Obituaries

Helen Louise Hynes Dray, 91, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2025, in Kissimmee, Florida, just days shy of her 92nd birthday.

She was born on March 23, 1933, in Washington Court House, Ohio, the beloved daughter of Loren and Margaret Stemler Hynes.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Major Charles Marvin Dray, and her brother, Loren Drexel Hynes, Jr.

She leaves behind a loving family, including her sons: Charles Marvin Dray Jr. (Anya), David Drexel Dray (Janet), and Christopher Stemler Dray (Susan). Helen was a proud grandmother to eight grandchildren: Scott Bradley Dray, Kerry Elizabeth Knapik, Erica Marie Dray, David Charles Dray, Savannah Nicole Dray, Nicholas Dillon Dray, Joseph Andrew Guerra, and Alex Drexel Dray.

Helen graduated from Washington High School in 1951, and Ohio Wesleyan University in 1955, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. It was during her high school years that she met the love of her life, Charles Marvin Dray (Charlie), an Air Force fighter pilot. Their marriage was filled with travel and adventure, as they lived in various parts of the world. Their first son, Charles Jr., was born in Washington Court House, their second son, David, was born in Alaska before it became a state, and their youngest, Chris, was born in Naples, Italy.

In 1967, the family returned to Tampa, Florida, where Charlie reported to MacDill Air Force Base for training on the F4E fighter plane. Tragically, Major Charles Dray was killed in a plane crash during training exercises on March 19, 1968, exactly 57 years before Helen’s passing. At the time, their sons were just 2, 8, and 11 years old.

Despite the immense loss, Helen chose to stay in Tampa and raise her family, becoming both mother and father to her boys. She took on roles such as Cub Scout leader, soccer coach, and homeroom mother, embodying the spirit of a dedicated single parent.

In 1982, with her sons grown, Helen pursued further education, earning a Master of Arts in Counseling and Development from the University of South Florida and later a master’s in counseling and psychology from Nova University. She established a private practice as a marriage and family counselor and became a sought-after speaker for ministries and Christian women’s clubs. Helen’s musical talent also shone brightly as she served as a pianist and organist for Bible study groups and retirement facilities throughout the Tampa area.

Helen’s deep faith was a cornerstone of her life. She was a long-time member of Grace United Methodist Church in Washington Court House and later joined Christ Community Church in Tampa. She was also an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and served as President of the Tampa Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni.

Her legacy of love, resilience, and faith will be cherished by all who knew her. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community.

Helen’s family is planning a private graveside service to be held Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Washington Cemetery with Todd Maurer, involvement minister at Southside Church of  Christ, officiating.

Local arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Danilin Ruff Pfoutz “Dani” Shoemaker, 76, of Phoenix, AZ died Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Phoenix.

Dani was born April 26, 1945, in Columbus, Ohio to Daniel Ruff and Mary Geneva Skinner Pfoutz, both of whom preceded her in death.  Born dangerously premature, her grandfather famously declared, “She’s a fighter!”—a trait that defined her life.

She was a mother, daughter, wife, partner, and a fiercely independent spirit. She was also a cowgirl, horse trainer, farmer, quilter, seamstress, teacher, student, artist, and a master propagator of Christmas cactus. A fiery redhead and daydreamer, Dani was the pied piper of dogs and a lifelong lover of animals and nature.

Dani challenged convention and lived with creative determination in a world shaped by outdated expectations. While raising children at a young age, she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Resourceful and imaginative, she sewed clothes, made quilts and curtains, grew gardens, and crafted Christmas ornaments from popcorn, cranberries, and egg cartons.

She nurtured not only her family, but everything she touched—houseplants grown from clippings, dogs she adored, and the family history she preserved through her passion for genealogy. Her children were raised with lessons in art, music, swimming, 4-H, and horseback riding—always encouraged to explore, learn, and grow.

Though Dani’s physical presence is gone, her legacy of creativity, resilience, and love continues in the lives of all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her son, Daniel Ruff Kline; daughter, Robyn Loretta Kline Interpreter and grandson, Roan Robert Interpreter.

A graveside service will be held Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the New Holland Cemetery.  Burial will be under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in New Holland.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Joyce Elaine Lutz, 85, formerly of Washington Court House, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Joyce was born April 12, 1940, in Chillicothe, Ohio, the eldest of three children born to Charles Byron and Virginia Clarice Dearth Lutz.  She was a 1959 graduate of Washington High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Ohio State University in 1963.

