m. Friday, July 26, 2019 at Hickory Creek of Columbus.
Sue was born February 17, 1939, in Wabash, Indiana, the loving daughter of Fred A. and Mary C. Aughinbaugh West.
A homemaker, Sue enjoyed doing crafts, including making dollhouses and doll clothes and sewing.
She was an avid supporter of ChildFund International, ASPCA and Wounded Warrior Project.
Sue is survived by her children, Micheal W. Sears of Round Rock, Texas, Kathleen Sears of Columbus, Rebecca L. (David) Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky and Deanie (Mark) Burton of Columbus; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter-in-law, Loren Sears.
The funeral service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Washington Street with Virgil Clotfelter officiating.
Family and friends may gather for visitation from 4:30 p.m. until service time Monday at the funeral home.
Cremation will take place following the funeral service.
Private inurnment will be in the family plot in Fairview Cemetery in Servia, Indiana.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the family at barkesweaverglick.com.
COLUMBUS
Robert Lee Spurgin, 95, of Columbus, died on Thursday, July 25, 2019 in Indianapolis.
Services will be Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home. Visitation is Friday from 4-7p.m. Full obituary to follow in Wednesday’s edition.
WEST LAFAYETTE
Sally Lou (Ostick) Eckelman, 78, of West Lafayette, IN, formerly of Columbus, IN, passed away on Thursday, July 18, 2019 under hospice care at Rosewalk Village in Lafayette, IN.
Sally Lou was born on May 23, 1941 in Freeport, Illinois to the late Harvey Franklin and Delia Albertine (Townsend) Ostick. The family moved to Columbus, IN when Sally Lou was just 6 weeks old. She graduated from Columbus High School in 1959 and went on to receive her Associates Degree from Indiana Business College in Columbus, IN.
On September 2, 1961, she married Carl Albert Eckelman and moved to West Lafayette, IN.
Sally Lou worked for Purdue University and subsequently for West Lafayette Parks & Recreation with the adult evening programs. But her love was bowling. She was an exceptional bowler and was on a semi-pro bowling team.
Her interests included woodworking, arts and crafts, sports, listening to music, but especially genealogical research. She was a member of St. James Lutheran Church.
She is survived by her loving husband, Carl Eckelman of West Lafayette and her three children, Brian (Beckie) Eckelman of Columbus, IN, Susan (Charles) Clement of Fort Bragg, NC, and Beverly Clendenen of Lafayette. Also surviving are her siblings, Donna Mae Ostick and Stanley Ostick, both of Columbus; her grandchildren, Nicolaus, Joshua, Bryce, and Ari; and many cousins.
She was reunited with her parents; with siblings, Marine Sgt. John Franklin Ostick, Marylin Lavonne (Ostick) Line, and U.S. Army Col. Charles Thomas Ostick; with her beloved baby, Bruce; and many other loved family members.
A Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Garland Brook Cemetery (501 N. Gladstone Ave., Columbus, IN) with Pastor Patrick Galligar officiating. A Celebration of Life will follow immediately afterwards at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Room 2164 (719 5th St., Columbus, IN).
Memorial donations may be made to the Goodwill Education Initiatives’ Excel Center (615 N. 18th St., Lafayette, IN) in loving memory of Sally Lou. Envelopes will be available at the church.
You may leave condolences and memories of Sally Lou online at www.fisherfuneralchapel.com
Staff Reports
The Bartholomew County Sheriff Department is among 162 state and local police agencies receiving new radar equipment to catch speeders.
The sheriff’s department is receiving 10 dash-mounted RADAR systems that may be used while patrol vehicles are moving or stopped, which are also capable of measuring traffic speeds in the same or opposite directions, said Indiana Criminal Justice Institute officials.
The department is also receiving one LIDAR speed-enforcement devices, which is hand-held radar equipment which will help deputies spot speeding drivers through several lanes of traffic or obstructions such as trees or bushes, according to the institute.
Adding the new LIDAR unit will bring the sheriff’s department total to three, said Sgt. Jim Stevens, who also said all three have been acquired this year. In addition to the hand-held units precision in measuring speed of vehicles through various obstacles, the devices can also be used at accident reconstruction scenes to accurately measure distances, he said.
