Earl Hetzner

Earl Hetzner BIRTH 4 Apr 1898 DEATH 25 Oct 1945 BURIAL Leiters Ford IOOF Cemetery Leiters Ford, Fulton County, Indiana son of William P Hetzner & Clara E Keister

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon from the Leiters Ford Methodist church for Earl "Mose" HETZNER, 47, whose lifeless body was discovered in the pantry of his home eight miles northwest of Rochester, late Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Dean K. STINSON, Fulton county coroner, pronounced death due to a self-inflicted head wound and rendered a verdict of suicide.

Hetzner, a well known farmer of the Leiters Ford neighborhood, had been in ill health for several months.

Recently he returned from Indianapolis where he received treatments for several weeks. Although brooding over his physical condition, no thought of suicide was entertained by his family or friends, however, he had anticipated a major operation in a short time.

About four o'clock Thursday afternoon, Mrs. Hetzner, the former Mrs. Florence MERKETT, had left the house only a few moments when she heard the report of a shot inside. Fearful that something tragic had happened she ran to the home of a neighbor, Mr. and Mrs. Charles BRUGH, who accompanied her home. They found the body of Mr. Hetzner in the pantry of the kitchen, a shotgun lying near.

Born on April 4, 1898, the deceased was the son of the late William and Clara HETZNER. He had resided on the farm, where death occurred, practically all of his life.

He was united in marriage with [Florence MERKETT] on April 25,1942. He was a member of the Leiters Ford IOOF lodge.

Surviving are the wife and one sister, Miss Tessie HETZNER of South Bend.

Final rites will be in charge of the Leiters Ford Lodge of Odd Fellows with the Rev. John WALTON of Indianapolis officiating.

The body will be returned from the Foster funeral home to the residence Saturday soon. At 12 o'clock Sunday it will be moved to the Leiters Ford Methodist church where friends may pay respects until the funeral hour.

Burial will be made in Leites Ford cemetery.

married on April 25,1942 Florence “Flossie” Piper Merkert BIRTH 7 Jun 1897 Bass Lake, Starke County, Indiana DEATH Jun 1974 Culver, Marshall County, Indiana, USA BURIAL Oak Park Cemetery Knox, Starke County, Indiana Florence married 1st John F. Merkert 1890–1938

Mrs. Flossie Hetzner, 77, Culver, died unexpectedly Tuesday at her residence. She had been ill four years.

She was born June 7, 1897, at Bass Lake to Homer and Annis Smith Piper.

Her first marriage was to John Merkert in 1914. He died in 1938.

Her second marriage was to Earl Hetzner in 1942. He preceded in death in 1945.

She had resided in Leiters Ford many years prior to moving to Culver. She was a member of the Leiters Ford United Methodist church, Methodist WSCS, Knox Chapter of the O.E.S., Kewanna Rebekah lodge.

Surviving are one son, Robert J. Merkert, R.R. 4, Rochester; two daughters, Mrs. George (Dorothy) Kimbrough and Mrs. Richard (Madeline) Burk both of Logansport; one brother, Thomas Piper, Plymouth; one great-grandchild, and nieces and nephews.

One brother preceded in death.

Final rites will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Bonine funeral home in Culver. The Rev. Philip Lutz will officiate.

Burial will be in the Oak Park cemetery in Knox.

Friends may call at the funeral home. The family has requested that memorials other than flowers be made to the Leiters Ford United Methodist church.