93-year-old Jerome William Blesch of Holland and Zionsville, Indiana, passed away at 7:20 p.m., on Friday, June 28, at St. Vincent Hospice in Indianapolis.
He was born April 19, 1926, in Holland, Indiana, to Ira and Edna (Struckman) Blesch; and married Elizabeth Joan Heichelbech on May 6, 1950, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Jerome owned and operated Blesch Brothers, Inc. in Holland, a farm equipment dealership. He was a member of the Holland United Methodist Church, Holland American Legion Post #343, Holland Kiwanis Club, Dubois County Sheriff’s Merit Board, an officer for the Perry Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, and former board of directors member for the Holland National Bank and German American Bank. Jerome was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Joan “Betty” Blesch, who died March 20, 2016; and one son, Ronald E. Blesch.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Barbara (Lonnie) Shafer of Carmel, Indiana; one sister, Wanda Weitkamp of Indianapolis, Indiana; two grandchildren, David B. (Ashton) Shafer of Chicago, Illinois and Evan W. Shafer of Cleveland, Ohio; and one great-grandchild, Jackson Shafer of Chicago, Illinois.
Funeral services for Jerome Blesch will be held at 10:00 a.m., E.D.T., Saturday, July 6, at the Holland United Methodist Church with burial to follow at the Holland United Methodist Cemetery. Pastor Keith Chanley will officiate at the service. The Holland American Legion Memorial Detail will conduct military graveside rites.
Friends may call for visitation at the Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg from 2:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, July 5th; and also at church one hour prior to the funeral on Saturday. Memorial contributions can be made to the Ronald E. Blesch Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Dubois County Community Foundation or the Holland United Methodist Church’s Hummingbird Daycare Fund. Condolences may be shared online at: www.nassandsom.com
