Ronald L. Bell
CARDINGTON — Ronald L. Bell, 52, of Cardington, formerly of Johnstown, passed away Aug. 9, 2004.

Ronald was born Jan. 6, 1952, in Mount Vernon to Harold Owen and Betty Rose (Dowell) Bell Jr.

He is survived by his wife, Thelma “Candy” (Warren) Bell; his three girls, Bobbi (fiancé, Craig Bartholomew) Bell of Columbus, Esther Sheffer of Perrysville and Roni (Buddy) Cunningham of Marengo; his three brothers, Tom (Noni) Bell, Raymond (Diane) Bell and Larry Bell, all of Johnstown.

A memorial service will be today at 2 p.m. at Crouse-Kauber-Sammons Funeral Home, 225 N. Main St., Johnstown.

Memorial contributions can be made in Ronald’s name to the American Cancer Society. An online memorial can be located at the Web site crousekaubersammons.plan4ever.com.

Jean M. Daugherty
COSHOCTON — Jean Marie Daugherty, 69, of Cambridge Road, Coshocton, died Aug. 11, 2004, at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital in Columbus.

She was born July 1, 1935, in Coshocton County to Thomas and Thelma (Sowers) Keefer. She retired from Edmont-Wilson (now Ansel-Edmont) in Coshocton. She was a member of the Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church, where she was involved in the choir, Ladies Aide and the New Beginnings Sunday School. She also was a member of the Coshocton Canal Quilters Guild.

She is survived by a son, William K. (Kim) Daugherty of Coshocton; three daughters, Deanna (Jim) Humphries of West Jefferson, Cathy (Rick) Morehouse of Thornville and Debra Daugherty of Coshocton; 12 grandchildren, Tamara, Jeremiah, Jennifer, Mickey, William J., Tanya, Georgina, Brandon, Dakota, Christopher, Eric and Allan; 16 great-grandchildren, Nathan, Tyler, Cayla, Damon, Travis, Arron, Anthony, Alexia, Brianna, Brice, Tabby, Mellisa, Cortney, Desiree, Hatshepsut and Alexander; seven sisters, Mary Phillips, June Phillips, Cheri Hart, Diane Hart, Linda Endsley, Marsha Keefer and Lori Keefer; one brother, Jerry Keefer; several nieces and nephews; and her stepmother, Louise Keefer.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, William Harvey Daugherty, whom she married Aug. 9, 1953.

The funeral will be today at 1 p.m. in the Fischer Funeral Home in Warsaw, with visitation until service time. The Rev. Jonathan Truax will officiate. Burial will be in the Coshocton County Memory Gardens.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church, 45494 County Road 23, Coshocton 43812; or the American Cancer Society, 3612 Maple Ave., Zanesville.

John Downes
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — John Pershing Downes, 85, a former Mount Vernon resident, died Aug. 11, 2004, at Ruxton Health Care of Woodbridge, Woodbridge, Va. The North-Dilley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

James G. Hughes
NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — James G. Hughes, 88, of North Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Mount Vernon, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2004, at Hope Hospice in Cape Coral, Fla. He was born May 1, 1916, in Bremond, Texas, to William Augustus and Annie (Barkley) Hughes and lived in Mount Vernon from 1946 until moving to Florida in 1986. James was a former employee of Bee Line Services in Mount Vernon and retired as a sales representative for Bee Line Equipment Sales of Davenport, Iowa, after 23 years of employment. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II.

Surviving are three daughters, Shirley (John) Clark of Lewisburg, Patricia (Frank) Mathias of Cape Coral, Fla., and Cathy (Ray) Gough of Newark; two sons, James (Dorthy) Hughes of Gambier and Brett (Angie) Hughes of Findlay; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; his sister, Kathlene Gammel of Carson, Calif.; and his devoted friend and caregiver, Polly Davey of North Fort Myers, Fla.

Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Betty (Bradley) Hughes; four brothers and two sisters.

