James Edward Woolsey

James Edward Woolsey, 89, of South Bend died at 12:58 AM. Thursday, January 17 in Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Woolsey was born May 31, 1929 in Oakland City, IN to the late Lucinda Mae (Johnson) and Theodore Temple Woolsey and had lived in the New Carlisle - South Bend area since 1962, coming from Bluffton, IN. On March 28, 1953 in Wawaka, IN he married Marianne Lower, who preceded him in death in 2000. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Robert Woolsey, an infant sister, Carolyn June Woolsey, and a stepdaughter-in-law, Cindy Ruff. On August 16, 2002 he married Phyllis A. Ruff who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Beth Jalaine Wheat (David) of LaPorte, TX and Gail Eileen Faircloth (Anthony) of Cantonment, FL; son, Jonathan Temple Woolsey (Kathryn) of Ft. Wayne, IN; grandchildren, James Edward Collier Wheat, Ethan Charles Lower Wheat, Samuel Dwain Temple Faircloth, Grace Elizabeth Woolsey, Emma Kathryn Cumberland (Shane) and Meredith Hope Woolsey; stepsons, Timothy Alan Ruff of Tampa, FL, Dennis Scott Ruff (Jane) of Winston-Salem, NC, and Thomas Eric Ruff (Meg) of Cape Elizabeth, ME; step-grandchildren, Suzanne Wilson O'Neal (Andrew), Merideth Alex Van Meter (Tyler), Jennifer Hill Ruff, Elizabeth Anne Ruff, and Lula Rhode Ruff; one step-great-grandson, Jacob Glenn Van Meter; sisters, Barbara Dotson (Kenneth) of Henderson, KY and Sandra Hudson (Jack) of Bedford, IN; and a sister-in-law, Mabel Woolsey of Huntingburg, IN.

James was a teacher of 41 years and is retired from the New Prairie School Corporation. He graduated from Purdue University with a bachelors in Ag Science and had Masters Degrees from Ball State and Notre Dame. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force for 2 years and remained active in the reserves. He was active in the New Carlisle community with the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club, and the New Carlisle United Methodist Church. He also worked for many years as a park ranger at Bendix Woods County Park. Most recently he has served in the Clay United Methodist Church in South Bend and was a member of the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution). His passion was genealogy and he loved to talk about his family's history.

Graveside Services are planned for Saturday June 15, 2019 at 11:30 AM CST at the Selvin Cemetery in Selvin, IN.

Memorial contributions may be made to Clay Church, 52866 Ironwood Rd., South Bend, IN 46635.