Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran

 SBT – February 21, 1998

Alma F. Menchinger

Sept. 6, 1931 - Feb. 19, 1998

Alma F. Menchinger, 66, residing on County Road 24, Elkhart, Ind., passed away at 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, in her home.

Mrs. Menchinger was retired from the Penn-Harrison-Madison School Corporation where she taught kindergarten for 23 years at Prairie Vista School and Walt Disney School.

She was born on Sept. 6, 1931, to the late Taylor and Eva Marie (Howard) Fisher in Chattanooga, Tenn., and had lived in this area since 1966, coming from Michigan.

On Dec. 23, 1950, in High Point, N.C., she married Fred G. Menchinger, who survives.

She is also survived by three daughters, Mrs. Chris (Linda) Sirianni of Seattle, Wash., Mrs. Jeff (Paula) Showalter of Goshen, Ind., Mrs. Jim (Marta) Fetterman of Brownsburg, Ind.; two sons, Rick (Joyce) Menchinger of Elkhart and Fritz (Lisa) Menchinger of Closter, N.J.; 12 grandchildren; a sister, Peggy Perry of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and by a brother, James Fisher of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Mrs. Menchinger was a member of the South Side Church of God, South Bend, where she sang in the sanctuary choir, had served as Sunday school teacher and was a member of many organizations of the church. She was also a member of the Lakeland, Fla., Church of God, and the Niles Garden City Chorus. She also sang with the Country Belles in Florida. She served as a regular columnist for the Indiana News of the Church of God, and was the author/writer of many children's plays.

Alma attended Anderson College, Anderson, Ind., and graduated from Indiana University at South Bend where she received her Master's degree in Early Child Development.

Memorial services for Mrs. Menchinger will be at 2 p.m. on Monday in the South Side Church of God, 61801 U.S. 31 South, South Bend. Rev. Greg D. Crump, pastor of the church, along with Rev. Ken Bish of the Lakeland Church of God, will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday in the Palmer Funeral Home, 1109 Lincolnway West, Osceola, Ind.

Contributions may be made in memory of Mrs. Menchinger to the music department of the South Side Church of God, South Bend.