Masonic Ode, 1845. Museum Purchase, 85-126. Guide to Views from the Top of Bunker Hill Monument, 1892. Gift of Nelson M. Hopkins, F62.3 .B9 1892.

This year marks the 250 the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the 200 th anniversary of the laying of the Bunker Hill Monument’s cornerstone. To commemorate this event, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is featuring a small exhibition in its reading room, with objects related to memorializing the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775. Despite the name of the battle, most of the action took place on nearby Breed’s Hill. Combatants fought the battle to solidify which side controlled Boston Harbor. To this end, the hills in and around Boston were tactically important to both British and colonial forces. The American’s newly formed Continental Army sought to limit the supplies that the British army could bring into Boston via the harbor.
Objects on view in “Remembering the Battle of Bunker Hill” include a nineteenth-century scale model of the original 1794 monument erected by King Solomon’s Lodge of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Lodge members dedicated the monument to the memory of Revolutionary War hero and organizer Joseph Warren, who was killed in the battle. Other objects on view include two pieces of sheet music related to dedicatory events surrounding the Bunker Hill Monument, including a “Masonic Ode” composed in 1845, as well as seeds used in the Masonic cornerstone laying ceremony for the Bunker Hill Monument in 1825.
While still a memorial to the battle, the Bunker Hill Monument also functioned and continues to do so today–as a tourist attraction. A climb up its 294 steps affords visitors expansive views of Boston, Charlestown, Cambridge, Malden, Chelsea, and Lynn. Two nineteenth-century booklets, both intended for tourists visiting the monument, are also on view in the exhibition.“Remembering the Battle of Bunker Hill” will be on view in the Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives’ reading room through October 3, 2025.

By Jeffrey Croteau, Director of Library & Archives

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck that which is planted. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” -Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 of a song by the 60’s rock band The Byrds.

Remembering our Brothers who have Passed
The Feast of the Paschal Lamb is a time for remembering those Brothers who have been called to the Celestial Lodge above. While mourning can be sorrowful, it is also a form of rejoicing. It’s a gratitude of love, both for memories and for life. Let us consider this a fair exchange for the Brotherhood and fellowship, the love, that was shared with our fallen Brothers.
As our departed Brothers travel to that undiscovered country, from whose born no traveler returns, we are reminded that one day we will also visit that mysterious realm. The importance of living a meaningful life becomes very clear to us during these moments. For many, the fear of death or the fear of what might happen to us after death, paralyzes their actions here on Earth. For others the contemplation of death can motivate them to live a moral and upright life.
Our fraternity offers a variety of tools to work upon one’s Self, in order to help us live a life that is worthy of entering that Great Lodge above. All of us our born with a consciousness, which is a recognition of our self and how we live our lives.
This is a byproduct of having free will. We have the ability to make choices in life rather than being on autopilot and randomly walking through it. Utilizing the working tools that we are given in the Masonic fraternity, we can make right choices that allow us to live that moral and upright life.

Death is only the Beginning
One of the most profound aspects of consciousness is the awareness that we will all die sooner or later. Death is the ultimate mystery as well as the ultimate symbol for profound change. This mystery can be seen in nature with the unfolding of Spring as the Earth blossoms anew. This is the perfect time for introspection, renewal, spiritual growth, and union with mind of the Great Architect.
At it’s core, this Feast is not just a celebration of physical liberation but a profound metaphor for spiritual transmutation. As the Israelites struggled to break free from the bonds of materialism, egoism, and the constraints of this world, we are reminded that true freedom comes from within us, at the depths of our souls and through our connection with God.
This Feast marks a period of spiritual cleansing, a time to burn away the dross within one’s self. This dross can be seen as the metaphorical leaven, symbolizing ego, arrogance, and the negative influences each individual builds up throughout one’s lifetime. Just as the Israelites removed leaven from their homes before the Exodus, we need to remove the dross, or vices and superfluities, of life that impede our spiritual growth.
During this Passover season, let us strive to raise our consciousness and transcend the limitations of our physical existence. We need to break free from the bonds that keep us in fear of the mystery that lies beyond this material realm. By embracing the transformative virtues of our fraternity, Faith, Hope, and Charity, or agape which Christ brought to the World, we can live a life that is transformative of the Soul and revitalizing to the Spirit. “For we know that if the Earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Rodney McGillvary, 32°

