Stillinger Family Funeral Homes

03/06/2026

Did you know that mortuary cosmetology is an essential part of many funerals? This informative article provides helpful insight into the job, how it benefits grieving families, and the pathway to becoming a certified mortuary cosmetologist. Read to learn more about this crucial career!

What is a mortuary cosmetologist? What do they do? Read the article to learn more about the profession and how it can be a fulfilling career.

03/04/2026

Join our Circle of Friends newsletter family! Because we care about the well-being of every family we serve, you can sign up to receive monthly grief and recovery newsletters in your email inbox, full of great information, stories, poems, and inspirational quotes that will help you throughout this difficult time. Go to everythingafter.com/cof/stillinger-family-fh/submission-tool to sign up today!

03/02/2026

03/01/2026

Cheers to the trailblazing women who have transformed history - from fearless suffragists to groundbreaking scientists. Their courage and determination continue to inspire generations to dream big and break barriers.

02/27/2026

Frank Smith

Marion Francis Smith, or more fondly known as Frank or Frankie, 55, New Palestine, IN, passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Frank was born December 19, 1970, in Bluffton, IN, to Elmer Max and the late Nancy Kay (Shoultz) Smith. Frank is a graduate of Southern Wells High School, Bluffton, IN.

Immediately following high school, Frank landed a position with Kurt Hough and Hough Racing as a long-haul driver moving from state to state, track to track, with his prized motorcycles. Frank then transitioned into becoming a tire changer for the Hough ARCA racing team for many years. Although Frank probably didn’t know how large of a character he became, he was hob-knobbing with the big names, the big teams, and even bigger monies. To say that Frank had a few celebratory beers to cheer his team on, his favorite drivers, or their teams on, would be an understatement. Most in the circuits knew Frank by name and association and all would chat it up while having a good time along with another beer. Some of the drivers and pit crew members personally visited Frank and his father at their New Palestine homestead as well as kept up with one another over the years.

Most of Frank’s inner circle knew him as quite the beer drinker, one who would always be wearing work boots and shorts, and one that loved to have a good time. Frank loved to spend time at Patoka Reservoir boating, fishing, taking in the sun, and drinking. He was also a co****le champ that no one could win against. Frank’s son remembers him as being a passionate parent when it came to his participation in sports.

Frank is survived by his father, Elmer Smith; sons, Chase Michael Smith and Mason Eugene Smith (fiancé Maysen Gillespie); sisters, Angie (Scott) Slusher, Chris Mossburg, and Dee Dobson (Vince Hoopingarner); mother-of-his sons, Stacy Smith; and several nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Smith and brother-in-law, John Mossburg.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Stillinger Family Funeral Home- Hendryx Mortuary, 19 East Main Street, New Palestine, IN. A graveside service will be held the following morning, Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at Mossburg Cemetery, Liberty Center, IN, officiated by Pastor Jeremiah Wondercheck. Memorial contributions may be made to any of the stroke societies across the country, as Frank sustained one five years ago: American Stroke Foundation, American Stroke Association, World Stroke Organization, and/or the National Stroke Association. If you would like to sign the online guest book or send condolences to the family, you may do so by visiting www.stillingerfamily.com

View Frank Smith's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

02/27/2026

Grief support groups bring so much hope and healing to countless people, but how do you know which one to choose? As you consider your options, keep these 9 qualities of a good grief support group in mind!

Would you like to try a grief support group, but you're not sure what to look for? Read more to learn 9 qualities every group should have.

02/26/2026

John Richard Hargrove

John Richard Hargrove, 78, Wilkinson, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. After his long battle with illness and the recent tragic death of his beloved wife, Adeen, time spoke to John. John was born on May 19, 1947, in Shelbyville, IN, to parents John Jeane and Mary Helen (Marks) Hargrove. In high school he was an accomplished wrestler and shot putter. He married his high school sweetheart Linda Adeen Brooks on October 31, 1965.

John was a rather simple man and a man of few words. His actions, however, were bold and lasting. John was a carpenter from a young age. He built many of the local homes in rural Hancock County; his home included, nestled amongst the trees and nature. He enjoyed the outdoors and everything it had to bring. Often he could be found decompressing at home surrounded by nature’s simplicity. He was a hunter of rabbits, squirrels and snapping turtles, a salmon fisherman, and a mushroom hunter. His fishing tournaments secured him many trophies. He was also a successful Brandywine Beagle breeder, and his workmanship also secured him many trophies, but more so, happy clients from out of state who bought the puppies. He co-owned and operated HB Construction for many years and was a Midwest Regional Carpenter’s Union member. He and Adeen were tenured worshippers of Willow Branch United Methodist Church.

