Calling(s)

Wednesday, December 19, 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM Young Family Funeral Home - Kendallville Chapel

Thursday, December 20, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Young Family Funeral Home - Kendallville Chapel

Service

Thursday, December 20, 11:00 AM Young Family Funeral Home - Kendallville Chapel

Obituary

Sherrell J. "Sherry" Hutchins, 82, of Kendallville died Saturday, December 15, 2018, at 5:35 p.m. at her residence surrounded by her family.

She was born March 20, 1936, in Lafayette to S. Chester and Beulah L. (Ballenger) Harter.

Sherry graduated from Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis in 1953 and from Hanover College with a degree in Human Relations in 1957.

On September 1, 1956, in Indianapolis she married John Berhalter Hutchins. He preceded her in death on February 16, 2008.

In 1958, Mrs. Hutchins joined her husband in the family business, Berhalter-Hutchins Funeral Home in Kendallville and Wolcottville, now Young Family Funeral Homes. In the nineteen seventies and eighties she developed Berhalter-Hutchins Community Services, a lending library of grief resources and workshops focusing on Explaining Death to Children, The Hospice Concept, Widowed to Widowed Outreach, and joined with local bereaved parents to form a chapter of Compassionate Friends.

On the state and national levels she traveled with her husband when he served the Indiana Funeral Directors and the National Funeral Directors Association, and she had the opportunity to develop and contribute to workshops and publications such as: ADVOCATING UNDERSTANDING, a Manual for Caregivers, GRIEF AND THE LOSS OF AN ADULT CHILD, WHEN A BABY DIES, edited by Theresa Rando, Phd., and a slide presentation on Women in Funeral Service.

In Kendallville she was an Elder and active member of the First Presbyterian Church, a past president of Gamma Xi Chapter of Tri Kappa, and a current member of its Alpha Associate Chapter, and a longtime member of the Tuesday Club and her local Book Club.

In the past, Sherry enjoyed volunteering as Service Unit Chairman of the Area Girl Scouts, developing the East Noble Community Resource Committee, and serving on the YMCA Board of Directors.

Surviving are a daughter, Stacia (Edward) Stump of Kimmell; a son, J. Scott (Deb Couture) Hutchins of Kendallville; six grandchildren, Sheryl (Ben) Hawkins of Nappanee; Ethan (Sara) Henry of Kendallville; Thomas (April) Henry of Kendallville; Jocelyn Hutchins of Fort Wayne; Justin (Laura) Stump of Columbia City; and Andrew Stump of Kimmell; six great-grandchildren, Wyatt Petrie-Hawkins, Madison Hawkins, Jeremiah Lewis, Jayden Stump, Bryson Stump, and Brooklyn Stump; a sister-in-law, Jalna J. Lang of Kingwood, Texas; a niece, Leslie Lang; and a nephew, Todd Lang.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and an infant son, Byron Harter Hutchins.

Funeral services will be Thursday, December 20, 2018, at 11 am at the Young Family Funeral Home, Kendallville Chapel, 222 South State Street, Kendallville, with Rev. Stanley Kessler officiating. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville.

Visitation is Wednesday, December 19, 2018, from 2 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service on Thursday.

Casketbearers will be Sheryl Hawkins, Ben Hawkins, Ethan Henry, Thomas Henry, Jocelyn Hutchins, Hal "Howdy" Schuman, and Pat Young. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville.

Preferred memorials are to the Tri Kappa Scholarship Fund.

View a video tribute after Wednesday or share memories and condolences at www.youngfamilyfuneralhome.com