Barbara Elaine Bender

Barbara Elaine Bender, 92, Kokomo, passed away at 2:30 am Monday May 10, 2021, at Wellbrooke of Kokomo.  She was born July 13, 1928, in Sharpsville, the daughter of the late Emil & Ruth (Waddell) Smith.  In September of 1995, Eustis, Florida, she married Richard Bender who preceded her in death in December of 2013.

Barbara was a 1946 graduate of Sharpsville High School.  After raising her daughters, Barbara worked for Howard Community Hospital as a ward clerk in the O.B. In the mid-1970s she moved to Sarasota, Florida.  She worked for many years at a local boutique representing them as a model in local restaurants, newspapers and magazine advertisements. She later worked for Publix Deli with Boars Head Meat as their “demo lady”. She was also a member of Covenant Life Church in Sarasota, Florida.  Barbara loved to dance and she and her husband, Richard, enjoyed ballroom dancing on weekends for years.  Barbara cherished time spent at Siesta Key Beach for many years where she enjoyed walking on the beach daily.  She also loved parasailing and on her 80th birthday went parasailing with her youngest grandson. After that experience, she was hooked and made it a goal to parasail with all of her grandchildren.  Barbara was an amazing Grammy and her grandchildren and two daughters brought her the most joy.

Barbara is survived by her daughters, Renee (Randy) Waddell, The Villages, Florida and Jamie (Rick) Shuck, Kokomo; grandchildren, Eric (Apri) Mathis, Nashville, Tennessee, Wendy Loria, Sarasota, Florida, Shelley (Dale) Buettner, Lafayette, Bryan (Ana) Mitzelfelt, Kokomo and Brad (Cassandra) Mitzelfelt, Santa Rosa, California; great-grandchildren, Nathan (Elizabeth) Mathis, Colorado, Will Mathis, Tennessee, Carly Buettner and Annie Buettner, both of Lafayette, Max Loria and Luke Loria, both of Sarasota, Florida, Hudson Mitzelfelt and Amelia Mitzelfelt, both of Kokomo;

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard; sister, Sue Bitler; and grandson, Craig Shuck.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday, May 16, 2021, at Shirley & Stout Funeral Home & Crematory, with Pastor Dale Buettner officiating.  Burial will follow in Albright Cemetery.  Friends are invited to visit with the family from 1:00 pm until time of service on Sunday at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Barbara’s memory to the Shuckstrong Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation of Howard County.  Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com. 

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