Jane Ann (DeWalt) Claes, age 83, of Sandusky, died Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, in Stein Hospice Care Center, Sandusky, following a brief illness.

She was was born 10 minutes after her twin sister, Janet (DeWalt) Buchanan on November 2, 1933, in Crestline, OH.  Jane always liked to tell people that she was 10 minutes younger than Janet! Her parents were Ilene (Kress) DeWalt and Roger DeWalt, and are both deceased.  She was a cheerleader and a National Honor Society Member when she graduated from Crestline High School in 1951.  Jane always had a job, even in high school when she worked for Dr. Theodore Sawyer.  She worked in the office at Crestline Memorial Hospital and earned her Accredited Records Technician degree while working at the hospital.  She went on to be the Department Head of the Medical Records Department at the former Mansfield General Hospital in Mansfield, Ohio. She also worked for the Shelby Depot after high school.  Jane attended the Congregational United Church of Christ in Castalia, and was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crestline, where she was a member for 83 years. Jane belonged to The Patio Gardeners  flower club in Crestline, and as an accomplished china painter, she belonged to the Mansfield China Painters Club.  She continued with her china painting and many friends and relatives received pieces painted by Jane, which they cherish to this day.
 

She married Ronald D. Claes on March 5, 1985, and  moved to Sandusky later that year.  Her son, James Apger, died before his 40th birthday in July of 1992. Her younger brother, Jim DeWalt, died in September of 2014.  She is survived by her grandson, Timothy Apger, her great-granddaughter, Marissa Apger, whom she helped to raise, and her great-great grandson, Jackson James Apger.  She is also survived by her twin sister, Janet Buchanan of Crestline, her brother Jim’s wife, Carole, also of Crestline, and her oldest brother and his wife, Richard and Charlotte DeWalt, of Walnut Creek, OH. She is also survived by 4 step-sons Mark Claes of Castalia, Timothy (Mary Lou) Claes of Huron, Robert (Tammy) Claes of Michigan, and Andrew (Irene) Claes of Sandusky, and  many nieces and nephews. 

Friends may call from 4-7 pm Sunday, August 6, 2017, in the Ransom Funeral and Cremation Service, 610 S. Washington St., Castalia, and from 10:00 am Monday, Aug. 7, until time of services at 11:00 am. The Rev. Diana Seaman, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Crestline, will officiate, and burial will be in Castalia Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Congregational UCC, 205 Main St., Castalia; Trinity Lutheran Church, Main St., Crestline; or to Stein Hospice Services, 1200 Sycamore Line, Sandusky.

Gifts of sympathy and online condolences may be shared with the family at www.ransomfuneralhome.com.

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