Gladys Marie Dilling, 98, of North Manchester, Indiana, died at 4:50 am, Monday, March 4, 2019 at Timbercrest Senior Living Community. She was born south of Ijamsville, Indiana on January 22, 1921 to Hugh and Lela Marie (Ogden) Alger.
Gladys was a 1939 graduate of Laketon High School. Gladys and David attended school all the way through, so they knew each other pretty well. Gladys married David Matthew Dilling in the Ijamsville United Methodist Church on January 12, 1941. She worked at the Heckman Bindery, Controls Co., Peabody Seating Co., and retired in 1991, after 18 years from Woodcrafts Inc., where she was a machine operator. She was a lifetime member of the Ijamsville United Methodist Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, pianist, song leader, and anywhere she was needed. She was also a member of the United Methodist Women and a 73 year charter member of the Laketon Auxiliary Post #402. While David was a Union Officer they got to travel all over the United States, including Hawaii. Gladys lived all her life around the Laketon area; Gladys and David built their home in 1954 on the Laketon Road where the woods is lined with redbuds. Gladys moved to Timbercrest Senior Living Community in October 2015 where she enjoyed the company of her aunts, Leanore (Liz) Krom and Bertha (Bert) Butterbaugh and the wonderful staff that so lovingly cared for her.
Gladys loved being outside, mowing, picking up sticks, working in her flower beds, feeding the birds, especially the hummingbirds, and watching as the deer would come up into her back yard. She always had a big garden that she would share with family and friends, and we always looked forward to her homemade “catsup”, icicle pickles, chocolate pudding, and apple sauce. She worked very hard so she could give everything to her family and friends.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Peggy Sue Dilling; three grandchildren,Katrina (Tim) Shoemaker and Pam (Chris) Hann, all of North Manchester, and Chad Kent (Natalie) Dilling of Wabash, a sister-in-law Dorothy Alger of North Manchester, many special nieces and nephews; nine great grandchildren, Erica (Kurt) Snyder of Roann, Katie Dilling of Fort Wayne, Travis (Mandi) Dilling of Omaha, Nebraska, Sarah (Austin) Carrothers of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Marx (Christina Baucco) Shoemaker of Indianapolis, Tye (Tyler) Borsa of Nappanee, Sam (Amanda) Hann of Wabash, Kody Shoemaker of Huntington, and Baylee Shoemaker of North Manchester; nine great great grandchildren, Nick, Avery, Asia, Jayden, Allis, Wyatt, Arthur, Easton, Simeon, and one on the way. She was preceded in death by her husband, David Matthew Dilling, her son, Chad Hugh Dilling, her brothers, Leo and Ogden Alger, sister-in-law Helen Alger, and her great great grandson Michael James Carrothers.
Graveside services and burial will be 10:30 am Thursday, March 7, 2019 at Laketon Cemetery, with Pastor Kent Harting officiating. Arrangements by Grandstaff-Hentgen Bender Chapel, North Manchester.
Preferred memorial is Timbercrest Senior Living Community.
The memorial guest book for Gladys may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.