Imogene Canan

Imogene Canan, a resident of Grace Village Retirement Community of Winona Lake, passed from this Earth to her heavenly home on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the age of 89.

She was born on Aug. 9, 1933, in Richmond, Ind., to Zelma Irene (Leab) Placke and Elmer H. Placke. Imogene graduated from Richmond High School in 1951 and went on to study nursing at Indiana University in Bloomington. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Indiana University School of Nursing in 1955. On Aug. 27, 1955, Imogene married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, John “Jack” Ronald Canan. They were blessed with 67 years of marriage, four children and later in life enjoyed becoming grandparents multiple times as well as becoming great-grandparents.

She and her husband have lived in several locations during their life together — Newport News, Va.; Bloomington, Ind.; Columbus, Ind.; Bryan, Ohio; Michigan City; Angola; Warsaw; and finally Winona Lake. During these years, she was not only a loving wife and mother, but also worked in her beloved nursing profession as a pediatric RN in Bloomington, a nurse at the Columbus, Ind., hospital and a nursing instructor in Coldwater, Mich. Imogene lived a life of service; she was one of the original founding members of Home Health Care (1979), Well Baby Clinic (1981), and Hospice (1982) of Kosciusko County (now Stillwater Hospice). She also gave her time as a volunteer for numerous area agencies.

Imogene and her husband, Jack, enjoyed their retirement years as avid travelers and lifelong learners participating in Interhostel and Elderhostel programs, visiting over 65 countries in six of the seven continents. They also enjoyed extensively touring the U.S., visiting all 50 states. Her passions in life included her faith in Jesus Christ, her family and her dedication to the medical profession. Imogene was a longtime member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Warsaw, joining in 1973. She was also an avid follower of IU, Purdue and Grace College men’s basketball.

She is survived by her husband, John “Jack” Canan, Winona Lake; four children, Jennifer (Brad) Miller, Vancouver, Wash., Sarah (Kevin) Klepfer, Greentown; James (Laurel) Canan, Fort Wayne; Kimberly (Brad) Jording, Roswell, Ga.; eight grandchildren, Kerry (Jessica) Miller, Courtney (Brian) Pickett, Kelsey (Adam Tran) Miller, Jonathon (Robyn) Klepfer, Erin (Silas) Stiner, Derek (Ali) Klepfer, Robert (Molly) Canan and Tyler (Kelsey) Canan; and seven great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Annette Smith, Kalamazoo, Mich., and Mila Serve, Kettering, Ohio; brother, Charles (Marsha) Placke, Gnaw Bone; sister-in-law, Mary Canan, Elyria, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Irene Placke; parents-in-law, George and Margaret Canan; sister, Patricia Hardwick; and brothers-in-law, James Canan, Herbert Smith and Paul Serve.

Imogene’s life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1720 E. Center St., Warsaw, and officiated by the Rev. Bill Carney. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 9:15-11:15 a.m. Burial will take place at a later date at Earlham Cemetery in Richmond, Ind. Arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.

Memorial donations may be directed to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1720 E. Center St., Warsaw, IN 46580; and Stillwater Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196.

Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.