obituaries

Jun 21, 2023

Joseph W. Pridemore, age 68, of Lake Station passed away Wednesday, June 21, 2023. He was born on June 18, 1955, in Big Stone Gap, Virginia to the late Joe and Viola Pridemore. Joe retired from Gary Steel Products and then went on to work as a security guard for Lake Park Residential. He was a dedicated member of...

Jun 19, 2023

Ladislaus "Lou" Metzinger, age 85 of Portage passed away Monday, June 19, 2023, at home. He was born on September 15, 1937, in Neusatz, Yugoslavia to the late Johann and Katharina Metzinger. During the second world war the family moved to Vienna, Austria. He and his parents emigrated to the United States in 1957. On July 10, 1998, he...

Jun 19, 2023

Betty (nee Wiening) Graun, age 94, of Crown Point, formerly of Hammond passed away Monday, June 19, 2023, at Crown Point Christian Village. She was born on January 25, 1929, to the late Edward and Kathleen (nee Waldron) Wiening in Hammond, Indiana. Betty married the love of her life the late Alvin Graun on February 12, 1947, in Hammond,...

Jun 18, 2023

Gerald P. Hammond, "Pat", age 76, of Portage, IN and formerly of Hobart, IN passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2023.

Pat was born on August 1, 1946, to the late Doyle William and Wanda Margaret (nee Watson) Hammond.  At the age of 19, Pat joined the Laborers' Local 81 and worked with them for over 25...

Jun 17, 2023

Fred Lewis Newman, age 65, of Lake Station passed away Saturday June 17, 2023, in his home. He was born December 28, 1957, in Gary, Indiana to the late Lewis and Genevieve (Parr) Newman. Fred retired from directing and producing local cable programing for Cable Networks. He was very active in Lake Station politics and events. He was very...

Jun 17, 2023

Gutierrez, Erik Reid, age 43 of Portage, Indiana passed away on Saturday June 17, 2023 at home. Erik was born on October 16,1979 in Hobart, Indiana to the late Guillermo Gutierrez and Edna Benedict. Erik was an employee at MSI Express and worked for many years doing construction work.

Erik was an avid sports fan and enjoyed...

Jun 15, 2023

Barbara N. "Gommie" Wagner, age 88, of Chesterton, IN, passed away on Thursday, June 15, 2023.

Barbara was born on September 11, 1934 in Kentucky to the late Harry and Susie Fletcher.  She was a graduate of Lew Wallace High School.  Barbara married William C. Wagner on June 26, 1953 and they spent 50 years together until...

Jun 15, 2023

John B. Baskevice, Jr. "Oh Johnnie", age 80 of Lake Station passed away Thursday, June 15, 2023, in his home. John was born November 22, 1942, in Taylor Michigan to the late John and Doris (Avery) Baskevice, Sr. He was a retired Warehouse Supervisor working for the Grinnell Corporation. He was a member of Dunedin Fine Arts Club, loved...

Jun 14, 2023

Gilberto Villarruel

Age 66, of Portage, Indiana passed away June 14, 2023. He was born in East Chicago on June 1, 1957, to the late Francisco and Maria (nee Zuniga) Villarruel. Gilberto was a 1976 graduate of Portage High School and completed four years of Portage Vocational Technical Education and was a retired machinist. Gilberto loved cooking...

Jun 14, 2023

Nicole Danielle Yagelski, age 39 of Lake Station passed away Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at home. She was born on October 18, 1983, in Sycamore, Illinois to David Alan and Misty Heiston. She had an associate degree in cosmetology and doing hair was her greatest passion. She loved animals and would bring in and rescue any animals she found...

Jun 14, 2023

Rosemary (Banks) Bonner, age 90 of Lake Station In. passed away on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 in Portage, In. She was born in Russell, Arkansas on July 24, 1932 to Roy and Nellie Banks.  Rosemary is survived by her sons Tim (Renee) Bonner, Terry (Rhonda) Bonner; sister Laverne; grandchildren Jillian (Billy) Hendricks, Graye (Kelly) Roberts, Max (Maddy) Bonner, Mark...

Jun 13, 2023

Robert Kern Morgan, age 88 a lifetime Hobart resident passed away Tuesday June 13, 2023.  Bob graduated from Hobart High School, Class of 1953.  He was a proud U.S. Navy Veteran, member of the NRA, and American Legion Post #54 of Hobart.  Bob attended Chesterton Methodist Church.

He is survived by sons, Terry of Hobart, IN; Keith...

Jun 11, 2023

Patricia Ann Joseph, age 75, of Gary passed away Sunday June 11, 2023, at St Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Patricia was born January 19, 1948, in Dayton, Ohio to the late Merida F. and Ruth (Jones) Cotton. She loved her church and baking. Patricia was a member of the Little Ellen Old Regular Baptist Church in Alsip, Illinois....

Jun 11, 2023

Bobby Leon Ralston, age 61, a lifelong Portage and Lake Station, IN resident, passed away suddenly on June 11, 2023.

Bobby was born on February 3, 1961 in Gary, IN to Charles Ralston, Sr. and Ruth (nee Williamson) Wilcox.  He worked as a general operator at Bethlehem Steel, now Cleveland Cliffs.  He was a member of Local...

Jun 11, 2023

Sunday, June 11, 2023, Louise J. Podlecki of Chesterton, Indiana, loving wife of the late Nicholas Podlecki, passed away peacefully at her home at age 90. Louise was born in Chicago, Illinois to the late Mario and Julia (nee Cenni) Chiappe on July 11, 1932. She was a graduate of Hirsch High School where she lettered in cheerleading. Louise...

Jun 10, 2023

EVELYN WINIFRED "WINNIE" "NANNY" MORRIS, 83, of Lake Station, passed away Saturday, June 10, 2023 at St. Mary Medical Center. She was born on July 16, 1939 in West Virginia. Winnie enjoyed her flowers and loved her cats and dogs.  She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

She is...

Jun 10, 2023

Richard A. Sohovich, 70, passed away peacefully at home in the care of The Hospice of the Calumet Area. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Catherine Sohovich, brothers, John Joseph and Thomas Sohovich, and sisters, Judy Sandersen and Patty Greer. He is survived by a sister, Margie (Sohovich) Sheffer and two brothers Michael (Brenda) Sohovich...

Jun 9, 2023

Ashley Lanee Bitikofer

Age 34, of Portage, passed away Friday, June 9, 2023. She was born on July 9, 1988, to Ronald Eugene and Debra Lynn (nee Watkins) Bitikofer in Valparaiso, Indiana. Ashley worked for Indiana Sugar as a factory worker. She enjoyed dancing, Tik Tok, cats, and eating tacos, but most of all she loved her...

Jun 9, 2023

Carol Jean Pester (nee Bohling), age 70, of Hobart, IN, passed away on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Carol was born on May 23, 1953 in Gary, IN to the late Edward and Zola Mae (nee Knick) Bohling.  She married George Pester on October 23, 1983 and spent 39 years together.  Carol was once a daycare teacher and...

Jun 8, 2023

Daymond Ryan Quick, age 51, of Chesterton passed away Thursday June 8, 2023, at Northwest Health-Porter Hospital in Valparaiso. Daymond was born September 29,1971, in Chicago, IL to the late Daymond O. and Rita A. (Caldana) Quick. Daymond was an electrician working at Cleveland Cliffs Steel. He was a US Army Veteran and member of the Indiana National Guard....