The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 42, Milford, Kosciusko County, 2 December 1987 — Page 6

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., December 2,1987

Community Corner <

Mary Koontz enjoys being dispatcher

(By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer Most of us have listened to a scanner and heard an anonymous voice give information to a police officer, call out firemen or the emergency medical service. The voice is that of a dispatcher who has taken a job that ?t times is stressful, has numerous pressures and responsibilities.

Profile

Manbelle Koontz, known by many as Mary, took the job as dispatcher for North Webster Police, Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service on January 18, 1979, because she wanted to help people. ‘‘l like dispatching the ambulance, fire trucks and police. I can help save somebody’s life or a child. Now a days, there are to many people who just don't care. ’’ Being a dispatcher isn't easy and it isn’t a job that just anyone can do. “I think it does take a special person to be a dispatcher,” remarked Mary. She mentioned there are times when ydu hate the job because people are wanting something you can’t give them. It is also stressful because a dispatcher is limited to what he or she can do. You can’t forget the pressure. It is the dispatcher, who at times, holds the life of an individual in his or her hands, as well as the safety of the police officer and people in the community. The dispatcher also is told confidential information at times, and must correctly relay the 1 information on to the officers. 1 But there are also humorous times as well as serious moments, according to Mary, who stated she has made a lot of friends in her job.

E-: i j TO WED IN FLORIDA — Judith Lynn Davis, 200 Seminary Drive, Winona Lake, and Michael G. Fisher, r 8 box 22, Warsaw, have announced their plans to be married on January 2, 1988, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The bride-elect is the daughter of Dale L. Davis, 1163 Stone Way Lane, West Palm, Fla., and Sandra Schoyen, 840 NE 47 Street, Fort Lauderdale. A graduate of Northeast High School in Fort Lauderdale, she is a student at Grace College, Winona Lake. Her fiance, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren S. (Emily) Fisher, r 1, Nappanee, is a graduate of North Wood High School and Southwestern Michigan College. He is employed at Biomet Inc., Warsaw, and is also taking classes at Grace College. The wedding will take place in the Fort Lauderdale Grace Brethren Church. A reception will be held for the couple on January 17, 1988, in the First Brethren Church in Nappanee.

< Wawasee |w|fy Community WMi. Bible Church Cordially Invites You To Our Open Um In Celebration Os Oor New Location Sunday, Dec. 6 From 1 To 5 P. 9. Dedication Service 6:30-1:00 P.M. Road 1300 North - Milford Sunday School \ Church Service All Ages \ 11 A.M.-12 Noon 9:30-10:30 A.M. \ Come And Share Our Joy

Patty Brinson is Nov. 7 bride of Craig Sorensen

■Patty Jean Brinson, Bloomington. became the bride of Craig 3 p.m'rferemony on November 7 at Eagle Crest Community Building, Indianapolis. Parents of the couple are Joe and Jean Headly of Bloomington and Eldon and Nola Sorensen of Milford.

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m fl _ I Uh V SfloTWi.} JOB FOR SPECIAL PERSON — Mary Koontz, North Webster, has been a dispatcher for the North Webster Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Service since 1979. Throughout that time, there have been holidays and special occasions she has had to miss, as a dispatcher's job is demanding and requires manning the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mary has stayed with the job, working all three shifts at different times, because of her desire to help people. < Photo by Deb Patterson) "

The couple was united in marriage by Mark Sorensen. Lafayette, brother of the groom. Attendants for the couple were Leslie Dalton, Indianapolis, and Denny Lechlitner, Syracuse. Steve Troup, Milford, was the seating usher. Ann Hudson was the flutist and guitar music was also provided.

