Aug. 22, 1904 - April 24, 2008SOUTH BEND - Maureen Ingleman Sindlinger, 103, was born on August 22, 1904, in Jasonville, Indiana. She was the daughter of Lura Fry and Evrett Ingleman, and the first grandchild of Nancy Jane Love and Philbert Fry, a landholder and coal mine owner also rumored to be the first to discover coal in Green County. As each of Philbert's six surviving children came of age, they were given a section of his land allowing them to build their own family homes close together. Maureen grew up surrounded by aunts and uncles, one of whom became her first music teacher after she began playing piano at the age of four. Love of piano and music continued throughout her life. Maureen studied music and art at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and graduated in 1930. While at the university she also taught in the Terre Haute public schools and learned how to fly, becoming one of the first women to solo in a light airplane and get her license. After graduation she moved to South Bend and took a job teaching art and music in Mishawaka schools for the next 30 years, first at LaSalle Elementary School and then in 1946 at Main Jr. High School. Maureen married Frank Sindlinger Jr. on July 8, 1944, in Austin, Texas, in the closing months of World War II when Frank was still in the armed forces. After the war, she often helped her husband in the South Bend family store, Sindlinger's Meat Market on Lincoln Way West. She first met Frank when she was playing the cello in a small orchestra and he was playing the French horn in the South Bend Symphony. Maureen continued to be active in music and the arts. She had a long career as a piano and cello teacher, and is still warmly remembered by several of her students. She composed church music for children and 13 musicals that were performed locally. Maureen also composed "America the Land I Love," a choral work performed with an orchestra in 1976 and more recently by a large clavinova ensemble in the 2004 "Monster Concert" at the University Park Mall. In the 1960s she was a regular on a local television program, "The Children's Story Corner," that appeared weekly on WSBT. She served in many music organizations including the South Bend Symphony Board and was director of the University Women Singers, the Purdue Extension chorus and the First Christian Church Bell Choir. For many years Maureen sang in the choir at the First Christian Church, and in 2003 donated to the church her beloved grand piano. Her most recent public piano performance took place on Valentine's Day, 2007, when at the age of 102, she played for the residents of Southfield Village. Maureen's love of life and music will survive in the memories of many friends and relatives. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, she said, "I have the most remarkable group of friends that anyone could have." We will miss her. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Sindlinger in 1999, by her brother, Gene Engleman, and sister-in-law, Dorothy Engleman. She is survived by two nieces, Dorothy Ann Vandagriff of Weatherford, TX, and Christine Combs of Colleyville, TX. Maureen was also very close to a large family of loving cousins including Pauline Fry Fenn of South Bend, Bobby Fry Ohmer, Joan Stadler, Maggie Ingleman, Polly Miller, Sally Miller, Susie Scott, Mick, Phil and Doug Denhardt, Nancy Hoffman, Andrew Kigin, Rosabelle Whittle, Ada Rose Blalock, Helen Bachman and others. She was always especially grateful to her dear friend, Vera Lane of South Bend, who provided tender care for many years. After 2003 Maureen lived at the Meadows, Southfield Village, where she received much thoughtful assistance from the staff and from Pam Huffer, her Real Services guardian. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, 2008, in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South Bend, IN. Chaplain Deb Hewitt will officiate. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery, South Bend. Friends may visit with the family from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. Contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Published in the South Bend Tribune on 4/27/2008.