Thad Shank

Thad T. Shank, 88, a resident of LaOtto, passed away at 7:18 a. m. on Monday, July 28, 2014 at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home in Fort Wayne. He had been in declining health since December. Mr. Shank was born in Green Township in Noble County on November 21, 1925, a son of Fred and Blanch (Lock) Shank, and spent his formative years near LaOtto in Swan Township. As a young man he served with the U. S. Navy and was married in Churubusco on June 26, 1945 to Bettie Cobbs. Mr. Shank spent all of his adult life in LaOtto, and was employed by Dana Corporation in Fort Wayne for 39 years, retiring from there as an inspector in 1986. He was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in LaOtto, Avilla American Legion Post, and the Untied Steel Workers. The surviving relatives include his wife Bettie, to whom he was married for 69 years; a daughter Sheila (Daniel) Cape of Auburn; a son Mark (Deborah) Shank of LaOtto; two brothers Wilbur Shank of Churubusco and Clyde (Janice) Shank of Fort Wayne; a sister Marilyn (Tom) Felzer of Seattle, Washington; three grandchildren Suzanne Shearer, Jeffrey Coons, and Thad Coons; and seven great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers Floyd Shank and Orthel Shank; and by a sister Betty. Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. on Thursday, July 31, 2014, at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Pastor Lane Burgland, officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p. m., or one hour prior to the service Thursday morning. Interment will be in the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco. For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46814 *****************************************************