Allen County History & Genealogy

Allen County Obituaries

James W. Offenbacher

James W. Offenbacher, 93, died at 4:10 a.m. Aug. 18, 2008, at Lost Creek Care Center.

He was born March 28, 1915, in Lima to Ray I. and Leeta A. Hess Offenbacher, who preceded him in death. On Oct. 18, 1944, he married L. Ruth Rhodes, who died Nov. 27, 2003.

Mr. Offenbacher retired in 1977 as an automotive electrician from the Ohio Department of Transportation after 17 years. He had also been a mechanic for the Oldsmobile Agency and Superior Coach and an engineer for WLOK radio, where he held an operator's license from 1953 to 1958. He was a member of First Evangelical and Reformed Church since 1960. He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He enjoyed camping.

Survivors include a daughter, Alice (Richard) Dunlap, of Lima; two brothers, Norman (Gladys) Offenbacher, of Lima, and Robert (Gertrude) Offenbacher, of Denham Springs, La.; two grandchildren, Darin (Barbara) Dunlap, of Cairo, and Cristin (Steve) Ramsey, of Lima; a great-granddaughter, Andrea Ramsey, of Lima, and another due in December; and two sisters-in-law, Sylvia Offenbacher and Rosemary Offenbacher, both of Lima.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Charles, William and Thomas Offenbacher.

Services will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at Chiles-Laman Funeral Homes, Lewis Eastside Chapel. The Rev. Ed Rinehart will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1275.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Central Ohio Chapter, 740 Lakeview Plaza Blvd., Suite 225, Worthington, OH 43085; Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205; or First Evangelical and Reformed Church, 3230 W. Wayne St., Lima, OH 45801.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.

SOURCE: Lima News, August 18, 2008