Mary Ellen (Russell) Bogard

Mary Ellen (Russell) Bogard, 87, of Merom, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2023 at her home with her family by her side. She was born in Sullivan on May 21, 1935 to Garland Russell and Opal (Skinner) Russell.  Mary was a 1953 graduate of Carlisle High School.

Survivors include her daughters June (Allyn) Shacklett, Peggy LeCount, and son Douglas Bogard (Mary Daughetry), a brother Gerald Russell, grandchildren, Byron (Mary) Hoesman, Rachel (J.R.) Merritt, Rick (Jessica) Wright, Danielle (Shane) Bartley, Ashley (Trent) Rinard, Patricia (Sawyer) Lancaster, Jacob Bogard, Aaron Shacklett, and Susanna Bogard, several great grandchildren and great great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, cousins, and other extended family members.

Mary was preceded in death by her loving husband of 64 years, Carl C. Bogard. The two of them shared many decades of love and laughter.  Their grandchildren and great grandchildren were the greatest joys in their lives.  They always made sure to show up for any sporting events or school programs, where they were always their grandkids’ loudest supporters. 

Mary was the epitome of what a Grandma should be.  She remembered everyone’s birthdays and any special days in their lives, and always had a card ready for every occasion.  She was always prepared to feed any visitor that walked through her door, and visitors were plentiful because of Mary’s kind and loving nature. Mary loved to travel and take pictures of her destinations, proven by her full bookcase of photo albums and scrapbooks. Her last trip was to Georgetown, Kentucky with her daughter June to visit a lifelong friend in October.

Mary was a woman of many talents. Not only did she work outside of the home, she also did all of the tasks of a homemaker. She farmed her whole life, starting when she was young, working a team of horses on her Father’s farm, then when Carl returned from Korea, they began farming in Merom.  One of Mary’s grandchildren’s favorite memories was being in the grain truck when she delivered grain to the elevator in Sullivan, while Carl stayed behind running the combine getting ready for the next load.  Mary also had a lifelong love of anything fast, be it a horse, car, motorcycle, helicopter or plane.  The faster she went, the bigger her smile got.

Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at Holmes Memorial Chapel with Pastor Erich Blevins officiating.  Visitation will be on Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of services. Burial will be in  Merom Cemetery next to her husband Carl.

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