Wednesday, January 17th, 2018
Louis Comus
Louis F. Comus, 101, long a resident, denizen and good guy of St. Marys, died peacefully in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 7, 2018.
Louie was born December 15, 1916, in Wabash, Indiana, to Frank and Mary Etta (Watson) Comus. After graduating from Wabash High School, he earned his chemical engineering degree from Indiana Institute of Technology. He married Dessie L. Shockey, also from Wabash, on August 25, 1940, and the couple settled in St. Marys, where Louie was employed at Goodyear in the metal preparation department, in which he served as engineer and supervisor until his retirement in 1982.
Louie helped establish Goodyear Boy Scout Troop 136, serving as Scoutmaster for 12 years. He led the Troop Committee, recruited numerous other adult leaders, supervised many campouts, and encouraged many boys into leadership positions in Scouting and in life.
At Wayne Street United Methodist Church, Louie held several leadership positions, including the administrative board, and was an active Bible study participant. He regularly prepared and circulated tapes of sermons for Interfaith Ministries and worked with the St. Marys Ministerial Association.
Louie served through all of the chairs at Mercer Lodge #121, F&AM, and recently received the 70 Year Membership Award from The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio. Louie was a member of the St. Marys Rotary Club and received the Rotary Citizen of the Year Award in 1995, the same year he was recognized as Auglaize County Senior Citizen of the Year. He was given the Chamber of Commerce Builder of Bridges Award in 2000.
Louie was an auction "junkie," and often admitted that he had auction fever. For many years he never missed a farm or home auction, or a garage or yard sale. He had an impressive eye for value, as well as an inimical bidding style.
He was a tireless volunteer at Agape Ministries, serving on its Board for several years, packing and distributing food boxes every week, picking up meals and other food, including car-loads of potato chips, from surrounding towns, and helping Agape help others, especially seniors.
In his spare time he would be found as Dessie's helper at the St. Marys Dairy Queen, and as a loving and caring husband and father. In his later years, he visited friends and other seniors at the hospital and in care homes, and enjoyed the brotherhood of similarly-maturing guys over morning coffee and doughnuts at Pantry Pride.
Louie was preceded in death by Dessie, his wife of 58 years, and by his daughter Connie.
He is survived by sons Lou, Jr. (Pat) and Steve; grandsons Lou III (Christine) and Chris; and great-grandchildren Louis IV, Robert, Alexandra, Stephen, Elijah, Michael and Joshua, all of Arizona.
Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Saturday January 20, 2018 at Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 130 N. Wayne Street, St. Marys, with a celebration of Louie's life at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery, 1275 Greenville Rd.
The family appreciates donations to the Louis and Dessie Comus Scholarship fund for college-bound Memorial High School seniors who plan a career in education; send to the St. Marys Community Foundation, 146 E. Spring St., St. Marys, OH 45885.
Condolences may be expressed to his family via: www.millerfuneralhomes.net. Arrangements are entrusted to the Miller Funeral Homes in St. Marys, OH.