She was hired as a registered nurse at Riverside Methodist Hospital in 1963.  In 1977, she began work as a registered nurse at Mount Carmel East in Columbus where she worked in the emergency department until she retired in 2002, to help take care of her beloved mother.  As an RN she served with compassion, strength and unwavering dedication.

Joyce was an avid reader and also enjoyed movies, baking, working on crafts and cheering on her beloved OSU Buckeyes.  Go Bucks!

She was a devoted daughter, sister and aunt, who loved her family dearly.  She devoted her life to the Lord and caring for others, both in her professional field and her personal life.  She loved to laugh, and her laughter lit up every room.  Her wisdom guided those around her and her love was a constant presence in our lives.  She leaves behind cherished memories, a beloved family and a legacy of warmth, compassion and kindness.  We feel her absence deeply, but her spirit lives on in the hearts of all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Charles B. Lutz, Jr. and John R. Lutz and a niece, Jamie Lutz.

Joyce is survived by five nieces, Melissa D. Moore, Marianne Lutz, Virginia M. Claytor, Andrea Barnes and Brandi Fortune; many great and great great nieces and nephews and a cousin, Janice Kilbarger and family.

A graveside service was held Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 1 p.m. in the Springbank Cemetery at Yellowbud in Ross County with E. Dean Queen, chaplain for Heartland Hospice, officiating.  Burial was under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Brent A. Thompson, 69, of Cincinnati, Ohio died Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 11:42 a.m. at the Hospice of Cincinnati where he had been a patient since April 22.

Brent was born March 11, 1956, in Washingtons Court House, Ohio to Harold M. and Shirley Jo Pyle Thompson.  He was a 1974 graduate of Washington High School where he played the trumpet in the high school band.  He attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati.

Before his retirement two years ago, he was an information technologist specialist who supported computer systems for Belcan in Cincinnati.  He had formerly worked for General Electric and Calma Company.  His interest in computers led him to building computers and gaming controllers.

Brent was a member of The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Greater Cincinnati.  He was an avid OSU fan and enjoyed making buckeye necklaces and jewelry for his friends.

He enjoyed musical instruments of all kinds, but especially guitars, banjos, mandolins and brass instruments.  He liked participating in Renaissance fairs, blacksmithing; leather crafts; astronomy and playing Santa Claus.

He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Shirley Jo and John I. “Jack” Stackhouse and his father, Harold M. Thompson.

He is survived by three brothers, David M. Thompson and his wife, Lisa, of Webster, NY; Mark D. Stackhouse and his wife, Susan, and Charles E. “Chuck” Stackhouse, all of Washington Court House; nephew and nieces, David Thompson, Jr., Jennifer (Joel) Pomeroy, Kristina (Scott) Graham and Jessica (Justin) Collier; several grand nieces and nephews and cousins, Bruce (Sandy) Ervin, Laura Ervin, Susan Meriweather and John (Jennie) Meriweather.

To honor his wishes, cremation will be observed.

A graveside service, will be held Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 12 Noon in the Washington Cemetery with Mell Wickensimer, director of visitation at WCH Grace Church, officiating. Burial will be under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

 (Merril) David Munyon, 75, of Washington Court House, Ohio died Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:50 p.m. at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he had been a patient since April 10.

He was born on September 22, 1949, in Greenfield, Ohio to Paul Andrew and Dorothy Reynolds Blake Munyon.  He lived his early life in Greenfield where he was a 1968 graduate of Edward Lee McClain High School and then moved to Washington Court House.

He was a car enthusiast and was owner and operator of Dave & Sons Auto Sales in Washington Court House.

David was an avid sports fan especially of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bengals.  He particularly enjoyed football and wrestling and took special joy in attending the sporting events of his grandchildren.

He was a caring and forgiving person and a dedicated dad and best friend to his sons and a loving and doting grandfather to his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother and sister-in-law, Steven and Sunday Munyon; a sister, Pricilla Williams and two brothers-in-law, Marland Penwell and Nelson Trent.

David is survived by two sons, Michael Munyon and his wife, Michelle, and Shawn Munyon, all of Washington Court House; four grandchildren, Summer, Sydnie, Connor and Grayson Munyon; a great grandson, Hudson Crooks; a brother, Bill Bushnell of Washington Court House; three sisters., Paulette Penwell of South Salem, Penny Montavon and her husband, Bob, of Florida and Patricia Trent of Rainsboro; a brother-in-law, Phil Williams of Washington Court House and several nieces and nephews.

To honor his wishes, cremation will be observed.

