Lynne M. Beer

Lynne Beer, 63, of Milford, died Sunday, December 13, 2009, at The Maples nursing home in Goshen from complications arising from a degenerative brain disease. She is survived by her husband Dr. Kenneth Beer, of Milford; by her son Jeremy Beer and his wife Kara of Phoenix, Arizona; by her son Jonah Beer and his wife Sara of Napa, California; and by her daughter Amanda Woodiel and her husband Thomas and son Jack of Goshen.

She is also survived by her father, Walter Aeschliman of Bluffton, four brothers, Dale (Beth) Aeschliman, Ft Wayne, Bert (Karen) Aeschliman, Indianapolis, Alan (Deb) Aeschliman, Bluffton, Eric Aeschliman, Dallas, Texas; three sisters, Andrea (Rich) Stoller, Dallas, Texas, Jan (Dennis) Drayer, Bluffton and Kim (Dave) Bertch, Bluffton.

Lynne Mardell Aeschliman was born on April 30, 1946, in Bluffton, Indiana, the eldest of eight children to be born to Walter and Imogene (Bucher) Aeschliman. She graduated from Bluffton High School in 1964 and took 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 thirty of the remaining forty-one years of her life she was a devoted and much-loved elementary school teacher.

From 1981 through 2004, Lynne 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 numerous 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.

Lynne and her husband Ken were married on November 20, 1966. They lived in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1969 to 1971 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 twenty-four countries on their many journeys.

Lynne 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 Ken, Lynne attended the Church of God in North Webster, where she happily directed many children’s musicals. A relentlessly enthusiastic and energetic person, Lynne’s 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.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Mishler Eastlund Funeral Home at 461 W. 900 N., Milford, on Wednesday, December 16, 2009. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at the North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main St. in North Webster.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Lynne’s name be made to Care at Home Hospice of Goshen General Hospital or Kosciusko Literacy Services.