Karen Sakemiller
YORK, Pa. — Karen Sue (Conn) Sakemiller, 49, died unexpectedly Jan. 31, 2004, in York Hospital in York, Pa.

She was born Aug. 9, 1955, in Mercy Hospital and was raised in Mount Vernon. Karen had resided in Pennsylvania for the past 30 years.

Karen is survived by her husband, Michael Smith of Pennsylvania; two daughters, Naomi Heckman of Martinsburg and Sonia Sakemiller of California; two granddaughters, Amanda and Cynthia; her mother, Elizabeth Conn of Mount Vernon; and her father and stepmother, John W. (Shirley) Conn of Pennsylvania.

Karen will be lovingly remembered and forever missed by her three brothers, John (Bill) Conn, Dan Conn of Mount Vernon and Stephen Conn of Pennsylvania; two sisters, Rebecca (Conn) Blubaugh of Mount Vernon and Denise Conn of Mississippi; five nieces and nephews; and her best friend, Eddy Conn.

Services will be held today and Thursday at John W. Keffer Funeral Home, 902 Mount Rose Ave., York, PA.

Jane W. Saunders
MOUNT VERNON — Jane W. Saunders, 85, of Mount Vernon passed away Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004, at Knox Community Hospital. The Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Rita M. Smith
MOUNT VERNON — Rita M. Smith, 80, of Mount Vernon, died Feb. 4, 2004, at Knox Community Hospital. The North-Dilley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Brant J. Ware
UTICA — Brant J. Ware, 72, of Utica died Feb. 3, 2004, at Knox Community Hospital.
He was born April 17, 1931, in Newville, W.Va., to Ode and Louisa (Fisher) Ware. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and was a 33-year employee of North American Rockwell in Newark, retiring in 1992.

He is survived by his wife, Betty (Currence) Ware, to whom he had been married 48 years; a daughter, Rose (Nelson) Blackburn of Martinsburg; two sons, Dale R. Ware of Utica and Louie (Lori) Ware of Utica; two granddaughters; three great-grandchildren; three brothers, Glen, Howard and Harold Ware; and two sisters, Fanny Skidmore and Frances Trace.

Besides his parents he was preceded in death by two brothers, Lawson and Earl Ware.

Friends may call Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Harris-Dilley Funeral Home in Bladensburg. Graveside service is Friday at 2 p.m. in the Ware Cemetery at Braxton County, W.Va.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Knox County, 302 E. High St., Mount Vernon 43050.

John C. Warrick
MOUNT VERNON — John Charles Warrick, 82, of Mount Vernon passed away Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus of complications due to bacterial colitis.

He was born Aug. 26, 1921, to Myrtle and John Warrick in South Bend, Ind. He married the former Dorma Eubank on Dec. 28, 1943. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in December.

John earned his undergraduate degree from Manchester College in Indiana and his master’s from Kent State University. He served as a captain in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was assistant principal and coach at the Mount Vernon Junior/Senior High School from 1954 to 1959 and principal of Pleasant Street Junior High until his retirement in 1979. An active member of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church for 50 years, John was also a past president of the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club and was active in the Ohio Retired Teachers Association.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Jo Forkish of Eugene, Ore.; three sons, David of Wooster, Doug of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Michael of Brighton, Mich.; and eight grandchildren.

Friends may call Friday from 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. Funeral will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Mulberry Street United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the church’s Wagon Ministry, to Hospice of Knox County, 302 E. High St., Mount Vernon 43050; or the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter, 2500 N. Reynolds Road, Toledo 43615.

This obituary and guest registry are online at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.