A celebration of life is being planned and will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Paul Milford Jones, 82, of Clarksburg, Ohio went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 6:25 p.m. at Embassy Valley View near Frankfort where he had been a patient the past week.

Paul was born December 26, 1942, in Madison Mills, Ohio to Judge Alden and Theresa Belle Smith Jones.  He was a graduate of Clarksburg Adena High School and lived most of his life in the Clarksburg community.

He was a self-employed plumber and electrician.  For many years he was pastor at the House of Prayer in Octa, Ohio and did missionary work in the Philippines.

Paul served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War; was a member of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association and enjoyed attending church; bicycle riding and traveling.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Rev. Willard Jones and Rev. Thomas Jones.

He is survived by five children, Rodney (LaRhonda) Jones, Paula (William Pendergraft) Lucas and Tina (Phil) Park, all of Chillicothe, Johnnie (Todd) Legan of Naples, FL and Shawn ( Ashley) Jones of Talmo, GA; 13 grandchildren, Kassandra Jones, Brittany Jones, Allan Jones, Tiffany Keller, Tadd Clary, Justin Moore, Mathew Park,  Tyler Legan, Justin Legan, Austin Jones, Haylee Burgess, Mya Jones and Kinley Jones; several great grandchildren; two sisters, Evelyn Bott of Grove City and Mildred Harris of Clarksburg and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The funeral will be held on Friday, April 18. 2025, at 1 p.m. at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in New Holland with the Rev. Brent Curtis officiating.  Burial will follow in the Brown’s Chapel Cemetery near Clarksburg.

Friends may call at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in New Holland Friday from 11 a.m. Friday until the time of the service.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Lynn Ellen Heiny, 64, a beloved member of our family, passed away peacefully at Court House Manor on April 9, 2025, surrounded by loved ones, after a long illness.

She is survived by her mother, Joy Heiny, sisters, Robyn Frazier and Jill Cipra (Dale); brother, Mark (Jenni) Heiny and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her father, Robert Heiny, preceded her in death in 2020.

Lynn spent much of her life working in the community in places like Fayette Progressive Industries, Our Place, and McDonald’s. She also helped maintain the I-71 rest area outside of town.  Lynn loved being able to work and felt a sense of pride in her accomplishments.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where she volunteered in a Sunday School class for many years.  She also participated in Special Olympics, where her specialty was swimming.  Lynn loved collecting DVD’s of her favorite movies and country music CD’s.

Family and friends have fond memories of her great sense of humor, which have been named “Lynn-isms”.  She also had a very generous heart.  Lynn loved to treat her family to their favorite seafood restaurant, The Sea Captain’s, during yearly Myrtle Beach vacations.  We loved watching her look over the bill and give her final approval.

One of the greatest joys in Lynn’s life was her marriage in 2018.  Family members traveled from out of town to celebrate her special day.  It is a precious memory we will hold dear in our hearts.

Lynn spent much of her adult life in group homes, where she made friends and enjoyed some independence.  Her final years were spent at Court House Manor, where she was cared for by many aides and nurses.  Our family would like to thank everyone who lovingly took care of her throughout the years. Lynn was a sweet, special person who touched many lives.  She will be greatly missed.

The funeral will be held Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church  with the Rev. Steve Brand, pastor at the church, officiating.  Burial will be in the Washington Cemetery.

Friends may call at the church from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Following the service, a time of food and fellowship will be held in Persinger Hall at the First Presbyterian Church.

Donations, in memory of Lynn, may be made to Fayette County Board of  DD  online at www.greenegiving.org.  Please reference Fayette Co. Board of DD or by mailing donations to the Greene County Community Foundation, 941 West Second Street, Xenia, OH 45385. Checks may be made out to Greene Giving and reference Fayette Co. Board of DD in the memo section.

“We eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his Glorious body.” Philippians 3:20-21

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

John Franklin Dawson III, 90, beloved husband of Elizabeth “Liz” Otis Dawson, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Born in Fayette County, PA on December 7, 1934, he quickly earned the nickname Bud, after his mother Annabel declared he looked “just like a rosebud”. This nickname stuck and followed him the rest of his life. Bud was one of three boys born to the late Frank and Annabel Dawson. Brothers Dale and Dickie also preceded him in death as well as his beloved stepfather, Whitey Thompson, Aunt Sandra Regan, Uncle Beam Griffith and Aunt Maddy Hoffman.