On February 12, 1867, Dr. Albert Gallatin Mackey, Grand High Priest, addressed his brethren at the Annual Grand Convention of the Most Excellent Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of South Carolina in Charleston. In his remarks, Mackey (1807-1881) let his fellow Royal Arch Masons know that “for the first time in twenty years” he would not be there for the entire meeting due to “imperative and unexpected calls of public business.” Mackey continued, lamenting the beleaguered state of Royal Arch Freemasonry in South Carolina, noting that “strife in our land pressed heavily on the condition of our Chapters.” Most chapters in South Carolina had stopped work during the Civil War. In 1867, when Mackey offered these comments, several remained closed. Representatives from fourteen chapters attended the 1867 gathering.
In his remarks, Mackey reviewed his long association with Royal Arch Masonry in South Carolina, recalling that in 1847, when he first served as Deputy Grand High Priest, the state claimed only two functioning chapters. By 1860 Mackey had helped establish twenty-two chapters. He recalled that he had spent time at each of the chapters to “instruct them in the work.” Mackey summed up his long involvement with Royal Arch Masonry in South Carolina stating that he could, “without arrogance, claim that the present organization of Royal Arch Masonry in the State, has been produced by my personal labor and teaching.”
The next day, to acknowledge Mackey’s significant contributions to Royal Arch Freemasonry in South Carolina, a group recommended that a committee be appointed and charged to “show some, though inadequate, evidence of the high appreciation of Comp. Mackey’s services to Royal Arch Masonry" and to "prepare a Jewel or other suitable memento” to present to Mackey “as the funds of the Grand Chapter will admit.”
Several years passed before the Grand Chapter could afford to commission Mackey’s jewel. In 1875, the project moved forward with a $50 appropriation combined with $30 contributed by five chapters to procure jewels for Mackey and another past Grand High Priest. From an expense recorded in the Grand Treasurer’s report for the year, it appears the two jewels together cost $100. Mackey's jewel was recently donated to the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library.
Charleston silversmith, jeweler, and fellow Freemason, Joseph Bock (1837-1903), crafted Mackey’s handsome jewel in gold over silver in the shape of a high priest’s breast plate floating over three equilateral triangles, all symbols related to the office of High Priest. The jewel bears his maker's mark, "Jos. Bock" stamped on the back and the name of the recipient “A. G. Mackey” is engraved on the hanger. Bock, a member of La Candeur Lodge No. 36 in Charleston, advertised “Masonic Jewels in sets or singly furnished to order” in 1867. Newspaper notices in the late 1860s and early 1870s complimented the “artistically wrought” and “handsome” jewels crafted in “exquisite style” that Bock created for the Masonic community.
Upon receiving the jewel at his home in Washington D. C., in 1875, Mackey wrote to thank the Grand Chapter. In his letter, Mackey spoke of the “very close and warm place in my heart” held by the chapters and members of the Grand Chapter. He also stated that he would wear “this token of brotherly love, coming from the cherished companions of my dear native State” with gladness and pride. Mackey is primarily remembered today for his books about Freemasonry including A Lexicon of Freemasonry (1845), The History of Freemasonry in South Carolina (1861), and An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences… (1873). This jewel is a tangible reminder of the time he spent solidifying Royal Arch Freemasonry in South Carolina and of the regard he earned from his fellow Freemasons in this endeavor.

Past Most Excellent Grand High Priest Jewel Made for A. G. Mackey, 1874-1875. Joseph Bock, Charleston, South Carolina. Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Gift of the Estate of John F. Bemis and Randall E. Bemis, 2024.011.64. Photograph by Michael Cardinali.

