Gregory M. Ilderton, 85

Gregory M. Ilderton, 85

Gregory M. Ilderton, 85, passed away Thursday morning, June 18, 2026, at Divine Shane Hill, Rockford, Ohio. He was born on October 23, 1940, the son of William Alvin and Kathleen (Moody) Ilderton in Oakley (Cincinnati), Ohio. After graduating from Batesville, Indiana high school in 1958, he served in the Air Force as parachute rigger in Germany, then air traffic control specialist in California until 1967. He then worked as flight service specialist in the Federal Aviation Administration in several cities until his retirement in 1987. For five years he was with Burlington Air Express out of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, then dispatcher with the Van Wert City Police Dept. He also helped his in-laws with farming, and the Van Wert Co. Farmers Market for 45 years. In 1986, he and his wife helped form the Van Wert Co. Fruit Growers and helped organize the annual Apple Festival, also selling apples from their small orchard. On May 7, 1977, he married Marti (Weck), who survives. Also surviving are his first wife, Karen Oesterling, whom he married on July 14, 1962 and with whom he had two children: son, Troy (Jenny) Ilderton of Oldenburg, Indiana and Amy (Daryl) Gunter of Batesville, Indiana; grandchildren, Hillary (Evan) Hellmich, Evan (Jordyn) Gunter, William Gabe Gunter, Jared (Layne) Ilderton, Rachel (Evan) Puente, and great-grandchildren, Benson and Charlie Puente, Hadley and Huck Hellmich. His sister, Tara Lee Bedel of Cincinnati, Ohio, also survives. Greg was preceded in death by his parents, and great- grandson, Tucker Puente. He was a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, where he served on several committees. He also enjoyed western square dancing with the Van Wert Traveling Squares square dance club, loved attending Crestview H.S. basketball games, air shows, the Apple Festival, trains, old movies and westerns. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 22, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 6299 German Church Road with Rev. Roger Peters, officiating. Interment will follow at Evangelical Protestant Cemetery. Visitation will be at Alspach -Gearhart Funeral Home on Sunday, June 21, from 2-4 p.m. Also, one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Preferred memorials may be directed to St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Wren Fire and EMS or CHP Hospice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com. Services have been entrusted to Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, 722 S. Washington St, Van Wert, Ohio.