Grace Waechter
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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She was born Oct. 8, 1907, in Miami County, the second of Elmer and Glee Butt Fites' eight children. On Nov. 30, 1933, in Ebenezer Methodist Church, she married Walter D. Waechter, who died June 25, 1981.
She attended Frog Pong Grade School and Gilead High School before graduating from Deedsville High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Manchester College in 1929, and later attended Butler and Ball State universities. After a 34-year career as a teacher of Latin, English and mathematics at Gilead, Shipshewana and Akron high schools, she retired in 1970. She continued to tutor students at home for many years. She delighted in attending class reunions, attending her last one in 2005, at the age of 97. She was a 74-year member of Akron Methodist Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, president of the board of trustees and secretary of the memorial fund. She also served on the Akron Library Board and was a charter member of the Amicus Club. She belonged to the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, Delta Kappa Gamma teacher's sorority, Akron Women's Club and the Jolliette and Martz clubs. She and her husband were life members of the euchre club. As a member of the Fulton County Community Foundation, she established the Walter D. Waechter and Grace C. Fites Waechter and Family Fund to support the Akron Cemetery Association and the Akron Carnegie Public Library. She spent her retirement years in her home of 73 years, enjoying bridge, euchre, crocheting, afghan making, quilting and visiting friends and neighbors. Nothing made her happier than to receive a letter from one of her former students.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Dean (Barbara) Rager, Plymouth; a granddaughter, Christa McKinney Smith; three step-grandchildren, Pam McFarland, Rene Rosen and Del Rager; five step-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Evelyn Schipper, Akron, and Mary Weirick, Mexico, Ind. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Ralph, Paul and Jim Fites; two sisters, Ruth Bammerlin and Normaleen Wagner; a son-in-law, 1st Lt. Neil B. McKinney, a member of the U.S. Air Force who died in Vietnam; and a step-granddaughter, Jody Rager.
Services will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Akron United Methodist Church with Pastor Karen Ottjes officiating. Burial will be in Akron Cemetery.
Calling is from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church.
Hartzler Funeral Home, Akron, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials to the Walter D. and Grace C. Waechter Family Fund care of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, 800 Main St., Rochester, IN; or to the Akron United Methodist Church.[[In-content Ad]]
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She was born Oct. 8, 1907, in Miami County, the second of Elmer and Glee Butt Fites' eight children. On Nov. 30, 1933, in Ebenezer Methodist Church, she married Walter D. Waechter, who died June 25, 1981.
She attended Frog Pong Grade School and Gilead High School before graduating from Deedsville High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Manchester College in 1929, and later attended Butler and Ball State universities. After a 34-year career as a teacher of Latin, English and mathematics at Gilead, Shipshewana and Akron high schools, she retired in 1970. She continued to tutor students at home for many years. She delighted in attending class reunions, attending her last one in 2005, at the age of 97. She was a 74-year member of Akron Methodist Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, president of the board of trustees and secretary of the memorial fund. She also served on the Akron Library Board and was a charter member of the Amicus Club. She belonged to the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, Delta Kappa Gamma teacher's sorority, Akron Women's Club and the Jolliette and Martz clubs. She and her husband were life members of the euchre club. As a member of the Fulton County Community Foundation, she established the Walter D. Waechter and Grace C. Fites Waechter and Family Fund to support the Akron Cemetery Association and the Akron Carnegie Public Library. She spent her retirement years in her home of 73 years, enjoying bridge, euchre, crocheting, afghan making, quilting and visiting friends and neighbors. Nothing made her happier than to receive a letter from one of her former students.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Dean (Barbara) Rager, Plymouth; a granddaughter, Christa McKinney Smith; three step-grandchildren, Pam McFarland, Rene Rosen and Del Rager; five step-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Evelyn Schipper, Akron, and Mary Weirick, Mexico, Ind. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Ralph, Paul and Jim Fites; two sisters, Ruth Bammerlin and Normaleen Wagner; a son-in-law, 1st Lt. Neil B. McKinney, a member of the U.S. Air Force who died in Vietnam; and a step-granddaughter, Jody Rager.
Services will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Akron United Methodist Church with Pastor Karen Ottjes officiating. Burial will be in Akron Cemetery.
Calling is from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church.
Hartzler Funeral Home, Akron, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials to the Walter D. and Grace C. Waechter Family Fund care of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, 800 Main St., Rochester, IN; or to the Akron United Methodist Church.[[In-content Ad]]
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