Hilary Anderson Stelling, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

While tonight is always a special night for the Officers of the Valley of South Bend, this year it also marks the auspicious occasion of the 100-year anniversary of the Cornerstone laying of this very building. A century having passed within these walls, we gather tonight with the additional reverie of this magnificent milestone. I would like you to take a moment with me and imagine yourself in May of 1924. A gallon of milk was .28 cents. The average house was about $2500. On February 22, President Coolidge “delivered the second radio address by a U.S. president from the White House.” For fun, there were baseball cards, jigsaw puzzles, and roller skating. There were poker games, ping-pong, and pedal cars. Baseball was the national pastime, and many Americans went to baseball games, followed baseball, and played baseball. People also listened to music, read books, danced the Charleston, played the banjo, went to the movies, and even took a “Sunday drive” in their Model T Ford. It is a world that for us is often imagined in Black and white. In color it must have been a sight to behold.

 On May 22nd, 1924, there was a buzz of excitement in South Bend, Indiana. It was a brisk 51 degrees outside. At this location, men and women gathered for the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone of the New Masonic Temple, and it was no small affair. The ceremonies were presided over by the 33rd Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, Dr. Charles A. Lippincott, and were witnessed by many Masons representing every Masonic Organization within a radius of 50 miles of South Bend. The ceremonies were opened with music from the Studebaker Band, and a massive floral piece was received and displayed from the Knights of Columbus, South Bend Council No. 533, as a tribute to the Masonic Lodges.

 The program opened at 12:30 in the afternoon with the opening of Grand Lodge. While the opening was being performed, the various Lodges and Commanderies of Knights Templar assembled at designated points for the Parade that followed at 1:00pm. The parade moved south along Michigan Street from the Masonic Lodge on La Salle Avenue to Monroe Street, west on Monroe to Main Street, north on Main Street to the new Masonic Temple where the procession halted in “Open Order” to allow the Grand Lodge officials to pass through to the Cornerstone. The order of the procession included: A platoon of mounted police, the High School Band, Officers of the St. Joe Valley Temple Association, Grand Commandery Officers, Commanderies of South Bend, La Porte, Niles, Plymouth, Michigan City, Elkhart, Goshen and Mishawaka, The Grotto Drum Corps, 13 Masonic Lodges, the Studebaker Band and the officers of the Grand Lodge.

 The cornerstone was laid in due and ancient form, while a choir of 30 voices furnished glorious music as a backdrop. Immediately after the Stone was set, Thomas R. Marshall, 33rd Degree and former Vice-President of the United States of America delivered a powerful Oration. The event closed with a Prayer from Right Reverend John Hazen White, 33rd Degree and Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, and namesake of our Chapter of Rose Croix. After the ceremonies were finished, the parade reformed and marched back to the Masonic Temple, while the Knights Templar formed a huge cross as the band played Onward Christian Soldier.

 What an incredible sight it must have been, and to garner the support and participation of the Studebaker Band, Mounted Police, the Grand Commandery, 8 local Commanderies, 13 Lodges and a Vice-President of the United States of America.

 The building in an impressive edifice, and with all of its furnishings cost approx. $800,000.00 to complete. It has 160 feet of Frontage at that time on Main Street, and is 72 feet high, consisting of a basement or ground floor, a first and second floor, each with a mezzanine floor making it 5 stories high in all, and had 3 massive pipe organs. The building was finished in 1925, and it was the completion of this structure that allowed the South Bend Lodge of Perfection to be formed, thus finally bringing the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite to South Bend. There had been a desire for several years to bring the Scottish Rite to the City, but plans were thwarted by the lack of appropriate space to confer the ineffable degrees. This is a story for another day, not far on the horizon! The South Bend Tribune documented all of this, and when the Lodge was dedicated in 1926, a special “New Masonic Temple Edition” was published, with the new Temple prominently taking up the entire front page.

