OLEAN

Karl W. Droege, 84, of Olean passed away at 6:20am, Friday, March 30, 2018 at Ripley Crossing in Milan.

He was born near Dillsboro on April 8, 1933 the son of Wilkie and Martha Schutte Droege. He was married to Doris Thomas Tebbing on June 12, 1999 and she survives.

Other survivors include one daughter Vicky Caviness of Seymour; one son Michael Droege of Versailles; one step-son Randy (Toni) Tebbing of Jamestown, Ohio; three step-daughters Cheryl Tebbing of Olean, Cathy (Ed) Meyer of Delhi, Ohio, and Jenny (Larry) Martinez of Mission, Texas; 6 grandchildren; one brother Paul “Butch” (Cathy) Droege of Aurora; one sister Helen (Elvin) Newman of Aurora.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Mr. Droege was a 1951 graduate of Cross Plains High School where he played on the Wildcat basketball team. He was a veteran of the Korean War and was stationed in Okinawa. He entered the US Army on July 22, 1953 and was discharged as a Corporal on June 3, 1955. For service to his country Karl received the National Defense Service Medal and the Sharpshooters M-1 Badge. Karl’s first job in civilian life was driving a huckster truck for the Farmers Retreat grocery. He later drove trucks for Wonder Bread and for Hussmans’ in Cincinnati. He later worked as an agent for Combined Insurance and was also employed with Delta Faucet in Greensburg. Karl was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Olean, the VFW, and the Versailles American Legion.

Funeral services will be held at 11am on Wednesday, April 4 at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles with Pastor Curtis Black officiating. Burial will be in St. Peters Cemetery at Olean with military graveside rites by the Versailles American Legion. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5pm to 7pm. Memorials may be given to St. Peters Cemetery, the St. Paul Lutheran Church Improvement Fund, or the Fisher House in Cincinnati in care of the funeral home.