Ava Gail Stiver

Ava Gail Stiver, 85, of Goshen, died early Monday morning, November 3, 2008, at Courtyard Healthcare, Goshen.  She had been in declining health since April. She was born in Elkhart County, east of Benton, on June 1, 1923, to Fred and Bertha (Isenbletter) Stiver. An Elkhart County resident for her entire life, Miss Stiver worked for the LUX Company in Elkhart for 17 years as a bookkeeper.  She had also worked at Penn Controls and St. Joseph Valley Bank in Mishawaka. A 1941 graduate of Millersburg High School; she attended Goshen College and graduated from Ball State College in 1946.  She was a life member of Zion Community Church and the Eastern Star in Goshen. She is survived by a niece, Michelle Rinehart of Elkhart; and four nephews, James (Joan) Stiver of Middlebury, Tom (Karen) Stiver of Syracuse, Ron Stiver of Georgia, and Craig (Pat) Stiver of Goshen. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Florence Showalter and Lucille Watts; and four brothers, Boyd, Fred L. “Roy”, Melvin, and Merrill Stiver. Friends may call 2 to 6 p.m., Sunday, November 9, at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church.  An Eastern Star Service will be held at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home. An 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 10, 2008, funeral service will be conducted at Zion Community Church, Millersburg.  Rev. Bob Doane will officiate. Burial will be in Brown Cemetery, Millersburg. Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Community Church or Goshen Chapter of the Eastern Star.