 A powerful representation of the state of Freemasonry in 1924. And while the pomp and circumstance of the event of laying the cornerstone is cause for celebration 100 years later, there is much more to celebrate this evening. A century of Scottish Rite Freemasonry within these walls. It means so much more that the stones we set, though impressive they are. These stones, and their builders, made possible the real cause for celebration. That for 100 years, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has instilled into Tens of Thousands of men, our core values of Reverence for God, Devotion to Country, Integrity, Justice, Tolerance, and Service to Humanity. What incredible things have been accomplished over 100 years, by men inspired by these ancient rites, and timeless lessons. What hearts have been changed and what good has been worked in our communities, our workplaces, our families, our churches, and our governments by the values reinforced in the Brethren of the Scottish Rite. We do not celebrate just a building today, but a Century of good effects upon our fellow men. We ought to marvel at where we have come as a result, or shudder at where we might have been without it. On this occasion we celebrate you as well, for your labors today will mark the beginning of the next 100 years. How many men will benefit from what the Scottish Rite has to offer, how hard will we work to ensure that our light still shines in the world around us.

 So please, take a moment and let us reflect upon a century passed, and a century stretched out before us. Let us applaud the boundless good that has been sewn by our great Craft, and join me in a celebrating the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite!

 Thank you!

John A. Bridegroom, 32°
Most Wise Master
John Hazen White Chapter of Rose Croix

In December of 1867, Edward Holland Caldwell (1844-1872) of Mobile, Alabama, received the fourteenth degree at the newly established Mobile Lodge of Perfection No. 1. The following year he received the eighteenth degree, and later, the thirty-second degree. Caldwell’s handsome jewels for the eighteenth and thirty-second degrees survive and are now part of the collection of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library.

Crafted of silver and cut-glass stones, Caldwell’s jewels were formed in the shape of symbols associated with the eighteenth and thirty-second degrees. The eighteenth-degree jewel is in the shape of a compasses topped with a crown. Within the compasses is a cross highlighted with red stones and a pelican feeding seven chicks. Caldwell’s thirty-second degree jewel is in the shape of a crown on top of a cross with arms of equal length with leaves or a wreath between the arms. At the center of the cross is the number 32 reverse painted on glass in gold and black. On the back side of the jewel, at the center of the cross, two crossed swords are reverse painted on glass in black and gold.

Before he took his Scottish Rite degrees, Caldwell likely became a Mason in Mobile Lodge No. 40, the largest Masonic lodge in Alabama in the 1860s. He later joined Athelstan Lodge No. 369. In 1868, when he took the eighteenth degree, he was the father of two young sons and involved in a local business. Caldwell and Emil Oscar Zadek (1848-1908) owned “Zadek & Caldwell, Importers and Manufacturers of Fine Jewelry” from about 1866. The firm advertised “handsome jewelry of every description. Also watches, silver ware, plated ware, opera glasses, etc.,” for customers in search of “an elegant article at reasonable prices….” Zadek was, according to the local paper, an accomplished craftsman who was not “surpassed in Mobile as a gold or silver smith.” Caldwell’s Scottish Rite jewels are not marked with the name of the manufacturer, so it is not known if his firm produced them in Mobile, or if Caldwell obtained them from another source.

Caldwell had grown up in New Orleans, the son of a remarkably successful actor, theater owner, and entrepreneur James Henry Caldwell (1793-1863). As a young student, Edward Caldwell attended Spring Hill College in Mobile in 1856 and 1857. Only a few years after he joined with Zadek in the jewelry business, Edward Caldwell's business and circumstances changed dramatically when his older brother died. In 1870 Edward Caldwell inherited a large estate and his brother’s position as the president of the Mobile Gas, Light and Coke Company. The firm had been founded by the brothers’ father.

Caldwell’s time as the head of the Mobile Gas, Light and Coke Company was short lived. He died just two years later while visiting New York City. An obituary in a New Orleans newspaper lauded Caldwell as “noted among his friends for the geniality of his disposition and his boundless liberality." The writer also described Caldwell's philanthropy, observing that "no call for charity" made to him was unnoticed. All appeals to him, the writer continued, received "a cheerful response" from Caldwell. As a sign of respect, when Edward Caldwell's body was sent from New York, area Freemasons escorted it to the depot in New Orleans before it was put on a train to Mobile, where Caldwell was eventually buried. Caldwell's two handsome Scottish Rite jewels serve as a reminder of his involvement in Freemasonry and speak to his pride in his association with the fraternity. 

