Annabelle Neidlinger, of Dowagiac

Published 8:12 am Thursday, June 2, 2016

Annabelle Neidlinger, 97, of Dowagiac, died peacefully on May 25, 2016, at The Bowman Place in Three Rivers, Michigan.

Annabelle Neidlinger

Annabelle was born on 1919 in Volinia Township, Cass County, to Fred and Winnifred (Wickett) McWilliams of Decatur. She was preceded in Death by Husband Lee Neidlinger (2001) and Brothers, Robert and Clark and sisters, Maxine and Beverly.

She graduated valedictorian from Decatur High School and attended Western Michigan University obtaining a master’s degree in education. She married Lee after graduation and both began teaching in the Dowagiac School district until their retirements.

They had three children: Jean (Bill) Toivainen, (Deceased) of Kalamazoo, John (Mary) Neidlinger of Downers Grove, Illinois and Joe (Susan) Neidlinger of Constantine, Michigan. She has two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was also blessed to have three nieces that joined the family, all graduating from Dowagiac High School: Beth Neidlinger of Indianapolis Indiana, Kathy Schroeder of Bloomington, Indiana and Mary Jaramillo of Macas, Ecuador.

There are no planned services scheduled.

A family celebration of life will be held at Annabelle and Lee’s beloved Eagle Lake outside of Decatur, Michigan this summer.