Virginia Kathryn Craft Spelbring

Virginia Kathryn Craft Spelbring, 89, passed quietly on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 in Greencastle.

She was born March 22, 1922 in Manhattan as the daughter of Cecil and Ruth (Hut-cheson) Craft.

She lived her entire life in the Putnam and Clay County region, living near Poland after marrying Harold E. Spelbring on March 22, 1942.

Music was always very important to Virginia. At a young age she began volunteer singing, traveling with a local minister to sing at funerals. Throughout her life she sang at funerals, weddings and other events as well as participating in community and church choir groups. She sang with the Clay County Home Demonstration Chorus from as early as the 1940s through their change to the Melody Makers, singing until just a couple of years ago.

She was selected by the Never Too Late Foundation in January 2005 to travel to Salt Lake City and sing in a rehearsal with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a favorite of hers for many years for their musical performance.

She graduated from Reelsville High School in 1940 and regularly attended alumni gatherings. She worked with her husband Harold as a township assessor while he was township trustee and then later served on the township advisory board.

She was a member of Zion United Church of Christ in Poland and served in many capacities, including representing the congregation at meetings through the Indiana region. She participated in the Women's Guild of the church with many hours of volunteer work to serve meals to various functions, fundraisers and to families during end of life situations. She also supported the Poland Volunteer Fire Department fundraising fish fry and community sale events each year.

She was a homemaker and farm wife, raising four children while supporting the needs of the grain and livestock farming operation.

Virginia loved to make things and in later years walked away with Indiana State Fair champion awards in making breads with natural sweeteners and sewing a formal dress ensemble.

She was an avid photographer and was often designated to take pictures at community and church events. She regularly volunteered to provide transportation to many in the community who needed a lift.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1988. She is survived by a sister, Evelyn Stilz of Reelsville; children, Ralph of Elkhart, Melita Hillman (Al Potter) of Scottsdale, Ariz., Frank of Lafayette, and Mark (Linda) of Rockville; four grandchildren, David (Kelly) and Andrew Hillman and Sara and Briana Spelbring; and other extended family.

Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 at Moore Funeral Home, Brazil, and 10-11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 5 at Zion United Church of Christ.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at the church with burial to follow at Poland Chapel Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Poland Historical Chapel, c/o Wilmadean Baker, 112 Park Place, Brazil, IN 47834 or WFIU NPR Radio, 1229 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN 47405.

To send condolences to the family, visit www.moorefuneralhomes.com.