Mary E. Bachman

Mary E. Bachman, 80, died at 1:40 a.m. Thursday, October 20, 2011, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

She was born May 21, 1931 in Yorkshire, the daughter of the late Joseph J. and Ursula E. (Meyer) Schlater.  On July 4, 1953, she married Donald E. Bachman, who preceded her in death on December 1, 2005.

Mrs. Bachman was a 1949 graduate of Minster High School and a 1951 graduate of Karns & Western Beauty School in Dayton.  She worked for Van Wert City Schools for 25 years, retiring in 1996.  She was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert and its Altar Rosary Society and the Catholic Ladies of Columbia.  She was a member of Women of the Moose, the YWCA, and the Cougar Booster Club.  She was an election poll worker for 45 years and was a TWIG I volunteer for Van Wert County Hospital.  For many years she helped prepare funeral lunches at her church and loved helping the elderly whenever she could.  Her hobbies and interests included gardening, bird watching, crocheting, the Cincinnati Reds and her beloved dog Jacey.  She made dozens of afghan’s and lap robes for both of the Van Wert nursing homes.

She bowled for over 56 years, including serving as a volunteer teacher in the school bowling program for the past 4 years.  She was inducted into the Van Wert US Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

Survivors include four sons, Rick (Laura) Bachman of Vandalia, Randy (Karen Tomlinson) Bachman of Napoleon, Ron (Pam Stamper) Bachman of Powell and Rob (Tracy) Bachman of Gahanna; siblings include Lucille Berning of Minster and Joe Schlater of Wapakoneta; seven grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

Three brothers Bill Schlater, Ben Schlater and David Schlater, also preceded her in death.

A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 24, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert.  Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, October 23, with a rosary service starting at 6:45 that evening at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert.

Preferred memorials: Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center, 1155 Westwood Drive, Van Wert, OH 45891 or Van Wert Youth Baseball, PO Box 794, Van Wert, OH 45891.

Condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com