Obituaries

Virginia Criblez Withington, 77, of Longboat Key, died April 23, 2010 after a valiant 5 ½ year battle with cancer.

 

Survivors include Richard, her husband of 54 years; daughters, Robin and Andrea; son-in-law Scott Zarenchansky; a brother, Donald and sister-in-law Martha Criblez of Findlay, Ohio; and nephews, Kenneth of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Kevin of Hewitt, Texas.

 

Virginia was a graduate of Ohio State University and University of Maryland, where she earned her master’s degree. She had an accomplished career as an educator, teaching in the Howard County, Maryland public school system for 28 years where she also served as Business Department Chair at a prestigious high school.

 

She was born in Bluffton, Ohio on March 11, 1933, later lived in Glenwood, Maryland for over 30 years and moved to Longboat Key 20 years ago.

 

Over the years, she has been active in her church and community serving on church and neighborhood association boards, providing youth leadership, and publishing newsletters. She served in various leadership roles including Treasurer and Board of Directors at the Longboat Island Chapel, as well as Treasurer, Recorder, and President of the Buttonwood Harbour Association. She was a member of the American Association of University Women for nearly 50 years, reader for the sightless on station WUSF, and a Longboat Key Garden Club member. She was also active at the Longboat Library, where she served as president for 4 years and on the Board of Directors for 9 years.

 

Virginia was a longtime financial supporter of many local and state non-profit arts and humanitarian organizations. In her spare time, she enjoyed flowers and gardening, reading, cooking, animals, and refinishing furniture.

 

Memorial Service will be held Sunday May 2, 2010 at 11:30am at Christ Church of Longboat Key, 595 Bay Isles Road Longboat Key, Florida, 34228.

 

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to:

Christ Church of Longboat Key, 595 Bay Isles Road Longboat Key, Florida, 34228 or to the Longboat Library, 555 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, Florida, 34228.

Nancy J. Badertscher, 44, of Bluffton, died Sunday, April 18, 2010 at Bluffton Hospital. She was born July 28, 1965 to Don and Harriet (Badertscher) Badertscher in Bluffton.

 

Ms. Badertscher was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bluffton. She was a recipient of the Jefferson Award for her volunteerism at Bluffton Elementary School and Mennonite Memorial Home. She enjoyed scrapbooking and connecting with friends via the internet. She was not only a resident of Mennonite Memorial Home, but a special friend to the entire Mennonite Memorial Home community. She was a 1983 graduate of Bluffton High School.

 

Survivors include her mother, Harriet Badertscher, of Bluffton; sisters, Lori (William) Barns, of Vienna, Va., and Sue (Walter) Delgado, of Jonesboro, Ga.; nieces and nephews, Julie, Ariel, Chris and Mindy Degaldo, all of Jonesboro, Ga.

 

She was preceded in death by her father, Don Badertscher.

 

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 23, 2010 at 7 p.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bluffton. Rev. Bruce Steinhard will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.

 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, St. John’s United Church of Christ, or Mennonite Memorial Home.

Joan Elizabeth Harrison, 82, of Bluffton, passed away at 8:00 a.m. April 15, 2010 at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born on December 10, 1927 in Columbus, Ohio to Orville R. and M. Elizabeth Tingley Jordan. On May 3, 1947 she married Pleasant Junior “P.J.” Harrison and he preceded her in death on November 14, 1984.

 

Mrs. Harrison had worked at Triplett Corporation, Bluffton. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Bluffton and the Order of Eastern Star. She enjoyed playing cards, crocheting, reading and her pet cat “Alley Cat”. She was a 41-year breast cancer survivor and had graduated from West Liberty High School.

 

Survivors include three daughters, Paula Joan Kruse, of Bluffton, Sheryl Lynne (Jim) Babione, of Fremont, Ohio, and Jane Ann (Bill) Sparks, of Delbarton, WV; a son, John Keith Harrison, of Bluffton; seven grandchildren; ten great grandchildren.

 

She was preceded in death by an infant son, John Richard Harrison and a brother, Floyd Jordan.

 

A graveside service was held at 11:00 a.m. Monday April 19, 2010, at Fairview Cemetery, West Liberty, Ohio. William Herr officiated. Visitation was Sunday from 2-5 p.m. at Chiles-Laman Funeral Home, Bluffton.

 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bluffton-Richland Public Library. Arrangements are under the direction of Chiles-Laman Funeral Home, Bluffton.