In fashion

Although long skirts continue to be fashionable, the short skirt is getting much attention. At a recent fashion show, a grey suit with fitted jacket featured a clean line 21-inch skirt. Black closed pumps with

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Disc jockey music was played by Scotty Mack of Indianapolis for the reception. The newlyweds took a short honeymoon to Nashville. They are now residing at 5643 Bar-Del W. Drive, Indianapolis. The bride graduated from Bloomington North High School and Indiana University. She is employed with Alverno Administration Service. The groom is a graduate of Wawasee High School and TriState University. He is employed with Public Utilities in Plainfield. A reception for family, friends and neighbors will be held at 105 S. Henry. Milford, on December 5. Video viewing of the wedding will be shown for the guests. Round Table Ladies hear about Special Olympics Pat Bartow gave the program at the November meeting of the Syracuse Ladies of the Round Table meeting in the home of Pearle Hazenfield. Mrs. Bartow gave the lesson on the Special Olympics and shared her experiences with the group of Olympians. Refreshments were served by co-hostesses Ruth Robinson and Mary Jane Bowton. The next meeting will be a dinner meeting on December 14 in Calvary United Methodist Church, Syracuse.

medium high heels completed the ensemble. The over-the-knee boot in soft leather was featured with a short swing skirt. Boots are quite good this season and come in many lengths, styles and colors.

There a hard part in dispatching which she stated is getting people to give detailed directions from the fire station to where an emergency vehicle is needed. She doesn’t mind getting fire calls at different locations and back to back, or calls for an ambulance minutes after the ambulance has left on another call. “This is what the job is all about.” commented Mary who added she knows she is doing her job when you.can have emergency calls and are fresh out of ambulances or fire trucks and can call a neighboring community for assistance. The job as dispatching is also fulfilling for Mary, who has been a widow since 1970. She 1 has worked all shifts until taking the 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift. Yet, Mary cannot say enough about helping people. "Maybe I get to overwhelmed in helping,” she commented. Since taking the job, Mary has worked under six different town marshals. She also has attended the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy for dispatcher training in Plainfield. The Private Person Mary has lived in the North Webster area for about 20 years, coming to the area from Illinois. She even worked for a newspaper, the Pana News Palladium, Pana, 111., where she did everything in the newspaper business, except writing the news When she married Harry, they moved to El Paso, Texas. It was there she started the first of several jobs where she handled classified material. At El Paso, she was an executive secretary for General Electric in the space program at Fort Bliss, Tfxas. She also worked in St. Louis, Mo., for Anheuser-Busch Sultzer, where submarines were manufactured, again her job was classified. Mary, a very private person and mother of three boys and two girls, has such hobbies as traveling, which stems from her marriage as her husband had a job requiring a lot of travel. Her other hobby is writing. She has given some thought about writing a piece on she various experiences she has encountered. Perhaps the most important hobby for this 62-year-old woman is spending time with her nine grandchildren. She makes sure there is a private outing with each one, which they enjoy.

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WED IN AUGUST — Cheryl Lyle Walker and Kevin Stuart Walker were united in marriage on Saturday, Aug. 22, in the Calvary United Methodist Church, Syracuse. Rev. David Maish performed the doublering ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Arnold, Milford and the bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Walker, Syracuse. Musk for the ceremony was provided by Mrs. Clem Lisor, Syracuse. “Time In A Bottle,” “Through The Eyes of Love,” and “The Wedding Song,” were sung by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roose, Milford. The bride wore a gown featuring a bodice of chantilly lace accented with pearls and sequins, edged in French lace. She wore an elbow-length veil accented with pearls and sequins. She carried a cascading bouquet of pink roses. Maid of honor was Carol Reiff, twin sister of the bride. Bridesmaids were Kelly Paddock, Alexandira, and Karyl Charlton, Milford. Kimberly and Jessica Schmucker, Charlotte, N.C., nieces of the bride, were flower girls. After the tossing of their flower petals, their baskets held the rings for the couple. All bridal attendants wore tea length dresses of crystal blue and carried nose gays accented by their dress color. Mark Walker, Syracuse, brother of the bridegroom, was the best man. Bridegroomsmen were Mark Sumpter, Syracuse, and Todd Reiff, Chicago, 111. A wedding reception was held in Camelot Hall, North Webster. Crystal blue rice-filled roses decorated the tables. Dave Knispel, Syracuse, provided the musk for dancing. Chris Richards, Debbie Harter, Dena Harter and Krista Brumbaugh served refreshments to the guest. Both the bride and bridegroom are graduates of Wawasee High School and Ball State University. They are,now residing in Syracuse.

