Erlena (Owens) Deckard, 96, of Nashville, passed away Tuesday morning, May 8, 2018 in Brown County Health and Living with her family at her side.
Family and friends will gather from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 11 in Bond-Mitchell Funeral Home, 1682 State Road 135 North. Funeral services are scheduled at 2 p.m. Friday with Pastor Bruce Bond officiating. Burial will follow in Duncan Cemetery.
Erlena was born in Brown County on March 8, 1922 to Ross Owens and Dorval Fleetwood Owens. On March 5, 1941, she married Leslie Deckard; they enjoyed 71 years of marriage before his death Jan. 12, 2012. Together, she and Leslie raised a family and farmed 200 acres in western Brown County.
Survivors include her five children, Sharon Ayres (husband, Jim) and Faye Lynn Deckard, both of Bloomington, Lana Wrightsman (husband, Edward), Jeffrey Deckard (wife, Cathy), and Curtis Deckard (wife, Shelly), all of Nashville; a brother, James Owens of Nashville; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter with another on the way.
In addition to her husband, Leslie, Erlena was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Eugene Owens.
Erlena grew up in Belmont and attended the Belmont School. She has been described as a scientist of the soil, a real “salt of the earth” person who knew how to live off the land. She was a baker, baking pies for the Nashville Street Fair and the Nashville House as part of her clientele. She sold eggs to many stores and restaurants in Bloomington and Nashville. She would have three gardens at a time as well as growing flowers. She enjoyed canning the fruits of her labor. Erlena was a very dedicated mother and grandmother. At one time she was a precinct committeeman for the Democratic Party in Brown County.
The family would like to thank their extended family of seven years at Brown County Health and Living who cared for our mother during her stay there, especially Bev Varner and Joe Sizemore who were there consistently, welcoming her in March 2011 and there to say goodbye on May 8, and to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana who provided comfort for her end-of-life transition.
If friends so desire, memorial contributions may be made to Brown County Health and Living Activities, Our Hospice of South Central Indiana or Duncan Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund.
Online condolences may be left for the family at BondMitchellFuneralHome.com.
