LaMoine Martel Bressler Bledsoe, 86, passed away peacefully in her sleep August 10, 2023 in Fishers, Indiana.
Visitation will be held at Beams Funeral Home in Fremont, Indiana Sunday, September 3, 2023 from 11:00 a.m.-12 noon. A memorial service will follow at 12 noon.
She was born November 28, 1936 in Coldwater, Michigan, the only daughter among the five children of Charley and Mildred Bressler.
She was a proud Fremont Eagle where she excelled as the editor of the school paper and Drum Major of the band. After graduation, she moved to Fort Wayne and worked at radio station WKJG as a Commercial Logger in Radio Traffic. She returned to Steuben County and became a waitress at the Harbour House Hotel at Bledsoe’s Beach, renting a room from her future mother-in law.
LaMoine married James Bledsoe on October 11, 1959 and they had two children – Jeradon Ann and Jeffrey Allen. She would go on to help Jim run the resort until his death in 1980.
LaMoine’s next career was the friendly voice on the phone and at check-in as the camp secretary for the Hoosier / McCracken Basketball Camp for 28 years until her retirement in 2001. Working with her partners and dear friends, Dave and Louise McCracken, they grew the camp beyond the one-lake location to multiple sites.
She loved living on Lake James and enjoyed sitting on her deck watching the boat traffic on “Channel TV.” She relished her honorary role as the 2011 Grand Marshal of the Boat Parade. Once it got cold, she was so happy to go to her other favorite spot on the gulf at Ft. Myers Beach for nearly 40 winters.
She enjoyed traveling with friends and family whether it was to New England during leaf season, to New York City to see Broadway shows, or just day trips around the tri-state area. In all cases these excursions allowed her to indulge her two favorite hobbies: eating out (as many meals each week as possible) and shopping (always finding the perfect item on sale).
She had a collection of Indiana University sweatshirts (usually purchased at a discount) that she’d wear while watching countless college basketball games. LaMoine made and kept many good friends all through her long life and continuously added new people to her circle.
She was the biggest supporter of any activity that her children or grandchildren chose to do. There were no limits to what she thought they could accomplish. She was a fourteen-year breast cancer survivor but suffered the ravages of dementia at the end of her life.
In addition to her parents and husband, her four brothers Marvin LaVon, Merlin LaMar, Merton LaVern and Max LaVere all preceded her in death. One of her favorite party tricks was to recite the line-up of family names at top speed.
Beyond her children, LaMoine is survived by sons-in-law Steve Viehweg and Tim Salamandyk, grandchildren Bryce Viehweg and Blaire Hadley (Abraham), great grandchildren Emma, James, Mason and Mady. She is also survived by sister-in-law Karen Bressler and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Tibbits Opera Foundation Endowment Fund (https://tibbits.org/get-involved/donate/), or to the James and LaMoine Bledsoe Legacy Fund at the Steuben County Community Foundation: (online www.steubenfoundation.org/donate or mailed to 1701 N. Wayne St. Angola, IN 46703).
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