Ina May Dormire

Ina May Dormire, 82, of Uniondale, passed away on March 15, 2012, in Bluffton. She was the daughter of Alfred and Marie Girod and graduated from Rockcreek High School. She earned her undergraduate degree from Ball State University in music education. Both she and her husband Lex earned master’s degrees from Columbia Teacher’s College in New York City as newlyweds. She began her teaching career as a K-12 music teacher in Crown Point, Indiana, and later taught kindergarten at Ossian Elementary School. Ms. Dormire founded the St. Mark’s Methodist Church Preschool in Decatur, Indiana, and taught a generation of children while its director. During this period, she also directed the adult choir at St. Mark’s. Music students grew through piano and voice lessons she provided from her home. Always active in community affairs, Ms. Dormire served on the boards of the Creative Arts Council of Wells County, Inc., and the Wells County Foundation. She also was a docent at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art and a member of two book clubs, frequently performing dramatic readings of famous literary figures to local community groups. During her retirement, she attended the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Wayne. Ms. Dormire was first and foremost a teacher always willing to share her considerable talents, whether by introducing young lives to the world of academia and citizenship, promoting perfect pitch and diction in the choral groups she directed, or transporting an audience to Emily Dickenson’s 19th century. She also was a loving wife to her husband Lex for 57 years, who preceded her in death on November 15, 2011, and a devoted mother to her two daughters who survive her, Abigail Dormire (Doug) Powers of Fort Wayne and Anne Keely (Charles Brumbaugh) Galluzzo of Cincinnati. She is also survived by sisters Hallie Pace and Joyce Grandlienard of Bluffton, and Jean (Jack) Kober of Liberty Center; a brother Don (Lorna) Girod of Indianapolis; and seven grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Christian Care Retirement Community and the Creative Arts Council of Wells County, Inc. Calling hours are from 2 to 6 p.m. at Thoma/Rich Chaney and Lemler Funeral Home, Bluffton on Saturday, March 17. A funeral service will be at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, at the Creative Arts Center of Wells County followed by a burial at Horeb Cemetery. Online condolences: www.thomarich.com.

Ina May Dormire

May 13, 1929 - March 15, 2012