Bud was raised in Uniontown, PA and he eventually moved to Washington Court House, Ohio where he played high school basketball and had such a strong golf game it landed him on the golf team at The Ohio State University playing alongside the great Jack Nicklaus. Forever a proud Buckeye, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961, and then proudly served his country in the Army for several years as an Intelligence Analyst dispatching messages in morse code. He then put his excellent marketing and journalism skills to use with Bell Labs, where he worked for 30 years writing articles for the company until it evolved into AT&T. His skills took him all the way to Iran, a highlight for him, as he helped study and implement the initial concepts of how a cell phone tower could be useful someday. He eventually served for several years as the Director of Development for the city of Washington Court House.

Bud and Liz’s love story started on a blind date and they got married on August 20, 1960. They lived in Parsippany, NJ for several years before moving to Summit, NJ where they raised their 3 daughters Vicky, Dahl and Liz. Bud had an incredible voice and enjoyed singing in church choirs, playing his ukulele and performing in many plays and musicals over the years. He always loved a good party and never passed up an opportunity to entertain, often singing and playing for hours. At 88 years old, he recorded several songs at a renowned studio in San Diego. The experience is documented here.

He recorded this song in one take, like the pro that he was.

Bud was a devoted husband, father and grandfather having taught almost the entire family how to play golf. He was loved for his energy and love for life. He always had a dog or a horse by his side and, being a farmer at heart, wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He was a man of action, but also a man of reflection who enjoyed deep conversations with friends and family. He was passionate about helping the underdog!  Bud and Liz were always admired by others for their special love and his unwavering care of Liz up until his passing, just shy of their 65th wedding anniversary.

Bud is survived by his loving family; wife Liz Dawson of Oceanside, CA; daughters Vicky and husband Greg Irvine of Fallbrook, CA, Dahl Nielsen-Fried and husband Ken Fried of Carlsbad, CA, Liz and husband Steve Krenik of Foothill Ranch, CA; grandchildren, Joshua Dawson Irvine of Salt Lake City, UT, Hannah and husband Taylor Hall of Santa Barbara, CA, Grace Irvine of San Diego, CA, Virginia Nielsen of San Mateo, CA, Lilah Annabel Nielsen of Carlsbad, CA, Victoria Nielsen of Leucadia, CA, Paige Krenik of Foothill Ranch, CA, Lance Dawson Krenik of Foothill Ranch, CA; brother-in law John Otis and wife Twinky of Bonita Springs, FL; nephews John Otis of Salt Lake City, UT and James Otis of Salt Lake City, UT; nieces Ginger Otis of Annapolis, MD, and Star Bailey of San Marcos, CA; and Son-In-Law Peter Nielsen of Oceanside, CA.

A private family remembrance celebrating Bud will be held on the West Coast this summer. A formal future service will be held in Washington Court House, Ohio where both Liz and Bud will eventually be buried together by the angel in the Washington Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Tunnel To Towers Foundation, t2t.org in Bud’s honor and please notify us by adding the following email: vicky.irvine@aol.com so we can send our gratitude. We’d love you to also share a memory by clicking on his name, scrolling down to the bottom where you can leave a reply.

Rebecca Ann Steele, 70, of Washington Court House, Ohio died Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 4:45 p.m. at the Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe where she had been a patient since March 31.

Becky was born November 1, 1954, in Toledo in Lucas County, Ohio and moved to Washington Court House in 2010, from Elmore, Ohio.

She had formerly worked at the Walmart in Freemont, Ohio and at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio.

Becky was a member of the WCH Church of the Nazarene and enjoyed cooking, camping, fishing and reading.

She was preceded in death by a son, Tony Roberts and two grandchildren.

Becky is survived by her husband, Ronald G. Steele whom she married October 31, 2007; a son, William Shetler of Washington Court House; eight grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

In keeping with her wishes, cremation will take place and there will be no visitation or service.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com

Kimberly Ann Horn, 70, of Washington Court House, Ohio died Sunday, March 16, 2025, at her home.

Kim was born August 13, 1954, in Washington Court House, Ohio to H. S. (Bud) and Mary Virginia (Ginnie) White Stemple.  She was a 1972 graduate of Washington High School and later received a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from The Ohio State University.

She formerly had been a sales associate at the Home Depot store in Washington Court House.

Kim was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Steven Stemple.

She is survived by a daughter, Megan Horn and her husband, Matthew Scouten, of Silver Spring, Maryland; a son, Douglas Horn of Washington, D.C; three grandchildren, which she loved spending time with, William, Henry and David Scouten, and a sister, Michele Stemple of Chillicothe.

To honor with her wishes, cremation will take place and there will be no visitation or service.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com