Obituaries: 03-16-23

Emmy Bates

Mary “Emmy” Bates, age 74, of Maumee, died on Saturday, March 11. 

Born on November 3, 1948 to Frank and Shirley (Wilson) Marsaglia in Coal City, Ill., following her graduation from the University of Dubuque with a degree in English, she met her husband David on the Isle of Wight in 1970. They lived in London for a time before relocating to the Washington, D.C., area and ultimately to Maumee, where Emmy made many longtime friends and walked daily along the river at Side Cut Park.  

Emmy enjoyed many years as a substitute teacher in the Maumee City Schools. She was an avid reader, who loved the Chicago Cubs, traveling and people (specifically talking with them). Emmy hated having to do housework, although she loved to decorate in celebration of the seasons and holidays. 

Emmy is survived by her husband of 52 years, David Bates; son, Evan (Kelly Gannon) Bates; brother, Rob (Karen) Marsaglia; brother-in-law, Kevin (Loraine) Bates; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, Andrew Bates, and her parents.  

Friends will be received from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19 at Maison-Dardenne-Walker Funeral Home in Maumee. Interment will be private. Condolences may be left to her family online at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com. 

Janet Weyandt

Janet Irene (Badger) Weyandt, age 90, died on Saturday, February 25, surrounded by her daughters. 

Born on April 10, 1932 in Champaign-Urbana, Ill., to Cecil and Wintress (Dunn) Maguire, at age 5 she was adopted by her stepfather, Alfred E. Badger. The family moved to Maumee in 1946 and Janet graduated in 1950 from Maumee High School, where she sang in the choir and played field hockey. She attended The University of Toledo for two years and was president of her pledge class of Alpha Omicron Pi.

Janet married William Weyandt in Maumee on July 17, 1954, and they enjoyed more than 66 years together before his passing in 2021. After her marriage, she worked as a secretary for Owens-Illinois until 1958, when the couple settled into their Maumee home and raised their daughters. In 1974, Janet went back to work for Maumee City Schools, serving as the guidance office secretary at Gateway Middle School until 1995. In 2018, the couple moved to Perrysburg.

In retirement, she enjoyed gathering with her friends, walking her dogs, travel, reading mysteries and watching the Detroit Tigers. She had a dry sense of humor and did not suffer fools gladly. Her macaroni and cheese was legendary and she was a lifelong University of Illinois fan. She was full of love and pride for her children and grandchildren. 

Janet was predeceased by her parents; her brother, Mick Maguire; and her husband, Bill. She is survived by her daughters, Lisa (Mike) Tippin, of Elyria, and Robin (Bill) McConnell, of Perrysburg; grandchildren, Kaitlin Tippin, Kelly (Alex) LaHote, Melissa (Michael) Moyseenko, Erin McConnell (Connor Panyko) and Ryan McConnell; and great-grandchildren, Jackson, Connor, Charlotte and Tyler. 

Private services will take place in Maumee at a later date, as Bill and Jan are interred together. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Toledo Humane Society.

Arlene Brossia

After a valiant struggle with cancer and dementia, Arlene Beth (Conrad) Brossia passed away on Thursday, March 9 at the Bridge Hospice in Bowling Green.

Born in Toledo on January 12, 1943 to Carl and Lucile (Barnes) Conrad, she lived her entire life in Waterville. Following classes at Stautzenberger College, she worked for several years in the office at Monumental Life Insurance before being employed as traffic manager (material control) at American Metalcraft, a position she held until retirement. Although faced with an array of physical challenges, Arlene lived life to the fullest. An avid NASCAR fan (go Kevin Harvick), she enjoyed going to races with family. Upon her 70th birthday, her daughter surprised her with tickets to the NASCAR Experience including an adrenalin-filled ride in a Tony Stewart car. Other bucket list items checked off included attending the Bristol Night Race, snorkeling with manatees, learning to shoot black powder muzzle loaders, white water rafting on the New River and traveling with her parents to England, where her father was stationed during World War II.

Above all, she treasured many memories of activities and time spent with her children and grandchildren, including camping and canoeing at Camp Toodik near Loudonville, Ohio and vacations to Gatlinburg. Other passions included family genealogy and decorating graves of family members in numerous cemeteries. Following the maxim of her Grandma Conrad that no child’s grave should be forgotten, she often left decorations on graves of small children that were unadorned. Whenever a friend passed away, she was always the first to bring a baked ham to the family. She was a member of Waterville’s Zion Lutheran Church and for years was active in the American Legion Auxiliary and Fireman’s Auxiliary.

Arlene was proceeded in death by her parents. She leaves behind her children, Jeffery (Tina) Brossia and Jodi (Mike) Shaneyfelt; grandchildren, Jenell (Dean) Brossia, Samantha (Ted) Brossia and Chester (Savanah) Szydlowski; brother, James (Gayle) Conrad; her soulmate for the past 16 years, Jon Fry; and countless friends.

The family wishes to thank Clemisha Wilson, Ciara Houston and Chris Reyes for their loving care at Grand Rapids Care Center, as well as Dr. Jacobus and the staff at the Bridge Hospice at Wood County Hospital.

Family and friends will be received from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 at Peinert-Dunn Funeral Home, 7220 Dutch Rd. in Waterville, where a memorial service will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 17. Pastor Roy Southerland will officiate. Interment will follow in Wakeman Cemetery in Waterville. For those who wish to express their condolences, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Waterville Fire Association: Carl Conrad Scholarship Fund; or the Bridge Hospice in Bowling Green. Given Arlene’s dedication to cemetery decorating, if you ever visit her grave, perhaps you may choose to leave a single flower.