Sue A. McDonald

Sue A. McDonald, 82 of Bluffton, passed away on Tuesday morning, October 29, 2024, at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana. Sue was born on August 22, 1942 in Lebanon, IN. to Herman Edward and Martha Helen (Wickard) Antle. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1960. She then went to Ball State Teachers College, graduating in 1964 with a B.S. degree in Business Education. She furthered her education and received her Master of Arts degree in 1986 from Ball State. She worked as a Business teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin, IL. from 1964 to 1968. She was a substitute teacher for Southern Wells High School and Bluffton-Harrison M.S.D. from 1978 to 1982, before teaching Business at Norwell High School, Bluffton High School and retiring from Bluffton Middle School in 2003. On August 15, 1965, Sue and John Steven McDonald were married. The celebrated 59 years of marriage together. Sue was a past member of Indiana Business Education Association, working on the Business Education Task Forces for the state of Indiana. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Bluffton and a past member of Psi Iota Xi. Sue loved to travel, visiting Europe three times with her husband. She enjoyed her time at the lake property and their Florida property, where they bought a new boat. She could often be heard saying “We sure do love our new boat!” She was an avid Bridge player and loved to dance and truly enjoyed the monthly dinner dances at Bay Side Estates, where they lived in Florida. Sue was very interested in her grandchildren and their achievements. Survivors include her husband, John of Bluffton, their children; Kimberly Kay (Bryon) Mayer and Jennifer Jo McDonald all of Bluffton and Steven Thomas (Margaret) McDonald of Fort Wayne. She was a loving grandma to her six grandchildren; Kaitlyn J. Schriver of Portland, OR., Bryson Mayer and Kiersten Mayer both of Bluffton, Madilyn, Aaron and Reid McDonald all of Fort Wayne. She will be fondly remembered by her sister, Mary Jolene “Jo” (William “Buck”) Smith of Kokomo, a sister-in-law Joan Antle of Glenn Arbor, MI., and a cousin, Jim Antle of Cambridge City, IN. She is preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Martha and her brother, Richard Antle. Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 3, 2024 from 12 P.M. to 6 P.M. at the Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton, and for one hour prior to the service on Monday. Funeral services will be held on Monday at 10:30 A.M. at the funeral home with Pastor Cindy Osgood and Tony Garton officiating. Burial will follow at the Garden of the Chimes in Elm Grove Cemetery in Bluffton. Memorials may be made to Special Olympics or St. Jude Children’s Hospital and may be directed to the funeral home. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Lemler family of Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton. Friends may send online condolences to the family at www.thomarich.com.

Sue A. McDonald

August 22, 1942 - October 29, 2024