Funeral Services Scheduled for Longtime 4-H Leader

Starke County 4-H Fair Board President Ed Troike presents Mabel Paul with the President's Award during the 2016 fair.
Starke County 4-H Fair Board President Ed Troike presents Mabel Paul with the President’s Award during the 2016 fair.

A lifelong Starke County resident and longtime 4-H leader will be laid to rest tomorrow. Mabel Paul of Grovertown died Friday, Aug. 19th at IU Health LaPorte Hospital. She was 78.

Known to many as “Grandma Mabel,” she was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hamlet, where she taught Sunday school and was a Ladies Aid member.

Paul was best known for her involvement in 4-H. She lead the Cloverleaf 4-H Club for 41 years and was also a Junior Leader Advisor and Starke County 4-H Fair Board and Extension Board member. She was presented with the Starke County Fair Board President’s Award in recognition of her many years of volunteer service. Paul was also honored for her 40 years of service as a 4-H leader at the 2015 Indiana State Fair. She also received countless other awards for her service to 4-H.

Paul was also a member of the Starke County Livestock Committee and PCARET. She substitute taught at Oregon-Davis Schools. She was in charge of farrowing barn on the family farm for many years.

Survivors include her daughter, Rebecca (Robin) Pflugshaupt of Hamlet; her son,  Donald (Rita) Paul, Jr. of Delphi; seven grandchildren, Airial (Greg) Roland, Amy Pflugshaupt, Fawn Paul, Adam (Jill) Pflugshaupt, Darren (Erica) Paul, Ashley Paul, and Dustin Paul; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred James and Geneva (Malott) Rice; her husband, Don Paul, Sr.; a brother, Everett Rice; and a sister, Carol (Rice) Louderback.

Visitation for Mabel Paul is today from 2 until 8 p.m. at the Rannells Funeral Home Hamlet Chapel and after 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hamlet. Her funeral will follow at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mabel and Don Paul, Sr. Scholarship Fund in care of the family.