January 4, 2015


Dorothy I. Bradway – Bedford
Dorothy I. Bradway, 90, of Bedford and formerly of Wichita, Kansas, died at 7:40pm on Friday, January 2, 2014 at the I.U. Health Bedford Hospital.
Born on August 13, 1924 in Winfield, Kansas, she was the daughter of Leonard Simpson Dobkins and Minerva Jane (Fletcher) Dobkins. She married Carl Howard Bradway on November 26, 1943 and he survives. While living in Wichita, Carl and Dorothy were Charter members of the Pawnee Avenue Church of God.
Surviving with her husband, Carl of Bedford is her son, Ray Bradway and his wife, Charlene of Bedford; two grandchildren, Kevin Bradway and his wife, Mandy of Bloomington and Carla Hutchinson and her husband, Trevis of Bedford, three great grandchildren, Peyton, Trevin and Carter Hutchinson; two sisters, Maxine Folmer of Colorado and Mildred Lerner of California.
She was preceded in death by her parents, infant daughter Mary Ann and nine siblings.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6th in the Elmwood Chapel of Day & Carter Mortuary with Pastor Kendall Hendrickson officiating. Visitation will be held at Day & Carter on Tuesday, January 6th from Noon until the hour of service. Burial will be in the Wichita Park Cemetery, Wichita, Kansas on Monday, January 12th. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Johnson Christian Village.
Family and friends can offer condolences at: www.daycarter.com
William Clement Farrell – Loogootee
William Clement Farrell, 83, of Loogootee, passed away on Friday, January 2, 2015 at Loogootee Nursing Center.
Born May 23, 1931 in Loogootee, Indiana, he was the son of John Vernon and Alberta (Padgett) Farrell. He married Janet Harder on November 28, 1957; and she preceded him in death on January 18, 1998. He later married Eleanor Arvin; and she preceded him in death in 2012. He was a graduate of Loogootee High School, Class of 1949. He retired from Crane Naval Base in the 1990’s. He was a member of the American Legion Post #61. Mr. Farrell was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church of Loogootee. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served in Korea.
Surviving are three daughters, Joni and Rick Parks, of West Bend, WI, Judith Lynch, of French Lick, and Lisa and Kenny Elliott, of Jasper; one son, Jeffery A. Farrell, of Shoals; seven grandchildren, Seth Dickey, Josh Lynch, Kaci Lynch, Matt Parks, Kyle Parks, Nick Elliott, and Ben Elliott; three great-grandchildren, Colton, Elijah, and Arianna Dickey; three brothers, Jim Farrell, Indianapolis, Al Farrell, Santa Claus, IN, and Larry Farrell, Speedway; and two sisters, Barbara Link, Brownsburg, and Martha Love, Loogootee.
Mass of Christian Burial will be on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Loogootee, with Father Ken Walker officiating. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday, 4-8 p.m. at Queen-Lee Funeral home, Shoals.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.queenlee.com.
Jeanette (Acton) Bridwell – Bedford
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Jeanette (Acton) Bridwell, 82, of Bedford passed away on Wednesday December 31, 2015 at 9:15 p.m. at Garden Villa in Bedford.
She was born in Lawrence County on November 8, 1931 to Orville L. and Katherine Belle (Marley) Trueblood. She was a 1950 graduate of Huron High School and was a member of the Port Williams Church of Christ and attended the First Baptist Church in Bedford later in life.
Jeanette worked as an accounts receiving clerk at Bedford Regional Medical Center retiring in 1997. She married George Edward Acton in September 1950 and he preceded her in death in September of 1978, she then married Jack Bridwell in November of 1995 and he preceded her in death in July 2013.
Survivors include two daughters, Leann (Michael) Acton-Anderson of Springville and Diane Acton of Bedford; one son, Steve (Nancy) Acton of Ownesburg; five grandchildren, Cinnamon (Fred) Howell and Stephanie Acton, both of Greenfield; Jamie Clark (Joe Penwell) and Kyli Chenault, both of Bedford, and Shallen Acton of Morristown, ten great grandchildren; one brother, Gordon (Lucy) Trueblood of Columbus
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, George Acton, second husband Jack Bridwell
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday January 6, 2015 at Cresthaven Funeral Home in Bedford, burial will follow in Port Williams Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday from 11 a.m. until service time at 2 p.m. at Cresthaven Funeral Home
Ronald Virgil Essex – Bedford
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Ronald Virgil Essex, 82, of Bedford, passed away at his residence on Wednesday, December 31, 2014.
