L. Louise Tragesser

L. Louise Tragesser, 95 of Tipton died at 5:20 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2012 at Miller's Merry Manor in Tipton. She was born on November 19, 1916 in Rankin, Illinois to Andrew & Lena May (Hill) Garst.

She graduated from Tipton High School in 1934. She was a member of St John the Baptist Catholic Church and Altar-Rosary Society where she was past vice-president and a member of the parish council in 1972. Louise was also a member of the Goose Bean Garden Club for eight years, Tipton County Historical Society, Friends of the Library, Miles of Smiles Clown Ministry of Indiana, and United Steel Workers Local 2754.

She started out as a farm wife. After losing their home in the country from fire, her family moved to town. There she had many jobs such as school lunch, laundry, telephone operator, and a nurse aid at Mercy Hospital in Elwood. Later she worked 20 years at Perfect Circle. Louise left the factory to become an LPN, graduating in 1971. She retired after ten years at Tipton County Memorial Hospital to take care of a newly adopted grandson. She later worked for Green Thumb until the program closed in 1999. She also worked in Noblesville doing home care until health problems prevented her from continuing. Other interests included being a Nature Guide for three seasons at Eagle Creek Park.

She loved her garden and flowers, sharing many plants and trees with others. Some of her other hobbies were sewing and embroidery. Louise loved to patch and fix things. She was a firm believer that what you waste, you shall want. God has blessed us all.

Louise is survived by two daughters, Martha Johanne Redelman, Fairland, Indiana, and Sarah Louise Evans, Freedom, Indiana; one son, David Jean Tragesser, Tipton; ten grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, 13 great-great grandchildren, three step grandsons, 11 step great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Paul Richard Tragesser; one sister, Mary E. Garst; two half brothers, Joseph Garst and Louis Garst.

The funeral mass will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Tipton with Revs. Keith Hosey and Leroy Kinnaman presiding and burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 -8:00 p.m. on Tuesday at Young-Nichols Funeral Home with a Wake Service at 7:00 p.m. and a Rosary Service to follow.