Mayleen Iona Little Puckett

Mayleen Iona (Little) Puckett, matriarch of a well-known Putnam County family, died Friday after an extended illness.

She was a resident of Asbury Towers and was surrounded by most of her children at the time of her death. She would have been 88 years old in July.

She was a resident of Fillmore and Mt. Meridian for the past six decades. She and her husband Frank Puckett, who preceded her in death in 2006, reared eight children.

Many of those children and their children have worked and are currently working in education as teachers and administrators in Putnam County and other parts of Indiana, a significant tribute to parents who had very little formal education. One son, Frank Puckett Jr., worked as an editor at The Banner newspaper in the 1960s.

Mrs. Puckett was a dedicated wife, mother, homemaker, caring neighbor and babysitter to literally several dozens of children from the Fillmore area. Although she had a "house full of kids," she always had room for children of neighbors and friends, especially working moms. And while those children were in her care, she treated them like her own, including washing their mouths out with soap if they uttered a cuss word.

She was born in Beckley, W.Va., in 1926, the daughter of Ambrose A. and Dora Matilda (Roop) Little.

One of 12 children, she married her husband of 65 years, Frank Puckett, in August 1941. Following Mr. Puckett serving in World War II and a stint laboring in the Appalachian coal mines, the couple sought better opportunities for their family in Indiana.

She was preceded in death by her husband Frank; son Gregory Puckett; six brothers, Vernie, Earl, John, Arthur, Harold and Darrell Little; and two sisters, Reba Hurley and Nora Lee Horn.

She is survived by seven children, Barbara and husband Dale Martin of Crawfordsville; Frank and wife Nancy of Horseshoe Bay, Texas; Deborah Bratcher of Crawfordsville; Dan and wife Jo of Cloverdale; Paula and husband John Perkins of Avon; Kieth and wife Dawn of Greencastle, and Jim of Oxford. Additionally, among her children surviving is her daughter-in-law Suzi Puckett of Rantoul, Ill.

Survivors also include 19 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and several step grandchildren.

Among her survivors are three siblings, Bill Little, Barbara Thompson Vic, and Pauline Manzini of Michigan.

Services will take place at Whitaker Funeral Home in Cloverdale. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 1 between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Funeral services will immediately follow.

Mrs. Puckett will be buried next to her husband in the Cloverdale Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to make donations to the Puckett Family Scholarship Fund through the Putnam County Community Foundation or to the First United Methodist Church in Fillmore.

Condolences may be sent to the family at: cds@whitakerfuneralhome.net.