MILFORD - Lynne Beer, 63, of Milford, died Dec. 13, 2009, at The Maples nursing home, Goshen, from complications from a degenerative brain disease.
She was born April 30, 1946, in Bluffton, the eldest of eight children born to Walter and Imogene Bucher Aeschliman. On Nov. 20, 1966, she married Dr. Kenneth Beer, who survives.
She graduated from Bluffton High School in 1964, and earned a bachelor's degree from Ball State University in 1967, and a master's degree in education from Arizona State University in 1971. For nearly 30 of the remaining 41 years of her life she was a devoted and much-loved elementary school teacher.
From 1981 to 2004, she taught first grade at North Webster Elementary School, during which time she won two teacher of the year awards. During this time she also pursued her passion for music, writing many gospel and country songs, performing at local venues and festivals and recording three albums. It was not unusual for her to combine her passion for teaching with her passion for music; she often played the guitar for her students, leading them in renditions of Tom T. Hall's "Sneaky Snake" and other tunes.
She and her husband lived in Phoenix, Ariz., from 1969-71, before returning to Indiana and eventually building a home south of Milford in 1977. They traveled widely around the United States and the world, both with and without their children, visiting nearly every state in the union as well as four continents and 24 countries on their many journeys.
She served as secretary on the board of the Milford Public Library and was especially active in causes that encouraged reading. She was a member of the Wawasee School District School Improvement Committee and an officer of the Indiana State Reading Association, an organization for which she often presented at statewide and national meetings.
With her husband, she attended the Church of God, North Webster, where she happily directed many children's musicals. A relentlessly enthusiastic and energetic person, her unwavering faith in Christ and cheerful effervescence invariably endeared her to everyone who knew her, and her family and friends credit her positive attitude for allowing her to live for several years beyond expectation.
Also surviving are two sons, Jeremy (and spouse Kara) Beer, Phoenix, Ariz., and Jonah (and spouse Sara) Beer, Napa, Calif.; and a daughter, Amanda (and spouse Thomas) Woodiel, Goshen; a grandson, Jack Woodiel, Goshen; her father, Walter Aeschliman, Bluffton; four brothers: Dale (and spouse Beth) Aeschliman, Fort Wayne; Bert (and spouse Karen) Aeschliman, Indianapolis; Alan (and spouse Deb) Aeschliman, Bluffton; and Eric Aeschliman, Dallas, Texas; and three sisters: Andrea (and spouse Rich) Stoller, Dallas; Jan (and spouse Dennis) Drayer, Bluffton; and Kim (and spouse Dave) Bertch, Bluffton.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main St.
Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Mishler-Eastlund Funeral Home, 461 W. CR 900N, Milford.
*****
Memorials to Care at Home Hospice of Goshen General Hospital or Kosciusko Literacy Services.
Condolences may be sent to www.mishlerfuneralhomes.com