Eighteenth Degree Jewel Worn by Edward Holland Caldwell of Mobile, Alabama, 1868. Museum Purchase, 2022.004.2. Photograph by Michael Cardinali.	Thirty Second Jewel Worn by Edward Holland Caldwell of Mobile, Alabama, 1868-1872. Museum Purchase, 2022.004.1. Photograph by Michael Cardinali.

Hilary Anderson Stelling, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Lexington, Massachusetts

In preparation of my address for this beautiful Feast of the Paschal Lamb, I wrote myself a few points to work from. Either directly, or in some way, they all pointed to one word: Love. We are here today, as we are every year, to honor those no longer with us, and in our own way. This Degree connects the spirit of Passover with that of Pascha – both symbolic, and literal Biblical occurrences where those of either Jewish or Christian faiths observe this act of Charitable love, on an annual basis.
To comprehend the word Feast, it’s important to understand what one is, and how it applies to what we, Knights of the Rose Croix, do during our observance. A Festival Observation is a day, or a period of me, set aside for a community to come together for a specific purpose.
Festivals are often referred to as Feasts, and while not limited to specific religions, they are an important aspect of their yearly cycle. In the Christian religion, the central Festival is Easter (or Pascha), where Christians the world over celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Scottish Rite Freemasons, the beauty and impact of this Feast of the Paschal Lamb cannot be overstated. It is a Masonic Observance of both Jewish and Christian traditions that we should also recognize as a ritualized expression of love.
In the beginning, was God. Deus Caritas Est from La n translates to “God is Love”. Out of love, God created. There are numerous Biblical examples to consider, but I will spotlight one instance, which I believe is the best example. In the Old Testament, Moses was given the 10 Commandments, which carry forth to today. To these, Jesus adds but one Commandment, which is said to be greater than all the rest: “Love ye, one another.” We were reminded of this just a short while ago in this ceremony. Yet, while the Resurrection of Jesus is an important part of the Paschal narrative, we must remember His journey, resulting in the sacrifice he made to save mankind, by his crucifixion and death; This sacrifice was the ultimate expression of caritas made manifest. As Jesus prepared Himself, so must man. How much richer in experience is anything in life if we take great care in its preparation?
For the Christians on the Gregorian Calendar, the great period of Lent is nearly over, and next Sunday is Easter. In the Orthodox Church, we are on the Julian Calendar, and the Great and Holy Lenten season started but one week ago. This me, set aside for the preparation of Holy Week, resulting in the Resurrection of Jesus, is paramount to experiencing a rich and rewarding connection to the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Lent is the me we sacrifice aspects of ourselves, in order to connect more deeply with God. We utilize prayer, fasting of specific foods, and much more…but all done with a cheerful spirit and full of love, because Christians are supposed to realize that their sacrifice is miniscule in comparison to death on the cross.
In a non-religious way, the participants of this Feast of the Paschal Lamb underwent a period of preparation for today. They sacrificed me for learning and memorizing their parts, they committed themselves to excellence in the best way they could, and all in order to have the opportunity to honor the Brethren of this Valley, by providing a final send-off, in their own way and in the spirit of Fraternal love and fellowship. Perhaps we could say this is one example of caritas, applied in a Masonic way.
For many of us, love is a simple word, yet it possesses the potential to be complex in expression. A more direct translation of Deus Caritas Est is, “God is Charity” …but if we know that the La n Caritas actually has its root in the Greek word Agape, we will come to a new depth of our understanding of love, especially in a Chris an Sense. Agape, in its simple translation, means love…but with added context, it means generous, and unselfish love. This kind of love became expressed as “charitable love” when we say caritas…and by the me it is said in English, we know that word becomes “charity.” Again though, context matters, because charity in this case refers to acts done in generosity, and with unselfish love.
Our Feast of the Paschal Lamb is a Festal Agape meal of sorts. Note the food on the table. Like the ritual we use, it is specifically selected. An agape meal has been a recognized part of Christian heritage since the days of the “Early Church”. Our exemplification of it may be thought of as the preservation of one aspect of the early church, where those in attendance partook of a communal meal, before they received the eucharist during the Rite that followed. While it is no longer commonly practiced, the spirit of the meal celebrated the bonds of fellowship and harmony. So too is the spirit of the meal observed today.
Service. Humility. Sacrifice. Love. These virtues are the foundation of all fellowships that create harmony among its membership, and they should be found among the foundational qualities of every living being. Virtues such as these may have to be learned to truly be embodied. They will have to be practiced with consistency to become a natural expression of our disposition. To be virtuous requires effort.
In honor of that, let us strive to do as Jesus commanded, and become willing to sacrifice of ourselves in the name of love. We must continuously give of ourselves that we grow in virtue. Let us honor the dead by realizing the precious gi of life, and truly live a life of purpose. As we recall our departed Brethren in the reading of the Mys c Roll, and as this Feast comes to its conclusion, may it be God’s Will that we find a renewed sense of purpose, a willingness to serve in the spirit of caritas, and that our legacy is one of love.

