Byron Wayne Showalter

Byron Wayne Showalter, 89, of Pleasant Township went to be with his Lord Tuesday evening at Mercy Health in Lima.

He was born on October 24, 1930, in Van Wert County, the son of the late Byron A. and Eva (Lare) Showalter. On November 4, 1950, he married the former Louise C. Hoffmann and she survives.

Other family members include his children, Anita (Larry) Gentry of Van Wert, Bruce W. (Beth) Showalter of Van Wert, and Christina (Michael) Heldwein of Independence, Ohio; a sister, Vivian Oechsle of Van Wert; seven grandchildren, Ben (Ashley) Showalter, Stephanie Showalter, Ashley (Chris) Gentry, Laura Gentry, Joshua Heldwein, Grace Heldwein, and Bea Smith; and six great grandchildren, Kaileigh, Mackenzie, Mason, Fallan, Will and Alexandria.

Besides his parents, Wayne was preceded in death by a brother Richard Showalter.

Wayne was a 1948 graduate of Van Wert High School and a Korean War veteran of the U.S. Army. He had been a machinist at New Idea in Coldwater, a field representative for the Aid Association for Lutherans and retired from farming. He was an active member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church having served as chairman of the congregation, elder, treasurer and on the cemetery board. He was a member of the Van Wert Camp of Gideons International, the Lutheran Laymen's League, the Van Wert County Farm Bureau, American Legion Post 178 of Van Wert and served on the board of the Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 1, 2020, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Harrison Township with Pastors Timothy Sims and Roger Peters officiating. Interment will follow at the Evangelical Protestant Cemetery where military rites will be conducted by the combined honor guard of the American Legion and V.F.W. Posts of Van Wert. Calling hours are 3 - 8 p.m., Friday at Cowan & Son Funeral Home and one hour prior to services Saturday at the Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to Gideons International, St. Thomas Endowment Fund or Worship Anew.

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