Mary Ellen Ihnken

Mary Ellen Ihnken, 80, of Elkhart, passed away Jan. 9, 2013 at Elkhart General Hospital.

She was born Jan. 20, 1932 in Elkhart to Earl Eugene and Kathryn Lucille (Barton) Kreighbaum. She married Gene Ihnken on October 14, 1950. He survives along with 2 daughters, Jean (Brian) Yerger of Elkhart and Lynn (Dennis) Wise of Goshen; 4 grandchildren, Casey (Alysha) Yerger, Cody (Amber) Yerger, Season (Tim) Price and Cory (Krissy) Wise; 6 great-grandchildren, Hunter and Holden Price, Emilee and Reese Wise and Grayson and Adeline Yerger and 1 sister, Earlene Wollam of Baton Rouge, LA.

Mary Ellen graduated from Elkhart High School in 1949 and attended IUSB for a year. She retired in 2000 from Crown Industries in the purchasing dept. where she was a secretary. She was a member of Northside Baptist Church and was involved in many church activities. She enjoyed oil painting, flowers and her family. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Visitation will be from 4-8 pm Friday at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Elkhart and an hour prior to the 10 am service on Saturday at Northside Baptist Church. Pastor Carl Henry will officiate. Burial will follow at Olive West Cemetery.

Memorials are preferred to the church or Elkhart County Humane Society. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com