Allen Clodfelter

Allen Clodfelter, 86, passed away at Asbury Towers in Greencastle Monday evening, Dec. 12, 2016, ending his battle with dementia.

He was the second son of Ralph and Ruth (Overpeck) Clodfelter, born Feb. 1, 1930 in Portland Mills.

He was a 1948 graduate of Bainbridge High School, and was an 80-year member of the Bainbridge Christian Church.

He was a lifelong farmer, worked at IBM for 28 years until its closure in March 1987, and taught welding classes at the Area 30 vocational school.

He was widely known for turning his ideas into inventions of reality, using his mind, imagination, common sense and his extraordinary metalworking skills. There was nothing that he couldn't build or fix.

After his retirement from IBM, he was instrumental in the beginning of the satellite TV revolution in Putnam County, both to individuals and to communities. He installed and serviced the first satellite dishes for many, before the Dish TV and Direct TV systems were introduced.

He married Helen "Cosy" Baird on July 14, 1951, and they enjoyed 57 years of marriage, traveling together all over the world with Ambassadair until her unfortunate death on March 15, 2008.

On Jan. 21, 2010, he married Patricia (Pat) Kitchen, and she survives.

He is also survived by son Mike (Connie) Clodfelter, Heritage Lake; daughter Marilynne (Rick) Phipps, Indianapolis; son Steve (Vicki) Clodfelter, Bainbridge, and son Dan (Linda) Clodfelter, Greencastle; brother and sister-in-law Max and Alice Clodfelter; sister Ardell Pingleton; and brother-in-law Reese O'Hair.

Also surviving are 14 grandchildren, Chip (Kandis) McCullough, Michele Clodfelter, Matt (Jennifer) Clodfelter, Shannon (Kati) McCullough, Laura Kurt, Stephanie Phipps, Emily (Seth) Nichols, Elise Eidson, Elene Eidson-Angelillo, Serena (Daniel) Young, Steven Clodfelter, Maria (David) Lackner, AJ Clodfelter and Shaun Clodfelter, and 24 great-grandchildren, Christian Hines, Alexis Hines, Jalen Craig, Hailey McCullough, JC McCullough, Julia Clodfelter, Nora Clodfelter, Ava Clodfelter, Hudson McCullough, Paxton McCullough, Brittany Kurt, Madelynn Kurt, Penny Nichols, Lyla Nichols, Skylar Young, Bryce Young, Gabriella Lackner, Isabella Lackner, Austin Clodfelter, Zach Clodfelter, Madasyn Clodfelter, Bryauna Clodfelter, Coraima Clodfelter and Allen Clodfelter.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Cosy, great-grandson Devin Kurt, father-in-law and mother-in-law Richard and Margaret (Rossok) Baird, brother-in-law Bob Pingleton, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Charles and Connie Newgent and sister-in-law Mary O'Hair.

Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home, 602 E. Washington St., Greencastle. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. until the time of the service.

Memorial contributions can be made in Allen's memory to the charity of your choice.

Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family c/o www.BittlesandHurt.com.