Patsy M. McClure

A faithful servant, Patsy McClure was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She lived her life selflessly by giving her time and energy to her family. She cared for each and every one of her precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It brought her great joy to share in their lives and know that they were successful and happy. A person of faith she prayed for them daily and looked forward to the special times they spent together. Her wonderful personality and tender loving ways will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Looking back on the 1930s, it is hard to find any area that was not directly impacted by the effects of the Great Depression. Banks were still closing but there was a promise of a new election year awaiting. By 1931, mobster Al Capone was locked away in Alcatraz, the Empire State Building had finished completion and one of the greatest droughts in American history had hit the Central Plains region. During the midst of one of the toughest decades in American history, Ralph and Bernice (Skeels) Gray welcomed home the arrival of their newborn daughter, Patsy, born on May 10,1931 in Noble County, Indiana. Patsy brought much joy to the family in these tough economic times.

Growing up, Patsy attended local schools and graduated with the Class of 1949 from Wolf Lake High School. Shortly after high school she met the love of her life, Edward F. McClure. Their courtship was short and sweet ending in a beautiful wedding ceremony on March 12,1950. The happy couple raised three beautiful children together; Pam, Linda and Bruce. Patsy was a proud mother who was always there for her children. She never liked swearing and therefore kept the household rules quite simple. She taught her children sound moral values and principles such as being compassion and caring toward others. She often leaned on her strong faith for guidance. Over the years, she and Edward savored many wonderful family trips with their growing family to the beautiful state of Michigan and also to the majestic Smoky Mountains. Patsy was no stranger to the kitchen, often hosting large family dinners for all of the special holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. These memorable occasions were important to Patsy and she cherished them over the years.

A hard and dedicated worker, Patsy worked at the large and sustainable agricultural company, Monsanto in Ligonier, Indiana until she retired after forty years. She also spent two years with Lyall Electric in Columbia City, a company valued for its legacy of solutions-based innovation and reliable, trusted service. Much to her delight, was owning a home with two bathrooms in the friendly Karen Kove subdivision! An active and faithful member of the Big Lake Church of God in Columbia City, Patsy regularly attended mass with her mother in law. She was also involved with The Warehouse, a growing faith community whose vision was to accept people without judgement and to love like Jesus. She lived by her Christian values of serving others and being generous beyond measure. She had many interests and hobbies over the years. Working with ceramics was a favorite, but in the warm summer months, Patsy loved to go fishing with her in-laws in southern Indiana. She also made time for watching Christian television shows which she enjoyed very much. Patsy enjoyed gardening, canning the vegetables, and sharing them with her children. When she wasnt busy in the kitchen or spending time with her grandchildren or great-grandchildren, she relished the time with her furry friends; especially, Casper. A Bichon Frise, Casper was her favorite dog over all the years she owned him. The two of them had a special companionship. He placed several times in national dog shows in Michigan, bringing her great pride and joy. Patsys legacy of caring and compassionate ways will forever be remembered and her wonderful collection of memories will live in the hearts of generations to come.

Patsy McClure, 85, of Columbia City, Ind., passed away Thursday morning, August 4, 2016 at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Survivors include her daughters, Pam (Steve) Loe and Linda (Art Miller) Coulter, both of Columbia City; son, Bruce E. (Brenda) McClure, of Milford; sister, Norma Gray, of Syracuse; brothers, Joe (Netta) Gray, of Syracuse and Jerry (Nora) Gray, of Columbia City; sister-in-law, Caroline Gray, of Miami, Fla.; grandchildren, Brandie (Kevin) Kreps, of Columbia City and Cara (Aaron) Likens, of South Milford; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ed McClure; brother, Kenneth Gray; son-in-law, Mike Coulter; and grandchildren, Scott Coulter and Megan Lee. Visitation is 1-4 p.m., Sunday, August 7, 2016 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Monday, August 8, 2016 at the funeral home with Pastor Paul Dreger officiating. Burial will follow at Thorn Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to One Dog At A Time Rescue. To read send Patsys family condolences, visit www.demoneygrimes.com .