Doris Jean Eiler

A devout Christian, faithful and quiet are just a few words to describe such a great lady like Doris Jean Eiler. She always would try to find the good in someone, be there for everyone and worried about others over herself. She was a role model to her grandchildren of a person you would want to be.

With America still trying to recover from the attacks on Pearl Harbor which led the United States into WWII, most manufacturing and supplies were set to support the war effort. Due to shortages with supplies, Americans saw the first rationing by 1942. During this time, the minimum draft age is lowered from 21 to 18 and the famous duct tape is invented. Much of the world was covering and talking about WWII but nothing was more exciting than the announcement on April 21, 1942 for William G. and DeLaures B. (Ables) Peppler than letting friends and family know that they welcomed another child into the world, Doris Jean.

Doris was born in Fort Wayne and before she was a teenager, she was living in rural Allen County. During high school she attended Huntertown before switching schools her senior year. She would graduate from Arcola High School in 1960.

Through some mutual friends, Doris would meet James Eiler, Jr. and the two married on September 16, 1967. They would welcome three wonderful boys into their home over the years, Rex, Jim and Kevin. With a loving heart, she also helped raise her nephew, Ed and nieces, Glenda and Karen.

By the time Doris was 25, she made the commitment to get her beautician's license. Over the years she owned and operated BeauMonde Beauty Salon before it became Headquarters East and retired from LeCharme Beauty Shop, which she also owned. Being retired gave her the opportunity to have quality time with her grandchildren. To her, the grandchildren were a reward for having children of her own. She had such a loving and carrying heart and cherished the time she spent with all of them. Some of the grandchildren even were fortunate enough to learn how to bake pies with her.

She was an avid pie baker and over the years submitted plenty of pies into the Whitley County 4-H fair. She also enjoyed watching her grandchildren participate in 4-H at the fair. Besides her pies, Doris was a great cook for her family and she also took advantage of having farm grown vegetables and would can and freeze to enjoy year round. Even though she was a great cook, Doris enjoyed going out to eat with her family and friends.

She stayed busy outside of her home by being involved and a member of Larwill Wesleyan Church, Larwill Lions Club, Richland Homemakers Club, Whitley County Homemakers Club plus her professional memberships with being a hair stylist.

Doris Jean Eiler, 75, of Larwill, Ind., passed away at 6:43 a.m. Thursday, March 15, 2018 at her sister's home, Larwill.

Survivors include her sons, Rex Eiler of Larwill, Jim (Melissa) Eiler, of South Whitley and Kevin (Bobbie) Eiler, of Columbia City; sister, Mary (Lin) Branning, of Larwill; brothers, Gary Peppler, of Howe, David (Deanna) Peppler, of Columbia City, Jonathan (Susan) Peppler, of Roanoke and Thomas Peppler, of Columbia City; sister-in-law, Diana Peppler, of Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Seth (Tiffany), Sophia, Tessa , Brianna, Kameron, Kaleb, Michael, Krista, Ryan, James "Jake" and Amy; two special nieces, Glenda Eiler and Karen Johnson plus a host of other loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jim Eiler; brother, Stanley Peppler; sisters, Darlene Peppler, Sandra Peppler and Jacqueline "Jackie" Peppler; and a special nephew, Ed Eiler.

Visitation is 1-5 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with Pastor Thomas Beck of Larwill Wesleyan Church officiating. Burial will follow at Richland Center (Compton/Norris) Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband who passed away in June of 2004. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to Larwill Lions Club or Larwill Wesleyan Church. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send her family condolences online.