Grace Elizabeth Baich, 94, of Rolling Prairie, IN, died peacefully at 12:05 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, at Golden Living-Fountainview, LaPorte.
She was born Aug. 5, 1919, in Elkhart, IN, to Oliver Porter and Mabel Susie (Ritenour) Wells.
Grace retired from Howmet in LaPorte. She and her siblings, in their family band, had performed on a radio show called “Barn Dance Talent Show.” She enjoyed gardening and fishing, and loved country and western music.
On Nov. 5, 1942, in LaPorte, she married Samuel Baich, who survives.
Also surviving are four children, James (Oralee Joseph) Baich of LaPorte, Michael (Penny) Baich of New Carlisle, IN, Andrew (Kathleen) Baich of Rolling Prairie and Sandra Phillips of Baltimore, MD; 16 grandchildren, Rochelle Phillips and Shea Phillips, Todd, Casi and Tina Baich, Johnnie, Hazel, Janet, Michael, Sandra, Melvin, Barbara, Deborah, Dennis, and Darrell Joseph, and Robert Griffin; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents; four sisters, Rose McDonald, Gladys Sholtey, Mabel Alice Garwick and Norma Wegiel; six brothers, Conrad Wells, Earl Eugene Wells, Marshall Wells, James Wells, George Wells, and Thomas Wells; son-in-law, Gerald Phillips; and grandsons, Gerald Phillips Jr. and Kevin Joseph.
A funeral celebrating her life will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory, LaPorte, with Jim Bouslog officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 p.m. until the service. Burial will take place in Rolling Prairie Cemetery at a later date.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at www.LakeviewFHC.com.