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| In Memoriam |
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July 26 to September 22
Dr. Kwok-Sang Chui
Friend of the University
Dr. Kwok-Sang Chui died on Sept. 15. Born in Hong Kong in 1937, the war and invasion led his family into China before they returned to Hong Kong.
Chui sailed to the United States in 1964 to study math at Ashland College and Bowling Green State University. In 1971, he met a nurse named Linda Hawbaker. They married in 1972 in Fort Wayne and had two children, Emily and Marcus. Chui worked as a teacher and basketball coach at Huntington Catholic High School before obtaining his doctorate in manufacturing engineering from Purdue University in 1978. He taught for a few years at St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis).
Chui was preceded in death by his parents and brothers. He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years Linda Chui, children Emily (Mike) and Marcus; grandchildren Teddy, Avery, Maggie and Charlie; sister-in-law Liu Mui Fong; siblings-in-law Evelyn (Roger) Terrell, Barbara Benya, James (Myrna) Hawbaker, Rebecca (Dave) Meeks, Jon (Jody) Hawbaker and Lynn (Pam) Hawbaker; and over 40 nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Access the obituary.
James Vann
Friend of the University
James Murdock Vann, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, died on Aug. 24. Jim was raised in Badin, North Carolina and Hot Springs, Arkansas by his mother Florence Hughes Vann and father James Murdock Vann Sr. Jim was preceded in death by his wife Lee, parents, sister Jane “Sis” and son Michael.
Jim was president of an ALCOA subsidiary, Rea Magnet Wire Company, and in 1986, he and three partners purchased Rea Magnet Wire Company from ALCOA. He supported the university and is recognized with the Lee and Jim Vann Library at Saint Francis.
Jim is survived by daughters Stephanie (Doug) Moen, Castle Pines, Colorado, Sherry (Mike) Connolly, Fort Wayne, Debbie Gilreath, Wake Forest, North Carolina and son Jim (Dana) Vann, Lafayette; grandchildren Amanda, Whitney, Brody, Shane, Brian, Andrew, Jaimie and Jimmy; and 13 great-grandchildren. Access the obituary.
Patricia More ’57
Patricia “Pat” R. More, of Crooked Lake and Angola, died on Aug. 23. Pat was born on May 11, 1930, in Rochester. Ervin W. More and Stella (Nill) More opened their hearts and arms to welcome her into their home. They preceded her in death.
Pat graduated from North Side High School in Fort Wayne in 1948, graduated from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis).
Pat worked in nursing and taught nursing at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. She then spent 22 years working as director of nurses for the Red Cross Regional Blood Services in Fort Wayne. Access the obituary.
Iris Holt ’69
Iris “June” (Dipert) Holt, 96, of New Haven, Indiana, died on Sept. 21. Born on Sept. 16, 1928, near Walkerton, Indiana, she was the youngest daughter of Lewis and Lela (Rough) Dipert's seven children.
She graduated from Walkerton High School and received her bachelor's degree in education from Indiana Central College, where she met her husband of 75 years, Robert, who preceded her in death in 2023. She received her master's degree in education at St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis) in 1968 and taught English at New Haven Junior and Senior High School until retiring in 1984.
She is survived by her children Steve (Terri) Holt of Valparaiso, Indiana, Gary (Lynn) Holt and Susie (Kyle) Platt, both of New Haven; daughter-in-law Pam Holt of New Haven; grandchildren Shelley Holt and Julie (Jason Dobson) Holt of Las Vegas, Nevada, Nick (Jenn) Goranson, Sam (Emily Shaw) Holt and Kelly (Dan Tolomay) Holt, all of New Haven, Emilee (Casey) Johnson of Fort Wayne; and eight great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her son David, brothers Chester, Danny, Floyd and Wayne Dipert, and sisters Sylvia Holland and Velma Shores. Access the obituary.
Becky Olsen ’69
St. Joseph School of Nursing
Rebecca “Becky” Olsen, 76, died on July 24. She was born in Huntington on April 18, 1948. She is survived by her husband Don; daughter Amy Tapp (Jeff); son Jeremy; granddaughter Kara Pinter (Matt); and grandson Tyler Tapp. Becky graduated from St. Joseph School of Nursing in 1969 and worked in the community as a nurse for 40 years. Access the obituary.
Jan Scher ’69
Janice Marie Scher, 77, of Huntington, died on July 15. Janice was born on June 26, 1947, in Huntington, the daughter of Paul Scher and Jane (Schortgen) Scher. She graduated from Huntington Catholic High School in 1965. She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis) in 1969 and her master’s degree in 1972.
Janice retired in 2007 from Huntington County School Corporation, where she taught for over 20 years. She also taught third grade students at Warren and Salamonie Elementary Schools.