Born June 16, 1932 in Bedford, Indiana, he was the son of Leslie and Alice (Smith) Richardson.
He married Virginia Sue Fisher, on June 21, 1980; and she survives. He was a warehouse man for Boise Cascade Corp. in Idaho, and also worked at Crane Naval Base. Mr. Essex was a member of the VFW of Mitchell Post #9107; the Lebanon Moose Lodge #1269; Mitchell Senior Citizens; Hope Methodist Church; he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy; and a member of the Stone Country Band. He adored his family and playing country music, he enjoyed hunting and fishing trips with his friends, and driving his white Dodge truck for coffee runs all through town. His greatest accomplishment was being friends and playing music with Merle Haggard.
Surviving are his wife, Virginia Sue Essex, of Bedford; one daughter, Donna Case, of Bedford; three sons, Rick (Brenda) Ratliff, of Orleans, Mickey (Becky) Ratliff, of Heltonville, and Danny (Ruth) Ratliff, of Avoca; nine grandchildren, Sarah (Billy) Roach, of Bedford, Tiffany Sanders, of Bedford, Chelsea Bridges, of Bedford, Jeremy (Brooke) Ratliff, of Fayetteville, Jason (Lisa) Parsley, of Bedford, Emilee (Jamie) Meadows, Jill (Tim) Robertson, of Bedford, Amanda ( Steven) Gore, of Avoca, and Danielle (Dave) Self; fourteen great-grandchildren, Avery, Austin, Gracie, Brooklynn, Ava, Camden, Savannah, Miranda, Haley, Braden, Jarrott, Kelsey, Addison, and Emma.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and one son, Tracey Ratliff.
Graveside service will be on Monday, January 5, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Dive Cemetery.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.fergusonlee.com.
Juanita Marie Shepperd – Bedford
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Juanita Marie Shepperd was born on November 15, 1927 to Hubert Earl Speer and Lois Ellen Kindred Speer in Lawrence County, Indiana, and she went to be with her Heavenly Father on January 1, 2015.
She was of the Pentecostal faith and was active in various Pentecostal churches and was a cook at the Pentecostal campground for many years. Mrs. Shepperd had been a resident of The Westview Nursing and Rehabilitation in the Alzheimer’s Augustus Cottage for the past four years and received excellent care during her stay there (Her family is very thankful for each and every one of the staff that treated Juanita as their own family). Before she was ill, Juanita was the owner of the Plaza Motel and Truck Stop in Bedford and after selling the business, she worked at NAD Crane as an Ordnance Worker, the Pentecostal Orphanage of Barbourville, KY, and retired as a care giver to Dr. and Mrs. Richard P. Austin, she was a registered dietician.
She married Russell W. Shepperd on November 22, 1946 and they had three daughters, Gwendolyn Norman, Jacqueline Rollins, and Karen (Larry) Dalton all of Bedford, Indiana, which survive her along with seven grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren, and eleven great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Edward (Bud) Speer, David (Janet) Tidd, and a sister, Gail Connerly, of Mitchell, Indiana, a step-sister, Virginia Willowby, of Virginia, and two sisters-in-law, Louise (Kenny) Burton, of Bedford, Indiana, and Mona Speer, of Mitchell, Indiana, and several nieces and nephews.
Juanita was preceded in death by a grandson, Nathan Wade Dalton, and two granddaughters, Angela Sullivan and Melissa Sullivan. Her parents, Hubert Earl and Lois Ellen Speer, her step-mother, Mary Tidd Speer, seven brothers, Everett (Odella), Wilburn (Inez), Jasper, Edwin, Delbert (Alma), Curtis, Leroy (Marline), and Gerald (Susie) Speer, and one sister, Geneva (Herman) Henderson, four step-brothers, Paul, Raymond, Charles, and Bobby Tidd, and one step-sister, Eva Sears, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 5, 2015 at Ferguson-Lee Funeral Home, with Bro. Larry Dalton officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday, 1-6 p.m.. at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.fergusonlee.com.