Friends may call Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, where funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. The Rev. Bob Heizer will officiate. Burial with military honors by the Knox County Joint Veterans Council will follow in Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Hospice.

This obituary and online condolences at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.

John Lambillotte
NORTON — G. John Lambillotte, 85, of Norton died Aug. 10, 2004, at Barberton Citizen Hospital.

Mr. Lambillotte was born in Mount Vernon, and resided in Norton since 1968.

Cremation has taken place at Hilliard & Mullaney Funeral Home Inc. at Wadsworth, and no visitation hours are scheduled. Private family service will be conducted at a later date. The family requests no flowers.

Dorothy Bowden Sperry
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Former Mount Vernon resident Dorothy Bowden Sperry died Saturday, July 10, 2004, in Mount Vernon, Wash., after a short illness. She was 99.

She was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, to Harry and Luella Bowden. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1923. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Smith College in Northampton, Mass., in 1927.

Later that summer she joined a small group of students from Smith to participate in one of the school’s first student exchange programs to France. After obtaining a diploma from the University of Grenoble, she attended the Sorbonne at the University of Paris where she received two diplomas in French civilization.

While in Paris, she was privileged to live in the home of Admiral and Madame Amédée Bienaimé, who acquainted her thoroughly with French culture.

After returning she married Lawrence Edmund Sperry of Mount Vernon at the home of her parents on North Gay Street. Their honeymoon trip to Bermuda and New York City included attending a performance of “Faust” at the Metropolitan Opera House. Mr. Sperry was noted for his own vocal talent. Mrs. Sperry enjoyed the local Beethoven Club and holiday family gatherings. Their family was the focus of her life.

Mr. Sperry died in 1952 and she chose a career in teaching to assure college educations for their children.

Taking graduate courses part time at the University of Wisconsin and Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa), she obtained her teaching certificate at age 52.

She became head of the French departments at three successive private schools for girls: Bartram School, Jacksonville, Fla.; St. Katherine’s School, Davenport, Iowa; and Ferry Hall, Lake Forest, Ill., (while a resident in Winnetka, Ill.). She moved to Madison, Wis., in 1962 where she lived for 30 years.

In 1993, she moved to the Mennonite Village in Albany, Ore., to be near her two daughters and their families. In 2001, she went to Mount Vernon, Wash., to be near daughter, Anna, and her husband, Torolf Torgersen, who had recently retired.

Dorothy was known for her quick wit and keen memory. She continued to be actively interested in national and world politics, current events and environmental issues.

Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Carolyn Sperry Knapp Witters and Robert E. Witters of Corvallis, Ore., and Lighthouse Point, Fla.; Anna Sperry Torgersen and Torolf Torgersen of Anacortes, Wash., formerly of Corvallis; grandchildren, Elizabeth Torgersen Holden and Christian Erik Torgersen of Corvallis; Marianne Sperry Torgersen, Rufus Putnam Knapp and Robert Bowden Knapp of Portland, Ore.; Dorothea H. Knapp Guy of Seattle, Wash.; Julia Knapp Miller of Centerville, Ohio; Elizabeth Browning Sperry of Redondo Beach, Calif.; Whitney Sperry Beller of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; and Lawrence Edmund Sperry III of Sedalia, Mo.; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence, in 1952; son, Lawrence Jr., in 1991; and grandson, Paul Morgan Knapp, who died in 1973 along with his father, Robert D. Knapp Jr.

A memorial service was held Aug. 4 at the First United Methodist Church in Corvallis, Ore. The Rev. John Dennis of the First Presbyterian Church officiated.

It was Mrs. Sperry’s wish that her cremains be distributed in the wheat fields of eastern Oregon and interred in the family plot in Mound View Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Ohio. A graveside service is pending.

Memorial contributions in Mrs. Sperry’s memory toward the purchase of a forest grove may be mailed to Anacortes Community Forest Lands, City of Anacortes, Conservation Easement Program, P.O. Box 547, Anacortes, WA 98221.