WILMER JAMES "JIM" HETTLER

WILMER JAMES "JIM" HETTLER, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. Born June 14, 1929, in White ford, Mich., he was a son of William Lavern and Annabelle (Holmes) Hettler. He lived the first six years of his life in Whiteford before moving to Fort Wayne. He graduated from South Side High School in 1947 before enrolling at Ball State Teachers College in Muncie. After graduation he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was assigned to the Medical Corp. and served as a Physical Reconditioning Technician involved in the treatment of the returning wounded. He served at Brooke Army Medical Hospital in San Antonio, Texas; at Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, Mich.; and at Camp Pickett Army Hospital in Blackstone, Va. After his service, he spent 33 years in public education in Michigan and Indiana, primarily in the New Paris/Fairfield School System. He was a Secondary Teacher, Coach and School Administrator during this time. He retired in 1986 and spent the rest of his life in the Goshen, Indiana community. He married Ruth Rae Bowen, in Bowling Green, Ohio, on April 3, 1955. He is survived by three children, Ronald James (Robin) Hettler of Lubbock, Texas, Celia Anne (Douglas) Holte of Sheboygan, Wis., and Amy Lynn (Thomas) Yoder of Elkhart. Ruth and Jim were blessed with 15 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; sister, Edith Marsh of Sarasota, Fla.; brother-in-law, Dale Nelson of Chula Vista, Calif.; and sister-in-law, Celia Ribas of New Jersey. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ruth; and brothers, Merle and LaVern. Service is 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, at Grace Bible Baptist Church, New Paris (the old high school/elementary school), with Military honors. A gathering is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. (EST) Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at Rieth Rohrer Ehret Funeral Home, 311 S. Main St., Goshen. Burial will follow at New Paris Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be directed to the Fairfield Alumni Association or Goshen Hospital Hospice. Online condolences may be sent at www.rrefh.com