Submitted by: Dan Rich

Oliver Wade Jr.

July 5, 1925 - Feb. 27, 2001

South Bend Tribune 3/1/2001

Oliver "Bud" Wade Jr., 75, of U.S. 31, Lakeville, Ind., died at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. Mr. Wade was born on July 5, 1925, in Andrews, Ind., as the son of the late Oliver Wade and Nina (Price) Wade. He was also preceded in death by four brothers, Frank, Earl, Lawrence and Morris; a sister, Clara Gallaspie; and by a grandson, Seth Wade of Mishawaka, Ind.

He was married in 1945 to the former Catherine E. Ehler in Huntington, Ind. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, the former Judith (O' Donnell) Pozzi, who he married in August 1981; two daughters, Sandra Hoff and Carolyn (Carrie) Wade of South Bend; one son, Oliver "Ollie" (Lora) Wade III of Mishawaka; two sisters, Jean Ulrey of Evansville, Ind., and Patricia Eckert of Andrews; two stepdaughters, Michele (Don) Gee of Plymouth, Ind., Laurie (Ben) Hesch of Granger, Ind.; one stepson, Mark Pozzi of Elkhart, Ind.; five grandchildren, Mary Catherine Wade, Matthew Hoff, Andrew Hoff, Sara Hoff, Anthony Hoff and Mark Van Vynckt; two great-grandchildren, Lora Elizabeth Wade and Michael Jason Smith; and four step-grandchildren, Murphy Pozzi, Koley Gee, Presley Gee and Brendan Hesch.

Mr. Wade was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran. He graduated in 1950 from Manchester College with a B.S. in education. He went on to Indiana University, earning an M.S. in administration in 1957, and a degree as a reading specialist in 1983. As an educator for 36 years, he began his career as a teacher in 1950 at Butler Metropolitan School in Butler, Ind. Most of his career, however, was in the South Bend Community School Corporation, serving first as a teacher at McKinley Elementary School in 1952. He then went on to be principal of Lafayette, Lincoln and Tarkington elementary schools. In 1979 he went back to teaching as a reading specialist at Eggleston Elementary and Navarre Middle Schools. He retired in 1987 after being chosen as a National Teacher of the Year in 1986.

As a principal, he took his family vacations to the sites of our state's history, taking hundreds of slides, which became presentations for Indiana History in many schools. He was co-founder of the St. Joseph County Reading Association, and was a charter member of the International Reading Association (I.R.A.), in which he served as a state board member for eight years. As a member of the I.R.A. he helped to institute the Young Author's Conference. In 1973 he was the president of Right to Read Week and was active with this until his death. As a volunteer he worked with the St. Joseph Mental Health Association, Catholic Social Services, Family and Children's Center, the P.T.A., and was a scout leader and scholarship committee member for St. Matthew School.

After retirement, he volunteered at St. Paul's Retirement Community in various capacities. He was a member of the St. Joseph's County Teacher's Association and planned their yearly retirement workshops. He was an avid woodworker and restored many antiques. Bud was best known for his love of teaching and working with young people, as well as his dedication to the community. He will be truly missed as loving father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather and good friend.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 2, in the Hahn Funeral Home, 505 8th Street, Mishawaka. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, in St. Dominic Catholic Church, 803 W. Bike Street in Bremen, Ind. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the St. Dominic Parish Building Fund or to St. Joseph County Hospice, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637