Eugene Oscar Leopold Loth, 89, of Plainfield Drive, Elkhart, Ind., died at 3:13 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, at his home surrounded by family.

Friends may visit from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, at the Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, Edwardsburg. Visitation will also be held for one hour before the 1 p.m. Service of Remembrance on Saturday, Sept. 5, in the Edwardsburg Presbyterian Church, Edwardsburg. Officiating will be Pastor Janet Shaver, minister of Creekside Church of the Brethren, Elkhart, Ind., assisted by Pastor David Bibbee of Ft. Wayne.

Burial will be in Adamsville Cemetery.

He was born on Nov. 19, 1919, in the Netherlands, East Indies (now Indonesia) to Eugene A. M. Loth and Louise M. Cooks.

On March 26, 1946, he married Tjuinlong Klai Tjom Phoe Sri (Mary) Tamuan in Thailand.
Eugene served during World War II and was a Japanese P.O.W. for three years. While a prisoner, he was moved to Thailand, where he worked on the railroad from Thailand to Burma (known as the Bridge of River Kwai).

When the war ended in 1945, he was released and shortly thereafter met his wife, Mary.
In 1960, they moved their family to the United States. The couple, along with their seven children, moved to Elkhart, Ind., under the sponsorship of the Elkhart Church Of The Brethren.

He was employed by Elkhart Brass and later retired from the Elkhart Community Schools, having worked as a custodian at Monger Elementary and North Side Middle School and as head custodian at Mary Feeser Elementary School.

He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed gardening with his wife, as well as spending time with family and friends. He was a member of Creekside Church Of The Brethren in Elkhart, Ind.

Surviving family include three sons, Jody A. (Barb J.)  Loth of Ft. Worth, Texas, Philip A. (Sue) Loth and Dwight D. “Max” (Rebekah C. Pigors) Loth, both of Elkhart, Ind.; five daughters, Louise I. (Lenny) Casoria of Miami Beach, Fla., Wiesje Mathilda (Max) Barnes of Longview, Texas, Anita L. (Don) Stricker of San Antonio, Texas, Suze L. Loth and Marie A. Lisa (Virgil) Swann, Jr., both of Elkhart, Ind.; 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mary, who died on May 2, 2003.

he spent his last days in the care of his daughter, Suze and the long-time friend of the family, Sue Sedlacek.

Memorial donations may be made to the family in care of Suze Loth.

Arrangements were by the Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, Edwardsburg.