Rodney Lansaw

Rodney Lansaw, 86, a resident of Churubusco, died at 8:10 p. m. on Monday, February 18, 2008, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. Mr. Lansaw was born in Breathitt County, Kentucky on January 14, 1922, a son of Taylor and Gracie Alma (Lockard) Lansaw, and attended Jackson High School in Jackson, Kentucy. He moved to the Churubusco area as a young man, and was a World War II Army veteran, serving in the European, African, and Middle Eastern theaters. He participated in the invasion of France, was wounded there, and received the prestigious Purple Heart and Bronze Star. On August 28, 1946 he was married in Avilla to Janice E. Guiff, and spent all of his adult life in the Churubusco community. An employee of Petrolane Gas Company, he retired from there in 1985. He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in LaOtto, and was a former Sunday School superintendent. He was also a 50-year member and twice worshipful master of Huntertown Lodge 689 F&AM, the American Legion, Disabled Veterans, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, and enjoyed visiting with friends at the Magic Wand Restaurant in Churubusco. The surviving relatives include his wife Janice, to whom he was married for over 61 years; his children Leon Creech of Churubusco, Sandra (Larry) Jensen of Kendallville, Michael (Susan) Lansaw of Fort Wayne, David (companion Robert Laycock) Lansaw of Cleveland, OH., and Kristina (Richard) Holbrook of West Des Moines, IA; three sisters Delphia (Richard) Lauer, Dorothy (Ernest) Faurote, and Shirlee Sidicane, all of Fort Wayne; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers Raleigh Lansaw, Garland Lansaw, Woodford Lansaw, Ruben Lansaw, Terry Lansaw, and Ralph Lansaw; and by three sisters infant Marjorie Lansaw, Geneva Parks, and Bethel Nitcher. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Friday, February 22, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Sue Socha, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, officiating. The family will receive friends at the mortuary on Thursday from 4 to 8 p. m. Huntertown Lodge 689 F&AM will conduct memorial services at 8 p. m. Thursday at the mortuary. Interment with full military graveside rites will be in the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco. The family requests that memorials be directed to Emmanual Lutheran Church, LaOtto; or to Huntertown Lodge 689 F&AM. *************************************** To leave a condolence for the family in Mr. Lansaw's memory, please click on "Condolences" below. . .