Obituaries
He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Jo Annie Hazelwood Brunton-Brunton; daughter, Amy Jeanette Harpenau of Holland, IN; son, Richard Mark Brunton of Ja- pan; granddaughter, Isabella Brunton of Taiwan; grandson, Austin and Drew Harpenau of Holland, IN; and stepdaughter, Dawn Michelle Brunton of Hartford City, IN. Rev. Brunton was a graduate of Westport High School, Ashbury College, and Asbury Theological Seminary. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force. While serving he took courses at Maryland University. Rev. Brunton gave his life to Christ while stationed in Greenland. While a student at Asbury Seminary, Rev. Brunton began his pastoral career in Kentucky.
He and his wife, Norma, were missionaries in Cuba, 1958-59, and while there he taught English and health at Cuba Central Metho- dist School. Rev. Brunton served churches in the Southern Indiana Conference from 1960 to 2013, a span of 53 years; his last three churches were in the Terre Haute area. He retired from full-time service in 1996 after serving the United Methodist First Church, 14th and Chestnut, Terre Haute. In retirement, he served part-time at Mt. Calvary United Methodist Church for eight years and Riley United Metho- dist Church for eight years. He and his wife, Jo, are members of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church.
In his testimony at Mount Pleasant, Rev. Brunton shared that he had a rewarding life. “Even though I have arthritis, God is still good. And God is still sustaining me. I am thankful that God has given me two good wives, Norma and Jo Annie.”
Gregory B. DeSalvatore, M. Div ’03, aged 68, of Cicero, died following a brief illness on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Born in Oneonta, he was the son of Joseph and Ardyce DeSalvatore. He graduated from Oneonta High School and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He married his high school sweetheart, Bonnie Lockwood, in 1975.
After 23 years of work in the steel fabrication industry, he answered God’s call to the ministry and graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2003. Greg gladly served the Lord in the United Methodist Church as an ordained elder in Ames/Sprout Brook, Sharon Springs, Amsterdam, Wellsville and Cicero.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; sons, Anthony (Kelli) and Michael (Sarah Lewis); daughter, Emily (Kevin) Appler; grandchildren, Lucas, Evangeline and Tobias DeSalvatore; and baby Appler due in September; parents, Joseph and Ardyce; brother, Vincent; brothers-in-law, Harry (Anita), Lynn (Judy) and Richard (Karen); aunts, Jeane Natoli and Theresa DeSalvatore; many cousins, nieces and nephews. Greg will long be remembered for his love of God, captivating smile, passion for music and exuberance in life.
Mary Helen Dunham (nee Zimmerman), aged 96, beloved wife of the late John Dunham; Devoted mother of Mark Dunham, Jill Dunham and Jan (David) Rickard; Dear grandmother of Tiffany (Zach) Elston; Great grandmother of Lilah, Harlee and Axel; Sister of the late Pauline Roth, Brother Ed Zimmerman and sister Ruth Bowers; Mary Helen passed away on Friday July 23, 2021. Funeral Service will be held at the Groesbeck United Methodist Church 8871 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati Ohio on Thursday, July 29th. Visitation is at 10:00 am until time of funeral service at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at Arlington Memorial Gardens (Cincinnati). Mary Helen was born in Grabill Indiana. She went to Taylor University where she received a Degree in Sociology and Piano instruction. Mary Helen was inspired to go to Asbury Seminary in Wilmore Ky in 1950. During her time there she met her husband John E. Dunham who was a Ministerial student at Asbury Seminary. They were married 62 years. She went to Toledo University, Bowling Green University, Mt. St. Joe University, University of Cincinnati, and Miami University, Cincinnati for additional teaching certificates and teaching credits. She taught in the Maumee, Perrysburg, Lake Township school systems. She taught at Mt. Healthy JR High School for 23 years. After she retired, she taught Private Piano lessons in her home for another 23 years. Mary Helen was always involved in multiple committees in the churches her and John served. After John Retired from Groesbeck United Methodist Church, they moved to Green Hills area of Cincinnati. They eventually moved to Twin Towers Senior Living Community. She continued to live there after John passed away in 2012. Mary Helen served as the Resident Representative to the Twin Towers Board. She was later nominated as President of the Twin Towers Resident Council. She established the “Attitudes of Gratitude” program which recognizes the individual contributions of residents and associates on the Twin Towers campus. This program remains in effect to this day with a card she designed that is available to all at Twin Towers. Mary Helen never met a stranger as she was a friend to all. She loved her family, her granddaughter and her great grandchildren. She was known as MEMA and Great MEMA. She was always writing cards and letters to friends, people in the church, associates and even to people in prison that needed uplifting. She was generous and kind to all and her door and heart was always open, a friend to all and will be missed greatly by all. If so desired, memorial donations may be made to Groesbeck United Methodist Church or to the Twin Towers Foundation. Upcoming Events Visitation Jul 29. 10:00 AM 11:00 AM (EST) Groesbeck United Methodist Church 8871 Colerain Ave. Colerain Twp., OH
Roy Thomas Grammel, aged 60, passed away on Tuesday after battling lymphoma cancer, July 20, 2021. He was surrounded by his beloved family at his home in Wilmore. Born on February 11th, 1961 in Ypsilanti, MI. Survived by his wife, Lucia Jane Bird Grammel of 32 years; his children, Thomas Roy Grammel, Cheryl (Morgan) Griffis, Joseph (Caitlin) Grammel, Dora (Carson) Daniel; and granddaughter, Clementine Betsy Daniel.
