Fern Elaine Dunning

Fern E. Dunning, age 93, of Mishawaka, passed away at her home on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.  She worked as a bookkeeper for many years for Indiana and Michigan Electric Co, Radio and Television Distributors and Nyloncraft.

Fern was born March 7, 1927 in Plymouth, IN to the late Clarence R. and Mary Lauretta (Abair) Baker.  She was raised on a farm north of Linkville, IN and attended grade school at Linkville School.  Fern graduated from LaPaz High School in 1945 as salutatorian of her class and went on to work at the Farmers State Bank for the following five years.  She then moved to Mishawaka in 1952 where she met Howard Melvin Dunning.  He worked for Ball Band for 40 years. 

On January 18, 1953, Howard and Fern married.  The ceremony was held in the First E. U. B. Church on Mishawaka Ave, Mishawaka, presently known as Albright United Methodist Church.  Fern has been a member for the past 67 years.  Howard preceded Fern in death in 1998 and Fern moved back to Mishawaka after forty eight years on Madison Road.

Mom was the best of the best at everything she did from her precise sewing talents of making her own clothes and quilts, to baking the best pies in town.  Everything she did or made was with perfection.

We will miss her stories from her as she was the neighborhood watch key person right from her own picture window, she pieced together some pretty good stories for us as to what she thought was taking place here, there and everywhere from her own home.  We all got some good laughs.  We just went right along with her.

We will now have to read the obituaries on our own, Momma never called for much of anything as you know she was extremely independent, but if she seen someone she knew that passed she was on that phone to let us know, a lot of times we had absolutely no idea who she was talking about but we listened anyway of course.  

We all will miss her deeply, but we also have peace knowing that she is back with Dad and all the people who also loved her dearly.  

We would like to Thank Hospice for their outstanding care and guidance in her last weeks of life, I don’t know what we would have done without each and every one of you.  Cassie, Libby, Ericka, Cathy, you were all so caring and kind.
Survivors include two daughters, Lauretta (Jerry) Anders and Sharon (Vince) Zmudzinski both of South Bend, two sons, Monty (Sherri) Dunning of Bremen, IN and Steven (Lisa) Dunning of Leo, IN, 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.  Three brothers and five sisters preceded Fern in death. 

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m., Monday, November 30 at the Palmer Funeral Home - Bubb Chapel, 3910 North Main Street, Mishawaka, IN  46545.  Friends may gather two hours prior to services from 10:00 to 12:00.  Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola, IN. 

Memorial contributions in memory of Fern Elaine Dunning may be made to Hospice Foundation, 501 Comfort Pl, Mishawaka, IN 46545.  Online condolences may be sent through www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.