Batesville Herald Tribune, Batesville, Indiana

Obituaries

August 6, 2012

Florence C. Brelage, 93

The Herald-Tribune

-- — Florence C. Brelage, 93, Batesville, died Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012, at St. Andrews Health Campus.

Born April 17, 1919, in St. Peters, she was the daughter of Mary (Wiwi) and Anthony Gillman. She married Ralph Brelage Oct. 4, 1941, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, St. Peters, and he preceded her in death Oct. 6, 1988. She was a homemaker and St. Louis Catholic Church member.

Florence was a devout person who donated much of her time and talents to the church. Over the years she helped with bingo, served on the bereavement committee, was a Eucharistic minister, helped in the school cafeteria and also distributed communion to shut-ins and the sick. After the death of her husband, she became an associate at the Sisters of St. Francis convent. She loved her family, enjoyed caring for and nurturing them and most certainly liked having them around.

She loved to garden, and one of her favorite sayings was, “If you can’t eat it, why would you grow it?” Her family indicated she raised a lot of strawberries over the years and some of them inevitably found their way into pies. But strawberry or not, Florence made some of the best pies, according to the kids. She also quilted and did some sewing. While they aren’t sure if she liked Lawrence Welk or simply watched it because Ralph did, they do know that Mom’s favorite part of a trip was the trip home. She was willing to travel almost anywhere, but always looked forward to returning home.

Florence is survived by her daughters, Anita Brelage, Montague, Mich., Barbara Schneider, Sunman, and Mary Jo Bland, Fort Wayne; sons Jerry, Panacea, Fla., John, Batesville, and David,  Fort Wayne; sister Margie Scudder, Milan; 20 grandchildren; and 38 great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; her son Richard; sisters Norma Gillman, Loretta Westerman, Irene Back and Dorothy Gillman; brothers Louis, Clarence, Bill, Stanley and Cletus Gillman; as well as one grandson.

Visitation is Tuesday, Aug. 7, from 4-7 p.m. at Weigel Funeral Home. Funeral services are at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at St. Louis Catholic Church with the Rev. Randy Summers officiating, followed by burial in the church cemetery.

The family requests memorials to St. Louis School.

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