David A. Lewis – Bedford
David A. Lewis, 59, of Bedford, died at 4:52 pm on Thursday, January 1, 2015 in Bedford.
Born July 8, 1955 in Bedford, he was the son of William C. and Charlotte R. (Smith) Lewis. He worked at the Bedford Public Library and later at Walmart in Bedford. He was formerly married to Rhea Dawn Lewis who has remained a dear friend. David was a brilliant man and a very kind soul. To know David was to love him.
Survivors include a son, Rhett Lewis of Bedford; a daughter, Talia Blake and husband, Joe, of Bedford; granddaughters, Drew Gilbertson of Linton, Jade and Samara Wessell of Bedford; sister, Brenda Cleary and husband, Woodie; two nephews all of NC; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Gladys and Hazel Lewis, Otho and Addie Mae Smith; his parents, William C. and Charlotte R. Lewis; a brother, Billy Ray Lewis.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 am on Monday, January 5th in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary. Burial will follow in Cresthaven Memory Gardens. Visitation will be from 2 pm to 4 pm Sunday, January 4th at the Day & Carter Mortuary. The family asks that friends consider donations be made to the American Diabetes Assoc. or the Bedford Public Library.
Family and friends are invited to express condolences at www.daycarter.com.
Eva Jean Hall Hawkins – Bedford
Eva Jean Hall Hawkins, 90, of Bedford, died at 4:15 am on Thursday, January 1, 2015 at her residence.
Born April 1, 1924 in Bedford, she was the daughter of Dewey Stanford and Oda Blanche (Roberts) Hall. She was a graduate of Bedford High School. She married Richard Dale “Dick” Hawkins on November 25, 1942 and he preceded her in death. They lived in St. Louis, MO while Dick completed medical school and in San Antonio, TX while Dick served in the military. They relocated to Wharton, TX, Biloxi, MS and ultimately back to Bedford for Dick’s private practice in pediatrics. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bedford where she taught Sunday School for many years.
Survivors include her children, Karen Jean Weaver and husband, Bill, of Birmingham, AL, Richard Drew Hawkins and wife, Peggy, of Greenwood, IN, Penny Hawkins Taylor of Carmel, IN, Bret Hawkins and wife, Barb, of Bedford; eight grandchildren, Emily Kay Weaver Johnson, Derek Lane Weaver, Lawrence Pictor Taylor, Erin Nicole Taylor King, Bret David Hawkins, Rachel Susan Hawkins Stiffler, Kate Lauren Hawkins Holmstrom and Mary Emma Hawkins; ten great grandchildren; her caregivers, Jeanie Judah and Jackie Short.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and siblings Carol Lamb, Ray Samuel Hall and Chloe Alice Embree.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 7th in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary with Rev. Dr. Kregg Burris officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, January 6th at the Day & Carter Mortuary.
Family and friends are invited to express condolences at www.daycarter.com.
Maxine Covert – Mitchell
Maxine Covert, 93, of Mitchell, passed away at 6:34 p.m. Thursday, January 1, 2015, at St. Vincent Dunn Hospital in Bedford.
Born February 22, 1921, in Mitchell, she was the daughter of Artie and Vanice (Arnold) Pruett. She married Russell Covert December 25, 1950, and he preceded her in death December 19, 1963. Maxine had been employed in the cafeteria at Emerson School. She graduated from Mitchell High School in 1939, and was a member of the Tulip Street Christian Church.
Surviving: son, Steve Covert, Mitchell
Her parents; husband; brother, Eugene Pruett; and sister, Evelyn Watterson, preceded her in death.
Funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 5, in the Memorial Chapel of Chastain Funeral Home & Cremation Center with Brother Greg McBride officiating. Burial will be in Mitchell Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Sunday and from 9:00 a.m. until the service on Monday at the funeral home.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.chastainfuneralhome.com

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