Jacob W. Fluke, age 95, died in his home on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in the care of his daughters.
He served in the US Navy 1945-1946, working as a Hospital Corpsman in the South Pacific and in Bremerton, Wash.
Jake was a very successful, self-made man. He was a farmer in Northern Wells County for over 20 years, and still possessed his detailed finance ledgers dating to 1949 when he married Eileen Flora and became an independent partner in the family farm.
In the mid 1970s, he was employed as a Regional Field Assistant for Indiana Farm Bureau. He was the only one among his peers without a college degree. He didn’t need it. He stayed with Farm Bureau until his retirement in 1989.
Jake’s home church was Zanesville United Methodist Church, now known as Tower Life Center. His grandparents were founding members in the late 1800’s, raising their three daughters in the church. His mother, Linnie Bronner, married Earl Fluke and they continued as members of the church raising their four children there. When Jake and Eileen were married, they also maintained membership there until their deaths. Jake’s Christian faith was primary to his life, and his church was of great importance to him.
Jake outlived Eileen, his wife of 60 years, as well as all of his immediate family, sisters Frances (Hubert) Smith, Elizabeth (Ralph) Walker and Anna Laura (Denver) Slater. Preeceding also were a grandson and many, many good friends. He is survived, however, by his five daughters, 14 grandchildren and 25 great-granchildren. The Fluke daughters and spouses are; Linda and Randal Plummer, Keystone, Ind.; Sandra and Gilbert Young, Huntington, Ind.; Cinda Fluke and Ron Alvarez, Lexington, Ken.; Jalene Huff, Fishers, Ind.; and Dixie and Rob Wagner, Clover, S.C.
Many thanks to Tony and Lou Ann Garton, Tom Walton and family, and Reggie and Phyllis Hayes for visiting and expressing their love and concern to the end. Thanks, too, to the friends who continued to call until Jake could no longer recognize you or talk on the phone.
We especially, deeply appreciate caregivers Vickie, Lisa, Crystal, Stephanie and Jade along with his hospice nurse, Nate, his hospice aide, Krystal, and all of the Eleos Hospice staff. Without you we couldn’t have managed. You were all incredibly professional, helpful and loving.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, at Hoverstock Cemetery in Zanesville. A commemorative service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 13, 2022, at Tower Life Center in Zanesville. Memorial donations may be made to Eleos Hospice Care, 4432 Ardmore Ave Unit B, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46809 or the charity of your choice.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton. Friends can send online condolences to the family at www.thomarich.com.