Clara Marie Wiese Vance

It is with love and heartfelt sorrow that we announce the passing of Clara Marie Wiese Vance on June 10, 2011.

Clara was born October 24, 1907 at home on the Wiese family farm on Adams Center Road in New Haven, IN, moving later to Ft. Wayne, Ligonier and Goshen. She was the 6th of 11 children of Henry F. Wiese and Emilia A. Roemer. Clara was baptized, confirmed and schooled at Martini Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN. She was later a member of Trinity English Lutheran Church of Ft. Wayne, IN and more recently of Burr Oak Church in Ligonier, IN.

Strong in her faith and knowledge of her Savior Jesus Christ, this blended well with her love to sing and play music. Her skills on keyboard instruments ranged from the pedal and electric organ to accordion. At 103, she still sang hymns and songs from memory.

Clara attended two years of business school and worked at Parkview Hospital in Ft. Wayne. She also worked for Kaidesh Vending in Ligonier before retiring in 1972.

She took great joy in raising two adopted sons and cherished the close friendship her step daughters brought into her life. The many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. She prayed for them till she passed.

At age 80, she took her dream trip of a lifetime—to Hawaii. She loved crafts and continued to do various needle crafts through her 102nd year. Her face adorned the Today Show Smuckers jar on her 100th birthday.

Clara is survived by son Charles (Gayle) Kreckman of Newnan, GA daughter-in-law Theresa Kreckman of Grants Pass, OR, stepdaughter Donna (Lee) Holm of Naples, FL and sister-in-law Anita Wiese of New Haven, IN.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 33 years, Everett Vance; son, Bruce Kreckman; step-daughter, Louise Galloway; step-son Leon Vance; parents, Henry and Emilia Wiese; brothers, Walter and Ray Wiese; sisters, Della Wiese, Gertrude Koehlinger, Bertha Wiese, Elsie Springer, Velma Dailey, Laura Blomenberg and Sophie Busche.

Services will be held at the meeting room in Greencroft Healthcare in Goshen, IN on Monday June 13, 2011 at 11 AM. A graveside service will take place at 2:30 PM at the Chapel at Lindenwood Cemetery in Ft. Wayne, IN.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Greencroft Communities Foundation
PO Box 819
Goshen, IN 46527–0819
Phone: (574) 537–4708 or -4016
Fax: (574) 533–8063

Lutheran Child and Family Services
1525 N. Ritter Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46219
Telephone: 317.359.5467