Survived by two brothers, Steven Grammel and David (Debra) Grammel and extended family. Predeceased by His parents Joseph Spencer Grammel and Margret Nowatzky Grammel. He loved the Lord, his family, and finding purpose and challenges in everyday tasks. He graduated from Williamston high school, Obtained a BAR at Baptist Missionary Theological Seminary in 2011, and completed the course work for a Master’s degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in marriage and family counseling. He wore many hats including farmer, facility coordinator, and inn keeper. But most importantly loved his role as a husband and father.
He spent 42 years as a minister in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. He was born in Chattanooga, TN, grew up in the Fountain City area of Knoxville, graduating from Central High School, the University of Tennessee, attending Asbury Theological Seminary where he was a member of the Singing Seminarians, graduating with a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. He did extended study at Drew University. He pastored United Methodist Churches at Mt. Lebanon (now Colonial Heights UMC), Glen Alpine in the Kingsport area, Dublin, Va, Chattanooga Asbury and Harrison-Shallowford Rd, Trinity Woodmore, Keith Memorial in Athens, and Tazewell, Va. He was active in the Holston Conference in areas of ministerial training, Asbury Acres Homes for the Retired, the Work Area on Missions, chaired the Conference Work Area on Evangelism, participated extensively in evangelistic missions to Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador and Africa (Liberia). He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Tennessee Wesleyan University in 1988. He sponsored several students to Tennessee Wesleyan.
Early in his ministry, Dan exchanged pulpits with a Methodist minister in Blackpool, England, perhaps triggering his love for travel. He was an avid photographer, having numerous pictures of the Holy Land published in a VBS series for Cokesbury Publishing House. He was a world traveler, traveling in 55 countries, leading tour groups, leaving friends around the world. It was said, if he was traveling alone, he could always find a friend with whom he could spend the night.
When Holston Conference began a mission project working with the J. J. Russell school in Monrovia, Liberia, Dan made multiple trips where he was instrumental in building a library; he collected and shipped books and thus acquiring the honor of the school library being named the Dan Kelly Library.
After retirement in 1992, he taught a Sunday School class of his peers at Fountain City UMC, did two interims in UMC churches in Franklin, Vermont, spending one ‘Christmas in Vermont.’ He was an active member of the Church Mice group of retired UMC ministers and spouses.
Dan’s primary spiritual gift was that of encouragement and he spread that encouragement to family, friends, and strangers. As a pastor he discipled many who credit him with his care and influence in their Christian walk.
He is preceded in death by his parents, C.L. (Pete) and Mabel Kelly and his brother, Cecil Kelly. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Marianna and Ernie McGaughey of Tulia, TX.; sister-in-law, Polly Kelly; nephews, Tim Kelly and Stan Kelly; niece, Melissa (John) Shipman all of Knoxville; nieces, Suzannah (Tim) Ruland of Electra, TX, Andrea Brown of Albuquerque, NM, and Elissa (Aaron) Inman of Duncan, OK.; 8 great nieces and nephews, Tori, Micah, and Ben Ruland, Jake (Stephanie) Inman, Brette (Chris) Welch, Isaac Brown, Alex Shipman, Marina (Clifford) Scharlock; 4 great-great nieces and nephews, Andrew, Ana, Ezra and Azalea Welch – all who loved him deeply as well as many others, who considered him their Uncle Dan.
Craig A. Napier, aged 61, was born in Harlan, KY, on September 23, 1959, to Walter and Sarah Lois Napier. He was a 1977 graduate of James A. Cawood High School and a 1981 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in Industrial Electronics Technology. For more than 38 years, Craig enjoyed a career in the commercial construction industry in the Central Kentucky area. Twenty-seven of those years were spent at Landmark Sprinkler in Lexington where he was a project administrator and sales manager. Craig considered Landmark his second family and thrived on the work and relationships he built over the course of his career. He took great pride in his work and contributions to the company and so many projects over the years. Most importantly, Craig was a loving husband, father, son, brother, friend, and Jesus follower. He accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized in 1988 at Southland Christian Church. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Debbie; his three wonderful children, Stephen (Megan), Shane, and Cassidy; and his sister, Linda Napier. Also, we must not forget the addition of their fourth child, Jax, the Aussie Doodle, who became Craig’s shadow.
Craig was an outdoorsman; he loved to hunt and fish! In 2019, he was surprised with an early 60th birthday gift from Debbie and Linda—a small Bass Tracker fishing boat that he enjoyed working on and taking out on the weekends. He loved sharing his passion for both hunting and fishing with his kids. He redecorated his garage to display photos of hunting and fishing trips with the boys. While Cassidy didn’t share that passion, they did enjoy an occasional trip to the shooting range. Earlier in his life, Craig was an avid tennis and racquetball player. Much of Craig and Debbie’s dating life took place on the tennis court. In the last few years, they had taken up pickleball and were enjoying the new challenge and competition with friends in Wilmore and in the Asbury Seminary intramural league. Craig was a big man of few words, but he had a very soft heart! If asked about his favorite memories, they would have to do with hunting or fishing trips with the boys, and watching the kids participate in the things they loved to do, such as baseball, soccer, singing, and FFA. He was a family man, content with a simple life of work, family, and raising kids. He made it a point to be home for dinner or present for each sport or arts event. That meant he may have had to do some work at the dining room table that evening or go in early the next morning, but he was always there for his family and he never complained. He will be missed in every way!
Craig is also survived by his mother-in-law, Joanna Isaac, and sister-in-law, Deanna Dove Isaac, both of Florida; uncles, Delbert Eversole and W.S. Napier of Krypton, KY; uncle, Alex Eversole (Golda) of Lexington, KY; aunt, Wanda Campbell of Hazard, KY; as well as a host of cousins and loving family members and friends.
May our beloved brothers and sisters Rest in Eternal Peace. It is evident that during their time, they strived to live fruitful lives.