Jeanette Birkemeier

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Jeanette Birkemeier, 97, Greencastle, died Wednesday at Autumn Glen Assisted Living Community.

Born at Moorefield in Switzerland County, she was the daughter of Henry Jackson and Jessie Louise Kern Monroe.

After graduating from Vevay High School, she attended Indiana University until her marriage to Charles William Birkemeier on Dec. 24, 1930. In her early years of teaching, she taught at a one-room schoolhouse in the town of Florence and at the Vevay Elementary School.

After moving to Putnam County in 1952, she was asked to teach at Reelsville Elementary. She completed her bachelor's degree at Indiana State University in 1967 followed by a master's degree from DePauw University. After having taught sixth grade at Reelsville Elementary for 23 years, she retired in 1977.

She was involved in several community organizations including Big Walnut Baptist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, Putnam County Hospital Guild, and Eastern Star.

Survivors include a son, Charles Robert Birkemeier and wife Patricia; a daughter, Juanita Irwin and husband Robert; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers and sisters, husband Charles William Birkemeier and daughter, Evelyn Roach.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home, Greencastle. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery.

Visitation is 11 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Reelsville Alumni Association Schol-arship Fund, care of The Putnam County Commun-ity Foundation, 2 S. Jackson St., Greencastle, IN 46135.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at INBTH@keystonegroup. com.