Edward Wolfe

LODA – Edward W. Wolfe, 97, a retired Paxton businessman who lived in Loda, passed away Saturday (April 12, 2008) at his home.

Private graveside services were held at Glen Cemetery in Paxton with Mr. Stephen Holm officiating. Ford-Baier Funeral Home, Paxton, was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Wolfe was born March 31, 1911, at Paxton, the son of James E. and Amy Denman Wolfe. He graduated from Paxton High School in 1931 and served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant junior grade in 1944.

He married Catherine L. Ramshaw on Sept. 17, 1937, in Bloomington. In June 1997, he married Minerva Khalaf in Paxton. She survives. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He was elected justice of peace in 1932. He was a former member of the Paxton Chamber of Commerce and a former alderman on the Paxton City Council. He served on the board of directors of the Farmers-Merchants National Bank of Paxton and was the last surviving member of the original board of directors of the Bayles Lake Corporation.

He bought the Sug Hunt Insurance Agency (general insurance) in 1932. In 1945 he opened the E. W. Wolfe Finance Co. For 10 years he operated the franchise division of Glass Specialty in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, a total of 18 branches. He liquidated the finance division in the 1960s. He sold Peoples Loan to Personal Finance of Champaign and retired from Glass Specialty. He also built grain storage bins and manufactured home shield doors south of Paxton on U.S. 45 after which he sold the insurance company to John Lee. He developed the office building on South Market Street, Paxton, later selling it to Dr. Fautch. He owned and operated the Dodge-Plymouth dealership in Paxton along with Jack Moody.

He was very interested in nutrition research, vitamins, diets and alternative cures for over 60 years. He enjoyed gardening and playing the piano and organ.

Memorials may be made to the Champaign County Humane Society, the Gibson Area Hospital or the Carle Hospice program.