Bernadine Breedlove

Bernadine Breedlove was a strong woman who knew the value of hard work. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandma. Her family was her treasure, the reward for all her hard work, and in their warm company a familiar smile always brimmed over her lips.

Following the end of the Great War, thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back home. The economy boomed amid the new demands of a peacetime nation. This marked the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a decade of flapper dresses, jazz music, and prosperity. In Morgan County, Indiana, Charles Swisher and his wife Leafy Minett discovered another reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on May 24, 1920 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their daughter Bernadine.

The youngest child, Bernadine grew up on the family farm in Morgan County with the company of her older brothers and sisters. She learned the value of hard work at a young age, and she received her education at Walnut Grove School. On the weekends she enjoyed going to Mooresville, where most of the young folks from Morgan County gathered. One Saturday night, she met a handsome young man named Charles Breedlove. They fell into an easy conversation, and a romance soon sparked between them. They were married on January 4, 1936, when Bernadine was fifteen years old.

Bernadine and Charles worked hard to prepare their home for a family. Pregnant with her first child, Bernadine continued to unload boxcars, and in 1944 she and Charles were blessed with the birth of their daughter Sue. Eleven years later they welcomed two boys in a span of twelve months and one week. This spell of baby fever brought Richard and Dennis into their home.

Bernadine was a natural mother. She devoted her life to her family, and she always regarded her children as her greatest accomplishment. When the boys played sports in high school Bernadine was their biggest fan: her car was always in the lead position, right after the travel bus. Bernadine also stayed busy working, having been employed at Dairy Queen and, later, Farm Bureau and Link Belt. When Dennis, her youngest, went off to school, Bernadine also returned to school: she joined the cafeteria staff at Paul Hadley Middle School, where she worked for the next twenty-five years until her retirement. She also explored her cooking skills around the house. Her dinners were always delicious, but her desserts made her famous. Family favorites include her peach cobbler, coconut cream pie, and pumpkin pie.

Bernadine was proud of her roots. Morgan County provided the setting for many of her favorite memories, and she was an integral part of the community. She became a member of The Church at Mt. Gilead at the age of four, and by the end of her life she was the oldest, longest standing member of the congregation. Although Bernadine was the happiest at home, she also loved to travel. She was proud to have visited all fifty states during the course of her life.

Bernadine loved to quilt, sew, and embroider. A talented seamstress, she even made her children’s clothes when they were young. She embroidered quilts for her church, which were then donated as baby blankets. This followed a Breedlove tradition: whenever a grandchild was born, Bernadine presented him or her with a baby quilt. She would then spend the next year preparing a full-size quilt, which she would present to this grandchild on his or her first birthday. These quilts are now very treasured gifts.

Bernadine lived in Morgan County until the last year of her life when she moved in with her daughter Sue after her health declined. Although she was never much of an animal person, she enjoyed the company of Sue’s cats in her latter months and days.

Bernadine was an active member of her church and a staple of her community. She knew that her life was filled with blessings, and each day she tried to share her happiness with her family and many friends. Among the many people whose hearts she touched, she will be greatly missed and frequently remembered.

Bernadine died peacefully on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008. She is survived by her daughter, Sue Garrison of Whiteland, Indiana; sons, Richard L. Breedlove (Cindy) of Mooresville, Indiana, Dennis J. Breedlove (Nancy) of Carmel, Indiana; grandchildren, David, Kiley, and Mark Garrison, DeeDee Hammond, Aurelia Kornbroke, Mick, Brad, and Todd Breedlove, Kellie Bungard, Andy and Jon Breedlove, and thirteen great grandchildren.

Friends and family will gather on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 4 to 8 p.m. in the Carlisle & Son Funeral Chapel, Mooresville. Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2008, in the funeral chapel. Burial will be in White Lick Cemetery. Officiating: Rev. Jeff Faull. Memorial Contributions may be made to The Church at Mt. Gilead Building Fund. Please visit www.carlisleandson.com to read Bernadine’s Life Story, share a favorite memory, or sign the online guest book.