North Manchester — Kathryn J. “Kay” Bellinger was born Feb. 19, 1924, in French Equatorial Africa to missionaries Dr. Orville and Charlotte Hillegas Jobson. She was raised by her Uncle Ralph and Aunt Ruth Kimmel Smoker in New Paris from 18 months of age when her parents returned to Africa.
She is survived by her husband of 72 years, William O. Bellinger, whom she married at First Brethren Church, New Paris, on June 29, 1945.
Kay graduated from Germantown Dispensary and Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa. She was a registered, certified nurse in Indiana and Pennsylvania. She worked as a surgery nurse in LaPorte and as a clinic nurse at the Walkerton Medical Clinic until moving to North Manchester in 1964. There she became school nurse for Manchester Community Schools and worked 22 years before retiring in 1986.
During her tenure as school nurse, Kay established the Volunteer Community Fund, which supported children within the school system on dental, medical, vision and clothing needs. She also started the Christmas Box program and handled that until the Fellowship of Churches took over both responsibilities under the organization “Reach.” She was later involved with the addition of the thrift shop and food pantry. She stayed involved in that program for over 30 years.
She was a member of the Mental Health Association for 20 years, a board member for 10 and secretary for two. She was a board member for the Wabash County Sheltered Workshop (Workshop Enterprises) for 10 years.
Kay was the first woman to be awarded the Kiwanians Distinguished Citizen Service Award in 1984. She was the grand marshal for the 1986 homecoming.
Kay was a member of First Brethren Church, New Paris and North Manchester, for over 80 years. She was a member of the Women’s Missionary Society and taught Sunday school. She was a member of the Indiana State Nursing Association and the Wabash County Golden Nurses Association. She has been an active member of Tri Kappa sorority and the Association of Tri-Kappa since 1965. She was precinct committee chairman for District 3 for 10 years.
She is survived by a daughter, Sharon (Donald) Smith, Warsaw; three grandchildren: Shawn (Shari) Bellinger, Silver Lake; R. Zachary (Megan) Smith, Warsaw; and Tasia Smith, Warsaw; a daughter-in-law, Jane Bellinger, North Manchester; two great-granddaughters, Regan Bellinger and Finley Smith; three stepgranddaughters: Tara Smith, Kelley (Travis) Shoaf and Shanna (Eric) Callahan; 13 stepgreat-grandchildren; and six stepgreat-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Stephen Bellinger, in 2009; and five brothers: William Smoker, Dr. John Smoker, Stanford Smoker, David Jobson and Roger Jobson.
Calling will be at McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11, at the mortuary, with the Revs. Kurt Stout and Ron Burns officiating.
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Memorials to Reach or the First Brethren Church, both of North Manchester.
