NORTH MANCHESTER - Esther Berniece Ireland, 84, of North Manchester, died at 11:51 a.m. July 21, 2010, in Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne.
She was born Dec. 23, 1925, in Wabash County, to Raymond G. and Docha M. Sippy Shewman. On Feb. 14, 1952, she married Marion "Bud" Ireland Jr., who died March 11, 2010.
She formerly worked at Bryan Manufacturing and Controls Co., North Manchester; General Tire, Wabash; and Chamberlain Manufacturing, Akron. She and her husband delivered several area newspapers to area residents for many years. She was a member of Liberty Mills United Methodist Church and American Legion Auxiliary Post 402, Laketon. She graduated from Laketon High School in 1944. She was a homemaker and a farmer's wife.
Surviving are two sons, Gordon Ireland, North Manchester, and Marion "Buddy" Ireland III, Wabash; five daughters: Margaret Cartwright and Ruth DeTurk, both of North Manchester; Mary Dryden and Melinda Johnson, both of Bonita Springs, Fla.; and Maria Ireland, Fort Wayne; 11 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, three brothers and three sisters.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, with Pastor Greg Bradford officiating. Burial will be in Laketon Cemetery.
Calling is from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
