Margaret Olive Van Dine, 91, of La Porte, formerly of Fish Lake, passed away peacefully at 5:25 p.m., Sunday, March 29, 2020, at Oak Woods Manor, La Porte.

 

She was born March 16, 1929, in La Porte, Indiana, to Lloyd and Rachel (Schmidt) Barthel. She moved to Fish Lake, Indiana, at the age of four.

 

Margaret graduated from Mill Creek High School on May 7, 1946. She joined St. Anthony Catholic Church, Fish Lake in 1957 and was confirmed there in 1958. She was a current member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, La Porte. Margaret retired from Hancock Fabrics, La Porte, after ten years. Previously she did clerical work for Modine, New York Blowers and Indiana Molding. Margaret enjoyed traveling, taking trips to Europe, Hawaii and other designations in the US. She also spent many summers in Buffalo, Indiana.

 

On January 4, 1968, in Kankakee, IL, she married Lawton Bratcher, who preceded her in death on September 2, 1984.

 

On May 6, 2000, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, La Porte, she married Kenneth Van Dine, who preceded her in death on February 15, 2015.

 

Also preceding her in death were her parents; parental grandparents, Louis and Eveline Barthel; maternal grandmother, Sarah Schmidt; one sister, Genevieve June Simcox; and two stepsons, Jerry and Larry Bratcher.

 

Surviving are one sister, Beverly (Charles) Noel; two nieces, Margo (Joe) Brown and Brenda Arch; nephew, Charles (Connie) Noel Jr.; three great-nieces, Amanda Mitterling, Angela Starkey and Hanna Arch; one great-nephew, Kendall Noel; great-great-nephew, Jake McCalment; her five stepchildren, Michael, John, and Mickey Bratcher, Valerie (Joe) Jones and Victoria (Douglas) Heagren; and several step-grandchildren.

 

A funeral celebrating her life will be held at 12 Noon, Thursday, April 2, 2020, at Lakeview Funeral Home & Crematory, 247 W. Johnson Rd., La Porte, (219) 362-3100 with Rev. Ian Williams. Visitation and viewing will be held from 11 a.m. until time of service Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will follow the service at Patton Cemetery, La Porte.

 

Please send condolences to the family at www.LakeviewFHC.com.

 

Sympathy cards are greatly appreciated.