Elma Grace (Ingram) Abbott

Elma Grace (Ingram) Abbott of Winona Lake, Indiana passed away at 10:28 p.m. on March 5, 2014 at Grace Village Health Care of Winona Lake at the age of 90.

She was born on July 23, 1923 in College Springs, Iowa to Elma (Fine) and George Benton Ingram.  On December 25, 1941 she was married to Alvon Dale Abbott, who survives in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Prior to moving to Grace Village Retirement Community, Grace had lived in the Circle Drive neighborhood of Warsaw, Indiana since 1967, with close friends and neighbors Mary Lois Swain, Gracie Freeman, and Irene Golden.

Grace had worked for Little Crow Foods and Rockhill Law firm both of Warsaw, as well as having worked as a creative writer for 22 years for the Free Methodist Headquarters, then in Winona Lake, from which she retired in 1988.

She was a member of Winona Lake Free Methodist Church since 1941, where she taught Sunday School classes for more than 40 years.  She served in various capacities in Christian Education across the years; was a member and former vice-president of Winona Literary Club; member of Book Club; and active in the Red Hat Society.  For more than ten years she was a volunteer tutor for Kosciusko Literacy Services; and Executive Director for five years when it was Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers Association.  Most of all, she was a daughter of the King and is now at rest in His presence where she awaits the rest of her family and friends.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband:  Alvon Dale Abbott (Winona Lake, Indiana); two sons:  Stephen (wife Paula) Abbott (Fishers, Indiana); Phillip (wife Lydia) Abbott (Lenexa, Kansas); one daughter:  Sandra (husband Sam) Bowling (Pierceton, Indiana); six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and countless loved ones.  She was preceded in death by her parents, four siblings, and one granddaughter.       

There will be visitation on Friday, March 7, 2014 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana.

Her funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Avenue, Winona Lake, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Roland Kramer.   Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.

Memorial donations in Grace’s name may be directed to Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Avenue, Winona Lake, Indiana  46590 and would be appreciated by her family.

 Service Information