and Ettie idora Sheets22 and died 21 October 1988.23 Gertie was a younger sister of Homer Clyde Ainsworth (see page 87).
After Ray's death, Gertie married Melvin K. Downing, a widower, on 15 December 1923.24
Ray and Gertie are buried in the Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.25
Ray and Gertie Tope had one child:
+170 i. Cecelia6 Bernice Tope, born 13 December 1915; died 6 October 1951.
52. Russel Lee5 Tope (William Vance4, Levi3, George2, John1) was born 20 September 1896 in Van Wert County, Ohio,26 and died 25 November 1972 in Adams County Hospital, Decatur, Adams County, Indiana.27 He resided on the Levi Tope farm all of his life, except when traveling as a stucco worker. Because mail is delivered from Ohio City, his residence at death was listed as Ohio City, Van Wert County, Ohio.28 As a young man, Russel worked on Erie Railroad construction as a plasterer and stuccoer. During World War II he took a job at the General Electric Company in Decatur, Adams County,
Indiana where he worked for 17 years until he retired.29
On 28 November 1923 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio, Russel married Cloe Imo Sunderland daughter of William E. Sunderland and Gladys Poling.30 Cloe was born 29 April 1898 in Ada, Hardin County, Ohio,31 and died 29 December 1989 in the Lutheran Hospital, Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.32
Russel and Cloe are buried in the Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County,
Ohio.33
53. Harry Deloyd5 Tope (William Vance4, Levi3, George2, John1) was born
6 March 190034 and died on 12 April 1975.35 He is buried in the Woodland
Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.36
Harry worked on Erie Railroad construction, and had a long career at
Schafer Hardware in Decatur, Adams County, Indiana.37 Harry was born,
reared and resided on the Levi Tope farm. Like brother Russel, however, his
last residence was listed as Ohio City, Van Wert County, Ohio.38 Harry did
not marry, but had a girl friend, Ireta Myers, most of his life.
Notes:
22 Marriage
Records. Probate Court, Van Wert
County, Ohio, Bk. 14, Jan 1912 - Sept 1916, p. 422.
23
24
Marriage Records, ob sit, Bk. 16,
252.
25 Cemetery Inscriptions, p.
118 lists
Ray F., but Gertie was buried there after publication of
the book.
26 William G. Tope, GEDCOM, email
attachment to Donald L. Kear, 4 July 2000),
27 Obituary, Van Wert Times,
November 1972, p. 6.
28 Social Security Death Index.
29
Obituary, Van
Wert Times, and William G. Tope personal knowledge.
30 William G. Tope, ob sit.
31 Births, Van Wert County, Ohio,
vol. 3, p. 310 erroneously gives her birth date as 14 February 1898.
The Van Wert Times
obituary gives the correct date as known by William G. Tope.
32 Ibid.
33 Cemetery Inscriptions, Woodland
Cemetery vol. Ill, p. 184.
34 Births, Van Wert County, Ohio, vol.
4, 478. The record erroneously gives name as Harvey.
35 Ibid.
36 Ibid.
37 Ibid.
38 Social Security Death Index.
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