Obituaries

William "Bill" Holt III

William "Bill" Holt III

Jan 20, 2026

William "Bill" Holt III, passed away unexpectedly on January 20th, 2026, due to natural causes. Bill was born to William Holt ll and Carol Holt (Jones) on October 1st, 1973. He is the oldest of three brothers.

Bill was a graduate of Elyria West High School, Class of 1993. He welcomed his only child Cedric into the world the following year...

DaJuanny "Juan" Shawn Taylor

DaJuanny "Juan" Shawn Taylor

Jan 18, 2026

DaJuanny “Juan” Shawn Taylor, 53, passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2026, following a brief illness. Juan was born in Detroit, Michigan to Ricky Earl and Gwendolyn Taylor (née Cato) on January 31, 1972. Juan also spent many summers with his grandmother, Penny Cato in Lorain, Ohio during his childhood days. Juan made his home in Lorain in 2012 when...

Anthony Nathaniel Hamilton

Anthony Nathaniel Hamilton

Jan 17, 2026

Anthony Nathaniel Hamilton, age 37, of Lorain, Ohio, departed this life on Saturday January 17, 2026. Anthony was born March 1, 1988, to Lorraine and Curvin at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA. He accepted Christ at an early age.

Anthony attended school in Cleveland, Warrensville and Lorain where he graduated from Admiral King High School in 2006. He attended the University...

Judith Marie Kocak Werling

Judith Marie Kocak Werling

Jan 14, 2026

With hearts full of love and a smile through our tears, we celebrate the life of Judith Marie Kocak Werling. — born on May 26, 1959, she was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend—who danced her way into heaven on January 14, 2026.

Judy lived life at full volume and full speed. She loved staying fit, dancing to great music...

Rodney Lon Thomas Sr

Rodney Lon Thomas Sr

Jan 8, 2026

Rodney Lon Thomas Sr. was born on August 19, 1948, to Alonzo Thomas and Mabel Dixon Thomas in Lorain, Ohio. He peacefully departed this life surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy of service, leadership, and devotion to family, country, and community.

Rodney was a graduate of Lorain Admiral King, completing high school in June 1966. Shortly thereafter, he married his...

Rachel Ruth Goodwin (Taylor)

Rachel Ruth Goodwin (Taylor)

Jan 5, 2026

Rachel Ruth Goodwin (Taylor), 81, transitioned from this life on Monday, January 5, 2026 following a lengthy illness. She was surrounded by her loving family.

Rachel was born on May 3, 1944 in West Virginia and migrated to Lorain, Ohio with her family in 1954. She was the 12th of her parents' 16 beautiful children. She attended Clearview schools, later earned...

Johnna Mae Stafford

Johnna Mae Stafford

Jan 1, 2026

Johnna Mae Stafford, age 90, passed away on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at Main Street Care Center in Avon Lake, Ohio, following a lengthy illness.

Born on May 21, 1935, in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Stafford had been a resident of Lorain County for more than 70 years. She was a former member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Elyria, Ohio. Johnna enjoyed...

Gerald Reynolds

Gerald Reynolds

Jan 1, 2026

Gerald Reynolds was an outgoing, fun-loving man whose life was marked by faith, creativity, and an unbreakable spirit. From the moment you met Gerald, you felt his warmth. He had a joyful personality, a contagious smile and laugh, as well as a deep love for connecting with others. Gerald truly enjoyed life and made every moment count.

At the age of...

Dr. Clarence Alexander Merchant, PhD

Dr. Clarence Alexander Merchant, PhD

Dec 31, 2025

Dr. Clarence Alexander Merchant, PhD, of Powder Springs, Georgia, entered eternal rest on December 31, 2025, at Wellstar Hospice Care Facility in Mableton, Georgia. He was born on April 14, 1967, in Oberlin, Ohio, and throughout his life he embodied discipline, curiosity, humor, and an unwavering commitment to service.

Clarence was baptized at an early age and deepened his faith later...

Diane Winborn

Diane Winborn

Dec 28, 2025

Diane Winborn, 67, of Lorain, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 28, 2025, in her home.

Diane was born on April 4, 1958, in Birmingham, Alabama, and had been a resident of Lorain for most of her life. She retired from Ohio Extended Care Nursing Home in Lorain, where she dedicated many years of service. Diane enjoyed drinking coffee, playing...

