Obituaries

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UPDATED APRIL 9 / Vincent D. Whitehead, 1959-2026

Vincent D. Whitehead, 66, passed away at 1:55 a.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, at his residence after a courageous two and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Vincent was born on June 29, 1959, in Lima, Ohio, to Frederick and Janet (Henderson) Whitehead. On July 28, 1979, he married Cheryl (Bowerman) Whitehead, who survives in Harrod.

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Laurene “Lolly” Hopson Cooney, 77, of Ada, entered the Lord’s embrace on Friday, March 27, 2026, at her home with her family by her side.

She was born on February 2, 1949, in Lima, Peru to the late Leonard T. and Heloise (Reid) Hopson. On March 27, 1971, Lolly married Dennis E. Cooney, who survives in Ada.

Also surviving are her two daughters: Rachel Cooney Temple of Ada, and Melanie T. (Matt) Dyer of Alger; five grandchildren: Melina, Collin, Carisa, Brenna and Quinn; and a sister, Marilyn R. (John) VanDyke of Mountainside, NJ; mother-in-law, Marcine Cooney.

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Tony Dyer, 1966-2026

Tony B. Dyer, age 59, of Ada, passed away on Monday, March 23, 2026 at his residence. 

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Eugene Royer, 1929-2026

Eugene Royer, age 96, of Belle Center, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Logan Acres Care Center, Bellefontaine.

He was born on October 31, 1929, in Roundhead, Ohio, to the late Ted and Thelma Royer. On October 13, 1951, Eugene married Mariann Wienken, and she passed away on September 28, 2024. 

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Norman M. Welch, 1941-2026

Norman M. Welch, of rural Ada, died at the age of 84. Norm was born in Putnam County on August 28, 1941.

He was preceded in death by his parents Mearl and Ellen (Campbell) Welch, formerly of Mt. Cory, OH and by two brothers: Wayne (Deb) Welch and Nelson (Anne) Welch. 

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Janet Louise (Bailey) Elliott, 84, of Lancaster, Ohio, passed away peacefully at her home on March 8, 2026.

She was born in Kenton, Ohio, on February 23, 1942, to the late Ollie and Christina Bailey. She was a 1960 graduate of Kenton High School.

Janet met her husband, Richard C. Elliott, while working at Essex Wire in Kenton, Ohio, and they were married on June 16, 1970. They shared 53 years of marriage together until his passing in July of 2023.

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