William 'Max' Fluke
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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He was born April 27, 1924, in Tatesville, Pa., to John C. and Sara E. Brallier Fluke. On April 15, 1943, he married Mary Ellen Zimmerman Fluke, who survives in Winona Lake.
After graduating high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army on June 3, 1943. He served during World War II as an advanced scout in Luzon and New Guinea and he was honorably discharged Oct. 7, 1945.
He moved to Winona Lake in summer 1951 to attend Grace College and Seminary. In 1957, he and his family moved to Long Beach, Calif., and worked for the Brethren Home Missions building churches and preaching until 1962. He moved back to Winona Lake and from 1962 to 1969, he was the buildings and grounds superintendent of Grace Schools, as well as being self-employed in construction throughout the 1970s and 1980s building houses in the Grace Village area.
He was the Grace Village superintendent of construction from 1974 to 1978. He served in many capacities throughout his lifetime – in service, as a minister for the Grace Brethren Church and he was proud that he helped oversee the construction of Grace Village Retirement Community and various buildings for Grace College. He built a woodshop in 1992 building clocks, cedar chests, hutches, windmills, lighthouses, shelves and coat racks. But most of all he served the Lord and was a member of Lakeland Conservative Grace Brethren Church of Warsaw.
He will be lovingly remembered by his four daughters: Carola Jean (and spouse Gary) Austin, Warsaw; Jo Ann (and spouse Richard) Rosbrugh, Claypool; Donna (and spouse David) Duffield, Oconomowoc, Wis.; and Doris (and spouse Steven) Swing, Lewis Center, Ohio; two sons, Donald (and spouse Cindi) Fluke, Winona Lake; and Daniel (and spouse Robin) Fluke, Warsaw; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and his brother, W. Thorne Fluke, Williamsport, Pa. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and four brothers.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Lakeland Conservative Grace Brethren Church, 2538 S. County Farm Road, Warsaw, with Pastor Russ Simpson officiating. A private family graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Post #49 and VFW Post #1126, both of Warsaw, and active members of the Indiana ARNG Honor Guard.
Calling is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
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Memorials to Kim and Jared Meidal (granddaughter of Max serving as missionaries at The Oaks Camp with World Impact), c/o Kim and Jared Meidal, P.O. Box 437, Lake Hughes, CA 93532 and would be appreciated by his family.
Condolences may be sent via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
He was born April 27, 1924, in Tatesville, Pa., to John C. and Sara E. Brallier Fluke. On April 15, 1943, he married Mary Ellen Zimmerman Fluke, who survives in Winona Lake.
After graduating high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army on June 3, 1943. He served during World War II as an advanced scout in Luzon and New Guinea and he was honorably discharged Oct. 7, 1945.
He moved to Winona Lake in summer 1951 to attend Grace College and Seminary. In 1957, he and his family moved to Long Beach, Calif., and worked for the Brethren Home Missions building churches and preaching until 1962. He moved back to Winona Lake and from 1962 to 1969, he was the buildings and grounds superintendent of Grace Schools, as well as being self-employed in construction throughout the 1970s and 1980s building houses in the Grace Village area.
He was the Grace Village superintendent of construction from 1974 to 1978. He served in many capacities throughout his lifetime – in service, as a minister for the Grace Brethren Church and he was proud that he helped oversee the construction of Grace Village Retirement Community and various buildings for Grace College. He built a woodshop in 1992 building clocks, cedar chests, hutches, windmills, lighthouses, shelves and coat racks. But most of all he served the Lord and was a member of Lakeland Conservative Grace Brethren Church of Warsaw.
He will be lovingly remembered by his four daughters: Carola Jean (and spouse Gary) Austin, Warsaw; Jo Ann (and spouse Richard) Rosbrugh, Claypool; Donna (and spouse David) Duffield, Oconomowoc, Wis.; and Doris (and spouse Steven) Swing, Lewis Center, Ohio; two sons, Donald (and spouse Cindi) Fluke, Winona Lake; and Daniel (and spouse Robin) Fluke, Warsaw; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and his brother, W. Thorne Fluke, Williamsport, Pa. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and four brothers.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Lakeland Conservative Grace Brethren Church, 2538 S. County Farm Road, Warsaw, with Pastor Russ Simpson officiating. A private family graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Post #49 and VFW Post #1126, both of Warsaw, and active members of the Indiana ARNG Honor Guard.
Calling is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
*****
Memorials to Kim and Jared Meidal (granddaughter of Max serving as missionaries at The Oaks Camp with World Impact), c/o Kim and Jared Meidal, P.O. Box 437, Lake Hughes, CA 93532 and would be appreciated by his family.
Condolences may be sent via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
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