Survivors include brother Jeffrey (Choleta) Scher of Columbia City; sister Julia Scher of Avilla; niece Miranda Jane (Ryan) Castle of Columbia City; nephew Michael Paul Scher of New Haven; great-nieces Emersyn and Eloise Castle of Columbia City; 10 godchildren; and many cousins. She is preceded in death by her father Paul Scher, mother Jane Scher, sister Joyce Ann Scher and brothers Jon and Jerome Scher. Access the obituary.
John Field ’72
John William Morton Field III, 88, of Fort Wayne, died on Sept. 6. John was born Sept. 23, 1935, in Louisville, Kentucky, to John and Lois Field. He graduated from the University of Louisville and earned a master’s degree in business at St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis). During his career, he worked for Magnavox and Raytheon as an electronics engineer.
John is survived by his son Dave (Mindy) Field; sister Marylynn (John) Roberts; grandson Jason Field; granddaughter Jessica Field; niece Debbie (Gary) Drenth; and nephew Christopher (Hannah) Roberts.
He is predeceased by parents John and Lois Field; sister Jackie (Warren) Standafer; and nephew Scott Standafer. Access the obituary.
Catherine Hausfeld ’72
Catherine M. (Altieri) Hausfeld, 85, died on Sept. 17 at The Towne House in Fort Wayne. She was born on June 2, 1939, in Lorain, Ohio, to Elizabeth and Anthony Altieri. She graduated as valedictorian of Brookside High School in Sheffield Village, Ohio, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. On September 3, 1960, she married the love of her life, Anthony Hausfeld, who she met at Miami University; they recently celebrated their 64th anniversary. They moved to Fort Wayne after graduating in 1961. Cathy went on to earn her master’s degree at St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis) and taught in East Allen County Schools for over three decades.
She is survived by her husband Tony; son Michael (Suzanne); daughter Michelle (Greg) Fullhart; grandchildren Tony (Kasey) Hausfeld, Allison (Dane) Sanzenbacher, Amy (Alex) Hammond, Andrew Fullhart, Adam Fullhart and Alex Fullhart; and great-grandchildren Hayes Hausfeld, Camille Hausfeld and Calvin Sanzenbacher. Access the obituary.
Gene Lightner ’76
Gene L. Lightner, of Ligonier, died on July 28 in Fort Wayne. Gene was born in Ohio to Leo F. and Margaret Rose (Toth) Lightner. He graduated from John Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in business. He later obtained his master’s degree from St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis).
He met and married Elizabeth Arnold, of Fort Wayne, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland, where they were both working as college students. Their wedding was a race against his ship-out date to Vietnam, where he served with men who would become lifelong friends.
Gene will be missed dearly by his wife of 59 years Elizabeth Lightner; their daughters Jennifer (Monte) Mawhorter and Melinda Lightner; grandchildren Erik, Erin (Draven Rasler), Kyle, Emily Mawhorter and Cody (Michaela Oaks) Worman. Access the obituary.
Ralph Seddelmeyer ’77
Ralph Herman Seddelmeyer, 76, of New Haven, died on Sept. 2 at Bethlehem Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation in Fort Wayne. He was born on April 18, 1948, in Fort Wayne, the son of the late Otto and Lucinda Seddelmeyer.
Ralph graduated from New Haven High School in 1966, then proudly served in Vietnam in the U.S. Army. He attended International Business College and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis). He was the owner of Seddelmeyer Associates, CPA, in New Haven for many years. Ralph is survived by his wife Ruth Seddelmeyer; children Julie (Aaron) Ashabraner, Steven Seddelmeyer, Jennifer (David) Hanley and Laura Seddelmeyer; seven grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. Access the obituary.
William Storey ’83
William “Bill” Alvin Storey, 78, died on August 3. Born on November 6, 1945, Bill was a man of many talents and achievements. He graduated with honors from Royerton High School in 1964, where he excelled at both academics and athletics.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Purdue University in 1969, a bachelor’s degree in music from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado, in 1976, a master’s degree in classical guitar performance from the University of Denver in 1977 and a master’s degree in business from St. Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis) in 1983.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 48 years Deidra; daughter Rachael (Donovan); son Nathan (Jennifer) and their children Madelyn, Evan, Sam and Gabrielle; his son Daniel (Rebecca) and their children Aya, Evie and Luca; and his son Aaron (Morgan) and their children Jackson, Max and Caroline. Access the obituary.
Debbie Turner ’09
Debbie (Blair) Turner, 56, of Springville, Utah, died on Aug. 10, after a four-year battle with breast cancer. Born in Xenia, Ohio, on March 7, 1968, she grew up in Lima, Ohio, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, and made South Whitley her home for 23 years. She married her husband Jim on Nov. 18, 1990.
After graduating from the University of Saint Francis in 2009, Debbie worked as a certified surgical technologist for 15 years, most recently at Intermountain Health in Utah.
She was preceded in death by parents Major and Patricia and brothers Mark and Mitchell. She is survived by her husband Jim; daughters Brittanie and Natalie; and siblings Jeff, Diane, Elizabeth and Paul. Access the obit.
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