The RADAR units for the sheriff’s department will be used to replace several aging units and also added to vehicles for three new deputies the department is hiring.
The institute is distributing 1,000 of the RADAR and LIDAR units among the 162 police agencies, purchased with $1.6 million in funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In addition to the equipment for Bartholomew County, the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is receiving five of the RADAR units and one LIDAR unit, as is the Seymour Police Department. The Shelby County Sheriff Department is also receiving five of the RADAR units and one LIDAR unit.
The Indiana State Police are receiving 50 of the LIDAR units, according to the institute.
Federal grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institutes’ traffic safety division fund training, equipment and overtime enforcement of Indiana traffic laws to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths.
In the past two years, the institute has distributed:
2,600 portable breath tests among 150 police agencies to evaluate alcohol impairment in drivers
Android tablets and an app to the more than 230 police officers trained in recognizing drugged drivers
Speeding statistics published by the institute and Indiana University Public Policy Institute show:
Nearly 29,000 people were in speed-related crashes on Indiana roads in 2017, resulting in 207 deaths and 6,428 non-fatal injuries.
Speed related violations such as following too closely and unsafe lane movement are among the top causes of Indiana crashes.
Young drivers, particularly young men, are more likely to be speeding before a crash.
For more information about the institute, visit in.gov/cji/.
Westenedge Drive from U.S. 31 to Rocky Ford Road will close to through traffic at 6 a.m. Monday.
Milling operations on the road will begin at 8 a.m. Monday, according to the Columbus Engineering Department.
Residents who live in the area are asked to drive slowly through the work zone and those who do not live on Westenedge Drive are asked to observe the detour and road closed signs and plan routes accordingly.
For more information: 812-376-2540.
Reeves Festival: Powering the Past has been scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Henry Breeding Farm, sponsored by the Bartholomew County Historical Society.
The 13th annual event will feature BBQ pork and chicken with traditional side dishes, wine and beer, home tours and activities including corn shelling and grinding, steam engine rides, rope making, spinning and weaving. New this year will be a vehicle display. Music will be provided by the Banister Family Bluegrass Band.
Tickets are $5 for historical society members, $12 for adults and $5 for children age 3 to 12. Advance tickets are available at the historical society, 534 Third St.
For more information, visit bartholomewhistory.org.
2009
Athletes hailing from 15 states and Canada attended the opening parade and festivities for the USSSA Girls’ Fastpitch Softball World Series to be played at Lincoln and Clifty parks.
1994
A Columbus developer confirmed plans to build a Holiday Inn Express at Horizon Outlet Center while Cracker Barrel and Frisch’s Big Boy explored the feasibility of opening restaurants near the outlet.
1969
A gas station attendant was robbed at gunpoint and found tied and lying on the floor of the Clark Service Station at Third and Brown streets.
Darin Sprong captured this beautiful sunset on June 19 in Edmunds, Washington on the Puget Sound.
• HNF Electric for making a house call and not charging me anything.
• Jill England at Jill’s Downtown Diner for the delicious and complimentary anniversary breakfast on Saturday.
• the person who mowed part of my yard on Jones Street, because it was greatly appreciated.
• the kind and generous lady who paid for my floral bouquet Friday at Kroger.
• Linda Joy for the purse, from Jan.
• Detrick from Pahl’s Lawn Care for his great customer service.
• Bonnie Rigsby, from your family and Donna.
• Pat Richards, from Danny, Kelli, Rylee, Lexie and Kloey.
• Jennifer Gates, from Jessica, Skyler, Mason, Ryder, Stephanie, David, Bobbi, Kaydence, Steven and Easton, and from Jan.
• Bonnie Rigsby, from your sisters, Barb Schnadinger and Betty Moore, all your family and friends, and Rockey.
• Amber Griffin, from Pastor Marvin Brown and Trinity Baptist Church.
• Donald and Janet Thompson, from Ceil Smith.
• Mr. and Mrs. Ken Marshall.
• ANOTHER beautiful morning
