By HOLLY GASKILL
They say good things come in pairs, and this year’s dual recipients of Wells County Citizen of the Year would certainly agree.
“There’s no way we could accomplish what we do in this business, there’s no way we could accomplish what we could do in this community, without both of us,” said Jeff Lemler of he and his wife, Jamie. “Without both of us, neither of us are perfect, but we’ve figured out where our strengths and weaknesses are, and we work together. It’s been a fabulous journey.”
Jeff and Jamie Lemler were surprised with the honor on Tuesday as a group of community members and close friends flooded the entryway of the Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton.
Erin Prible, executive director of the Wells County Chamber of Commerce, was moved to tears as she recognized the dynamic relationship between the husband and wife and how they’ve served the community.
“It is your kindness, grace and compassion that have distinguished you both as worthy recipients of this esteemed award,” Prible said. “Your actions speak louder than words, and the positive impact you’ve made over the years in Wells County will undoubtedly be felt for decades to come. Your legacy is not just about the tasks you’ve undertaken but about the lives you’ve enriched, the spirits you’ve lifted, and the smiles you’ve brought to faces in time of need.”
On most days, the Lemlers work around the clock in service of the community. With the funeral home, the two help families through a time of great need and many questions. But for them, service is just in their nature.
The Lemlers have become knitted into the fabric of Wells County through countless fundraising endeavors, leadership roles and community support efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple spearheaded the “Light Up Wells” movement to lift community members’ spirits and raise money for healthcare workers.
“But we learned really early on (that) the neatest thing to do is to meet needs and have nobody know who does it,” Jeff said.
Jeff and Jamie are lifelong residents of Wells County. Jeff graduated from Norwell High School, attended Purdue University, and returned home in 1999 to learn the trade under a former funeral home director, Howard Rich. As he was learning the business, he met Jamie Kain, a Bluffton High School graduate. At the time, Jamie was supposed to have an internship in South Carolina the following fall.
Convinced he was called to the funeral home and of his love for Jamie, Jeff took a plane to South Carolina and convinced her to take a job back home. They’ve been a duo ever since.
The couple married in 2004, and have two children — Braden, 15, and Macy, 13, who attend Bluffton schools. Jamie later joined the funeral home full-time when they became the sole owners in 2014.
Alongside multiple letters of recommendation from community members, Jessica Bricker had nominated the couple for the award. In her letter, she wrote, “While it may be unusual to nominate a married couple for this honor, I truly believe the Lemlers are a team and together, they are most deserving of this recognition … I know there is likely much more that they have done over the years that we will never know, and they will continue doing so because that is the type of people they are.”
Although honored, Jeff repeatedly stated, “There are so many people more deserving of this.” Everything they’ve done, the couple explained, has been a result of others pouring into them first. Their love of this community and the many ways they’ve served it is born within a greater tradition of the people here.
“I think we try to lead by example, and we’re blessed to have had the examples we’ve had, including Howard (Rich) and my grandparents (Jim and Mary Alice Jackson),” Jamie explained.
Ultimately, the couple believes the strength of the community is its ability to work together and help one another. For Jeff, who self-admittedly speaks in analogies, it wasn’t too hard to find one or two that fit the bill — the structure of a suspension bridge, jewels in a crown — and Jamie lovingly laughed alongside.
“As long as you can leave the woodpile higher than you found it,” Jeff said. “And if there’s people in this county that thinks we’ve left things better than we found it, then that’s the greatest compliment they could give us.”
And in closing, he assured, “We’re not done. As long as the journey goes, we’re not done.”
holly@news-banner.com