Yolanda Lucille Malone

Yolanda Lucille Malone

Dec 24, 2025

Yolanda Lucille Malone passed away unexpectedly on December 24th, 2025, at the age of 57. She will be remembered for the love, joy, and gentle spirit she shared with everyone around her. Though she is no longer with us, her light will continue to shine in the hearts of all who knew her. She has found eternal peace and is...

Dorothy "Dottie" Jean Anderson

Dorothy "Dottie" Jean Anderson

Dec 24, 2025

Mrs. Dorothy “Dottie” Jean Anderson, née Barbee, of Lorain, passed away at the age of 100 on Wednesday, December 24, 2025. She was born June 13, 1925, and was the youngest daughter of 10 children born to Zelma and Minnie Barbee of Springfield, Ohio.

She was an avid scholar and athlete and competed in fencing while in high school and in...

Rose Marie Mathews

Rose Marie Mathews

Dec 16, 2025

Rose Marie Mathews, 75, of Lorain, passed away unexpectedly at her home on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Born on June 3, 1950, in Morgantown, West Virginia, Rose made Lorain her home for more than 50 years. She retired from the Lorain Police Auxiliary Department after 15 years of dedicated service and was a former member of Fairfield Baptist Church.

Rose was a...

Chester Crook

Chester Crook

Dec 13, 2025

Chester Crook, born June 20, 1951, to Charlie and Willie Frances (Halliburton) Crook, in Ripley, Tennessee, passed away December 13, 2025, at Compassus Hospice in Lorain.

Chester was raised in Ripley before moving to Ohio, where he met the love of his life Lynda.

He was a Vietnam veteran in the Army and later the National Guard. He worked at Ford Motor,...

NaLani Raye Kirk

NaLani Raye Kirk

Dec 11, 2025

NaLani Raye Kirk transitioned from “Time to Eternity” on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Mercy Regional Medical Center, Lorain. She was born on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Cleveland Clinic – Fairview Hospital in Cleveland. NaLani was born to Phara Joy Kirk and Ja’Qier Campbell.

From birth, NaLani was a beautiful “Raye” of Sunshine! Her sweet precious baby face captured the...

Nathaniel "Nate" Johnson

Nathaniel "Nate" Johnson

Dec 7, 2025

Nathaniel “Nate” Johnson, 74, of Lorain, born October 15, 1951, went home to be with the Lord unexpectedly Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain, Ohio.

Nate attended Lorain City Schools and graduated from Admiral King High School. He furthered his education at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio. Nate worked at U.S. Steel for 42...

Cedric Darnell Lynch Jr

Cedric Darnell Lynch Jr

Dec 6, 2025

Cedric Darnell Lynch Jr., age 35, of Elyria, passed away unexpectedly at his home on December 6, 2025.

Born April 17, 1990, in Oberlin, Ohio, Cedric was a lifelong resident of Lorain County. He graduated from Elyria High School in 2008 and was currently employed at the Avon Ford Motor Company. Cedric was a proud member of UAW Local 2000 and...

Rosie Mae Williams

Rosie Mae Williams

Dec 5, 2025

Rosie Mae Williams, age 90, of Lorain, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on December 5, 2025, at University Hospital in Elyria, Ohio.

Rosie was born on April 8, 1935, in Whitfield, Alabama, and had been a proud resident of Lorain for more than 70 years. She retired as a supervisor from Natalina Pizza Company after 20 years of dedicated service.

A faithful member...

Jina (Williams) Kaiser

Jina (Williams) Kaiser

Dec 4, 2025

Jina Kaiser (Williams), age 38, of Sandusky, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 4, 2025.

Jina was born on October 16, 1987, in Amherst, Ohio with a heart big enough to hold everyone around her. She attended Sandusky High School and later earned her GED. She worked with pride at K & K Interiors as a picker and also served...

Deborah Hall

Deborah Hall

Dec 2, 2025

Deborah Hall, a beloved daughter, mother, grandmother, and friend, entered into eternal rest on December 2, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio, surrounded by the love of her family.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 11, 1950, to her late parents, Mitchell Hall and Artie Mae Hall. Proudly a “Chi-Town girl,” Deborah carried her Chicago roots with her everywhere she went....