BLANCHE ELLEN BOCKELMAN

Blanche E. Bockelman, age 89, of Columbia City, Ind., died Sunday, December 12, 2010 at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne.She was born on February 5, 1921 in Union Township, Whitley County to Benjamin and Ethel Marie (Beeching) Wigent.

She attended Coesse High School graduating with the Class of 1938.On August 6, 1939 she was united in marriage to John D. Bockelman in Tifton, OH.Together they owned and operated Green Acres Sod Farm and Bockelman Implement Co. where she worked as office manager until her retirement in 1985.She spent her entire life on the Bockelman farm in Union Township until she recently moved to Sycamore Village in July 2010.She was a life-long member of Hope Lutheran Church, the WELCA and the Union Busy Bells Extension Club.

Survivors include daughters, Cathaleen "Cathy" (Homer, Jr.) Keifer of Woodburn, Ind., Virginia Faulkner of Columbia City; sons, Paul (Darlene) Bockelman and David (Becky) Bockelman of Columbia City; son-in-law, John Juillerat of Columbia City; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents and step-father, Edgar Nash; husband, John D. Bockelman on November 11, 1997; daughter, Ann Juillerat;brother, Carl B. Wigent, son-in-law, Paul Faulkner and infant great-granddaughter,Elliana Shearer.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December, 15, 2010 from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. at DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City, Ind.Funeral service will take place the following day on Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 South 500 East, Columbia City.Memorial gifts in memory of Mrs. Bockelman may be made to Hope Lutheran Church; envelopes will be available at the funeral home.