Submitted by: Dan Rich
Margaret E. Van De Keere
Dec. 18, 1919 - May 22, 2005
Margaret E. Van De Keere, 85, of Creekside Court, formerly of Elm Road, Mishawaka, passed away in LaPorte Hospital, LaPorte.
Margaret was born on Dec. 18, 1919, in South Bend, to Joseph and Johanna (Szmankowski) Kotal. Preceding Margaret in death were her parents, Joseph and Johanna; a sister, Genevieve Semak; two brothers, Henry and Joseph Kotal; and her stepmother, Frances Kotal.
On May 3, 1947, in Lakeville, as the former Margaret Kotal, she married Charles Van De Keere, who preceded her in death on Aug. 12, 1997. Surviving Margaret are her children, Beverly (David) Pullman of Glenview, IL, Shirley (Michael) Barrientos of Carmel, IN, and James Van De Keere of LaPorte; five grandchildren, Christopher and Alex Pullman, Laura DuVall, David and Diana Barrientos; and a great-grandchild, Madeline DuVall; two sisters, Helen Trippel of Mishawaka and Hildegarde Firestone of North Liberty; a half sister, Mary Dooms of South Bend; and a half brother, Frank Kotal of North Liberty.
Margaret was a member of St. Bavo Catholic Church, Mishawaka, Harvest House, the Busy Widows Club and South Bend Community Alumni Association. Visitation will be today, Wednesday, May 25, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. in the Hahn Funeral Home, 505 W. 8th St., Mishawaka.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 26, in St. Bavo Catholic Church, Mishawaka, with Rev. Barry England officiating. Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola.
Contributions may be made in memory of Margaret to St. Bavo Catholic Church, 511 W. 7th St., Mishawaka, IN 46544.