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CALENDAR Week Os December 2 To December 9 WEDNESDAY ~ Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce 7: 45 a.m., in State Bank of Syracuse Syracuse Lions Chib 6.30 p.m., in the Beacon Restaurant Teen AA Under 20 Group 7 p.m., in St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church Syracuse Jaycees 7:30 p.m., in Lakeland Eagles Order of the Eastern Star 7:30 p.m., in the Milford Masonic Lodge Alcoholics Anonymous Wawasee Group 7:30 p.m., in Episcopal Retreat House, South Shore Drive, Lake Wawasee, Syracuse Alanon 7:30 p.m., in Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Syracuse THURSDAY Wawasee Community Toughlove 7 p.m., in Lakeland Youth Center, Syracuse. Parent Support group for parents troubled by their teenagers behavior Milford Volunteer Firemen 7 p.m., in Milford Fire Station Milford First Brethren Women’s Missionary Society SgKsSf 7:30p.m. North Webster American Legion Auxiliary ’RSIbv 8 p.m., in the Legion Hall FRIDAY Milford Kiwanis 6:45 a.m., Milford Community Building Syracuse-Wawasee Retail Merchants Division 8 a.m., in State Bank of Syracuse Alcoholics Anonymous Carl Sheperd Memorial Group 7:30 p.m., in Episcopal Retreat House, South Shore Dr., Lake Wawasee, Syracuse, open meeting SATURDAY Wawasee Kiwanis 7 a.m., in Gropp’s, Syracuse Blood Pressure Check 9a.m. to noon, Milford Community Building I( L a mto4 pm ’ S y racuse Elementary School GymFiaSttcitx. SUNDAY Adult Singles 9:30-10:30 a.m., in Mike’s Soda Shop, North Webster Alcoholics Anonymous Fireball Group 10 a.m., in North Webster Fire Station, open meeting Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday Night Recovery Group 8 p.m., in North Webster United Methodist Church, closed meeting Alanon Sunday Night Group 8 p.m., in North Webster United Methodist Church, closed meeting MONDAY Lakeland Kiwanis 6:45 a.m., in North Webster Church of God meeting room Syracuse Library Board 5:15 p.m., in Syracuse Public Library Milford Lions z x, 7 p.m., in Milford Community Building Syracuse Primary Mother’s Club fl Milford Emergency Medical Service 7 p.m., in the EMS building Kosciusko County Fair Board 7:30 p.m., in the Shrine Building, Kosciusko County Fairgrounds, Warsaw Wawasee High School Musk Boosters 7:30 p.m., in the high school choir room v Alanon, Milford F amily Group 7:30 p.m., in Milford United Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Milford Group 7:30 p.m., in Milford United Methodist Church, closed meeting Alcoholics Anonymous North Webster Group 7:30 p.m., in North Webster United Methodist Church TUESDAY Alanon Just For Today 9:30 a.m., in St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Syracuse Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary 12 noon, in the Beacon Restaurant Home Arts Club 1:30p.m. Syracuse Business and Professional Women’s Chib 6:30 p.m. Adult Children of Alcoholics 6:30 p.m., in North Webster United Methodist Church basement Wawasee School Board ztfWV* 7 p.m., in the administration building Sugar N’ Spice ’Bl Club HKnjFxlß 7:30p .m. Lakeland Art Association 7:30 p.m., in Cardinal Center, Warsaw Syracuse Civil Defense 7:30 p.m., in Civil Defense Building, Dolan Drive Milford Masons 7:30p.m., in the Masonic Lodge Warsaw Chapter of the Compassionate Friends » 7:30 p.m., in the Justice Building Community Room, Warsaw. A support group for bereaved parents. Anyone who has experienced the death of a child is encouraged to come. Syracuse Coin Club 7:30 p.m., in Lakeland Youth Center WEDNESDAY Goodwill Club 1: 30 p.m., in House of Friendship Syracuse Fire Department, Fire Drill 7 p.m., at the fire station Eagles Auxiliary Meeting Aerie 37M 7 p.m., Lakeland Eagles, 404 Sycamore Street, Syracuse North Webster Town Board ■ 7 p.m., in the town hall » Teen AA Under 2t Group 7 p.m., in St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Wawasee Group 7:30 p.m., in Episcopal Retreat House, South Shore Drive, Lake Wawasee, Syracuse Alanon 7:30 p.m., in Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Syracuse