Matthew J. Backus, 32*
South Bend Valley, AASR – NMJ

George Webster Biddlecome, 75, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2024, at his Goshen home, surrounded by his loving family.

George was born Aug. 30, 1948, to George Clark Biddlecome and Elizabeth Seibert Biddlecome (née Perry) in Elkhart, Indiana.

Following his graduation from Elkhart High School in 1966, George earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wittenberg University, with an emphasis on political science, and a Juris Doctor degree from Duke University. He was also a graduate of the Indiana Judicial College.

After having been graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1973, George began his 50-year legal career working as an associate for Attorney Robert A. "Bob" Pfaff in Elkhart and part-time as Acting Director at Elkhart Legal Aid Services Inc.

Around 1975, George began dating the love of his life and best friend, Mona Elizabeth Walker. Mona and George were married March 26, 1976, at Trinity United Methodist Church.

George became a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney in 1974, a position he held until assuming the bench, except for one year serving as a part-time public defender. In 1980, George and Mona formed the Elkhart firm Biddlecome and Biddlecome, Attorneys at Law.

George was elected to the bench in 1996 after working in private practice for 23 years, having served as a deputy prosecutor for 20 of those years. He stepped down from the bench at the end of 2014, after three six-year terms presiding over Elkhart Superior Court No. 3. George continued to serve as a senior judge until the end of 2023 and built a civil mediation business after retiring from his full-time role.

He was a faithful and life-long member of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Elkhart for his entire life, where he served in roles including altar boy, lay server, Parliamentarian, and Senior Warden. He was also a member of the Elkhart Rotary Club, Christiana Creek Country Club, Backwater Retriever Club, and Elkhart Canadian Hunt Club, and a 33rd Degree Mason member of the Kane Masonic Lodge. He greatly enjoyed participating in and directing degree work with his father, brother-in-law, Max, and several other friends. George was a member of the Indiana Judges Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the Elkhart City Bar Association where he frequently assisted his wife with serving luncheon at monthly bar meetings.

George's many talents and interests included debate, history, golfing, trap shooting and hunting. Nothing could be scheduled between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30 that might interfere with hunting. He grew to love boat rides, sunsets, and the moonrise on Eagle Lake, Mona's happy place, but he preferred his time spent on his acreage in Goshen where he could shoot and run his dogs behind the four-wheeler.

George was a loving, kind, and loyal husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family and traveling with Mona to all 50 states as well as numerous foreign countries. He was a lover of dogs, music, books, art, and Western lore.

George was preceded in death by his father George, mother Elizabeth, and grandson George Jeremiah Biddlecome. He is survived by his loving wife Mona Elizabeth Biddlecome (née Walker), daughter Elizabeth Walker Biddlecome (James Forristal III), son George Max Biddlecome (Hillaree Farrell), granddaughters Libbie, Charlie, and Ginnie, brother-in-law Max Walker, sister-in-law Mary Krue Esteves, and brother-in-law Carlos Esteves.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 18, at Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home in Elkhart. A memorial mass will be held on March 19, at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church at 11 a.m. in Elkhart, with visitation one hour before the service at the church. A luncheon will follow.

An interment of the ashes will occur at Rice Cemetery with family members in attendance.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Elkhart County Humane Society, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, or Elkhart Legal Aid Services Inc.

To leave the family an online condolence, please visit the funeral home website.