MILFORD – Martin E. Stookey Sr., 92, of Leesburg, left Miller’s Merry Manor to be with the Lord on Tuesday evening, Sept. 10, 2019.
He was born on April 17, 1927, the son of Fred and Leora Martin Stookey, in Kosciusko County. Martin graduated from Leesburg High School the same year as his wife-to-be, Lorene F. Lehman, and they were joined together in holy matrimony on May 29, 1948.
Martin attended the Milford Apostolic Church and retired from a wonderful life of farming just outside of Leesburg. Martin served in the Army and was a World War II veteran.
He was a man with a great deal of patience and love for his family and the outdoors. Martin was a highly skilled wood carver of various wildlife that decorated he and his wife’s home, as well as the homes of family and friends. Martin was an avid deer hunter up until the age of 85. He was one of the first to harvest a whitetail deer at Tri-County Wildlife Area. Martin was a member of Northern Indiana Research and Recovery Society. As an active member, Martin would spend many hours metal detecting for all types of relics on past homesteads. He also combed freshly plowed fields in search of Indian artifacts. Over the years, Martin collected a great deal of Indian artifacts, which he would display at area shows. Martin retired from grain farming in 1989. When Martin wasn’t busy grain farming, he also built many barns in the area.
Survivors include his two sons, Martin E. “Butch” (Kathleen) Stookey Jr., and Randy (Marlene) Stookey, both of Warsaw; sister, Oma Eppley, of Nappanee; seven grandchildren: Laurie (David) Miller, of Fort Wayne; Rhonda (Bill) Cary, of Bronson, Mich.; Jeffrey (Katja) Stookey, of Hershey, Pa.; Bobi Stookey Megyese, of Fishers; Zachary (Steffanie) Stookey, of North Webster; Jeremy (Samantha) Stookey, of Syracuse; and Justin Stookey, of Syracuse; and 15 great-grandchildren: Cody, Brittany, Stephon, Ashton, Nicolas, Allison, Lydia, Drake, Emily, Rylan, Scott, Emileah, Meghan and Lauren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Lorene Lehman Stookey; his parents; and three siblings, John Stookey, Bob Stookey and Mildred Meadows.
A funeral service in Martin’s honor will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16 at the Milford Apostolic Church, 201 N. Higbee St., Milford. Pastor Randy Beer will officiate, with burial following at Leesburg Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15 at Mishler Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 461 W CR 900N, Milford, and one hour prior to the service at the church.
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Memorials to Milford Apostolic Church.
Online condolences may left for the family at www.mishlerfhcc.com.
