Marjorie (Mudge) Van Vactor, 79, a lifelong resident of Plymouth, IN, passed away surrounded by her family at 6:58 p.m., October 31, 2010, at Pilgrim Manor after an extended illness.
Mudge was born on October 21, 1931 in Plymouth to F. John and Ada L. (Goss) Hutchings. She graduated from Plymouth High School and on June 12, 1949, she married Harold S. Van Vactor. They were married 60 years and shared their life together farming and building their trucking company before Harold’s death on September 9, 2009. Mudge was a member of the First United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir for over 50 years. Tyra Constance Guild was also a special group in the church where her love and presence could be felt with her gift of special pies, cookies and rolls for any event whenever the need arose. Mudge loved to sing and was a member of the Marshall County Chorus for many years. She always cherished her time in the Chorus, performing at community events and traveling to Purdue University for statewide workshops.
Mudge is survived by her sons: David R. (Chris) Van Vactor and Stephen J. (Maria) Van Vactor; daughters: Barbara V. (David) Miller and Patricia L. (Edward) Wright; brothers: John (Grace) Hutchings of Enid, OK and Jim Hutchings of Indianapolis, IN ; sisters Liz Smith of Orland Park, IL; Phyllis Kelsey, Ada Petill, Helen (Larry) Beedy, Susie Newman and Toni Hutchings, all of Plymouth. Mudge is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 40 nieces and nephews and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold S. Van Vactor, daughter Judy and son Gary, sister Mary Jane Pulliam, and brother Bob Hutchings.
She’s the one we knew forever, the one we went to for honest advice and genuine support. The one who accepted our quirky little habits and understood us in a way few others could. She’s the one we could call at any hour – to laugh or cry or complain… The one whose voice was there all along, sharing secrets and dreams and singing our song when we needed to hear it most. She’s the one who could read our mind, hear our heart, and love us just the way we were. She was our sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be greatly missed.
Friends may call from 4 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 3rd in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, November 4th in the First United Methodist Church, 400 N. Michigan St., Plymouth with visitation one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Matthew Pickut will officiate.
Burial will be in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to the First United Methodist Church Choir, 400 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, IN, the Plymouth Fireman’s Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o the Marshall County Community Foundation, 2701N. Michigan St., Plymouth, IN or the Center for Hospice Care, 112 S. Center St., Plymouth, IN.
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