Westerville Obituaries - March 8, 2026
Thomas Charles “Chuck” Miller
1949 – March 1, 2026
Thomas Charles “Chuck” Miller, 76, of Westerville, Ohio, passed away March 1, 2026, at home. He was a retired employee of Honda Automotive in Marysville and a United States Army veteran who served in Vietnam as a gunnery sergeant.
Chuck was active in the community as a scout leader for Troop 502 in Westerville and was known to many as “Chit Chat Charlie.” He was especially proud of his role as a grandfather and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and neighborhood children.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vic and Betty Miller; his grandmother, Bea; and siblings John, Candi, Vicky, Mike, and Scrap.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sharon; sons Bill Miller and Becky Miller of Reynoldsburg and Cody Miller and Holly Miller of Grove City; grandchildren Owen, Caleb, Ethan, Avery, and Noah; and siblings Rose Corwin, Tammy, and Richard.
Edgar P. Miller III
March 22, 1970 – March 3, 2026
Edgar P. Miller III, 55, of Westerville, Ohio, passed away March 3, 2026, after a battle with cancer. He was born in Columbus, Ohio.
Ed served in the United States Marine Corps and was known for his patience, compassion, and steady presence. A graduate of Westerville South High School, he played soccer and continued his love for the sport through recreational leagues for many years.
He worked more than 20 years in supply management, including positions with Smiths Medical and most recently as lead inventory specialist at Path Robotics. Colleagues respected him for his work ethic, integrity, and leadership.
Ed was a longtime member of the Columbus Table Tennis Club and won his division at the 2017 Arnold Table Tennis Challenge. He also enjoyed cars and spent recent years building and racing his 2020 Kia Stinger GT, attending car shows and drag racing events.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Bronwen Chapman.
He is survived by his wife, Traci Miller; daughter Jadalynn Miller-Gilchrist and Landen Gilchrist; father Edgar P. Miller Jr.; brother Jason Chew; sisters Rhawna Villanueva and Jonathon Villanueva, and Krystal Cain and Kiah Cain; stepchildren Collin O’Brien, Kade O’Brien, and Zackary Spring and Ericka Spring; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.
Eugene Howard Blain
April 2, 1944 – February 19, 2026
Eugene Howard “Gene” Blain, 81, of Westerville, Ohio, passed away Feb. 19, 2026, at The Smith Mill Health Campus in New Albany after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Blendon Township to Eugene W. Blain and Helen Peters Blain.
Gene is survived by his wife, Harriet Rader Blain; daughter Teresa Urick and Melvin Urick of Pataskala; sons Robert E. Blain and Kim Painter of Whitehall and Becky Coey of Utica; four grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
He attended Licking Heights High School and left school in the 11th grade to care for his ailing parents. In his early years he worked scrapping metal with his father and later held maintenance positions with several companies.
In 1980, Gene entered ministry and moved with his family to Pineville, Kentucky, to attend Clear Creek Bible College. While there he worked at Pineville Community Hospital and later at the Bell County Jail. Gene and his wife later served in missionary work at the Oneida Baptist Institute, assisting students and helping with transportation for school and medical appointments.
Known for his friendly nature, Gene enjoyed talking with people, working in his garage, and staying active with yard work and projects.
Dennis J. Ricker
September 8, 1932 – February 26, 2026
Dennis John Ricker, 93, of Westerville, Ohio, passed away Feb. 26, 2026, at Danbury of Westerville Parkside Village, surrounded by family. He was born in Delphos, Ohio, to Bernard Ricker and Permilla Wannemacher Ricker.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Therese M. Humpert Ricker; children Denise Ricker and David Zaltsman, Bernard Ricker and Debbie Ricker, John Ricker and Cheryl Ricker, and Anthony Ricker and Shelli Ricker; grandchildren Allie Simon and Jason Simon, Chelsea Ricker, Madison Ricker, Nathan Zaltsman and Meredith Zaltsman, Emily Zaltsman, Jenna Ricker, Zach Ricker, Kevin Ricker, and Josie Ricker; great-grandchildren Hannah Simon and Margaret Simon; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Carolyn Beck.
Dennis served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in Japan. After his service, he earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Dayton while working full time and raising a young family.
He spent 35 years as an electrical engineer with Delco and General Motors, holding 11 patents and contributing to early development of anti-lock braking technology. He also drove one of the company’s early prototype electric cars during the 1970s.
Dennis was active at St. Peter Catholic Church in Huber Heights, serving as one of its first lay ministers, and devoted many years to St. Vincent de Paul, including more than 15 years as president.
He enjoyed travel, photography, and repairing household items, and was known for his inventive mind and distinctive personality. Above all, he valued time spent with his family.
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