Edward "John" C. Bickel

Edward "John" C. Bickel, 92, of Goshen, died Sunday, March 16, 2014, at IU Health Goshen Hospital where he had been since March 10. He was born December 28, 1921 in Middlebury Township, to Adam A. and Eve Edith (Klingaman) Bickel. On October 5, 1947 he married Verna L. Miller at St. John's Lutheran Church, Fish Lake, by Rev. Walter Wick. Verna died May 24, 2008, after 60 years of marriage. He is survived by a sister, Geneva Speicher and a brother, Ellsworth Bickel, both of Goshen; nieces, Marlene Knisley and Suzanne Thompson; and nephews, Michael and Max Bickel, Wayne Van Ness, Rodney Joe Speicher and Patrick and Steve Stiffler. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Charles M., Harold W., and Forest A.; two sisters, Gladys Van Ness and Aretha Stiffler; and a nephew, Rex Van Ness. John graduated from Millersburg High School in 1941. In October 1942 he joined the U.S Coast Guard and served at New Orleans, Brownsville, Texas, Brooklyn, N.Y., Corpus Christi, Texas and Alameda, Calif. While in Brooklyn, John attended a trade school graduating in the upper half of his class with a 3.196 grade point average. The Coast Guard then sent John to New Caledonia, a Pacific Island north and east of Australia. There he was placed on the USS L.S.J. 202 and was made deck foreman which meant he was in charge of all deck machinery and several men in the repair shop. The ship carried troops and supplies all over the Pacific making deliveries at various islands and crossing the equator 34 times from its home port at Port Moresby, New Guinea. Sometimes the ship encountered very bad storms with winds up to 180 miles per hour. John was honorably discharged in St. Louis, Mo., in December 1945. After returning home, John worked for ten years at Penn Electric Switch Company, Goshen and then in construction. He retired from the construction business at age 62, but continued working in his woodworking shop at his home. Friends may call 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home where a 10 a.m., Thursday funeral service will be conducted. Rev. Craig Knisley, nephew, will officiate. Burial will follow in Forest Grove Cemetery, Middlebury. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, Fish Lake.