John is survived by his two loving daughters, Julie (Brian) Armstrong and Lisa (Cale and the late Doug Deeter) Martin; 7 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Adeen of almost 60 years; and a brother.

Visitation will be on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon at Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 West Main Street, Greenfield, with the service immediately following, officiated by Pastor Tara Varner. Burial will be in McCray Cemetery, Wilkinson. Memorial contributions may be made to Willow Branch United Methodist Church and/or to a nature preserve as John loved his time in nature. If you would like to sign the online guest book or send condolences to the family, you may do so by visiting www.stillingerfamily.com

View John Richard Hargrove's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

02/26/2026

Susan Jeanne (Holmgren) Riordan

Susan Jeanne (Holmgren) Riordan, 67, Greenfield, passed away peacefully in her home with loved ones by her side on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Susan was born on April 11, 1958, in Chicago Heights, IL, to parents John Patrick and Patricia Jeanne (Boos) Holmgren. Susan graduated from Bloom High School in Chicago Heights. She continued her education and graduated from Governors State University in University Park with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, accomplished her CPA licensing, and even stood in as the president of her local CPA chapter.

Susan had many loves in her life. Her foremost love was for her family. She married Kevin R. Riordan on September 30, 1978. As she and Kevin settled down, they welcomed four children into their household; Elizabeth, Peter, Kathleen and Christina. To say that the daily routine was calm was an understatement. The children were always on the go and extremely active with their own lives. Susan was their biggest supporter and advocate, attending their activities, lending an ear or a shoulder to cry on, and guiding them through every success and failure. She rarely missed a sporting event, music concert, theatre performance, and much more. She even involved herself in their activities by becoming a Girl Scout leader as well as a Boy Scout den mother. She was her children’s number one fan. An even stronger spark of joy ignited as her children grew up, married, and started growing their families. Susan was right there in full grandma mode; not only for the grandbabies, but for the four-legged fur-babies as well. After retirement and a move to Greenfield, Susan’s greatest joy came from caring for her grandchildren. She was a devoted and hands-on grandmother. Her love knew no distance; whether caring for little ones day to day, or keeping close through frequent visits and phone calls, she was a constant and loving presence in the lives of all her grandchildren.

Alongside the love for her family, her faith was powerful and spanned many decades. Her parents held a strong Catholic faith along with her uncle Raymond who was a Catholic priest. This led to many attended services and learned traditions. While in Illinois, Susan worshiped at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Homewood. She generously served the church as a CCD teacher, a Eucharistic minister, a lector, and enjoyed decorating the church during different seasons. While in Greenfield, she worshiped at St. Michael Catholic Church.

Another beautiful part of Susan’s life was her joyful spirit and love of having fun. She was a social butterfly and always had a smile on her face while visiting with friends and family. She made friends wherever she went. She also possessed an adventurous side and loved to travel with Kevin and her family. Critical thinking games and puzzles, like Suduko and Rummikub, were one of her favorite pastimes. She also enjoyed slower paced activities like reading and color-by-numbers. She spent many happy hours sewing, whether it be creating hand-sewn Halloween costumes for her children, performing “surgery” on the dog toys, or mending the grandchildren’s blankets. She will be remembered for her trademark recipes such as Christmas morning cinnamon rolls, lemon bars, german chocolate squares, snickerdoodle cookies and more. Although not a master gardner, she had a green thumb, as both her flower and vegetable gardens always thrived. She loved helping others and volunteered her time, assisting in tax preparation, as well as with animals through PAWS and the Humane Society. She never sat still and was always active, running in 5k races with her co-workers, and in more recent years she helped lead the neighborhood chair yoga group. Not to mention the full energy she brought when playing on the floor with her grandbabies and grand fur-babies.

By trade, Susan was a dedicated and loyal employee as an accountant, spending a significant part of her early career at Midwest Physician Group. She completed her professional career with Advocate Health Care, retiring in 2020 after 14 years of dedication.

Susan is survived by her loving husband Kevin of 47 years; their children: Elizabeth (Alex) Aldape, Peter (Stephanie) Riordan, Kathleen Joy (Kyle) Dean, and Christina (Dustin) Eliason; 5 awesome grandchildren: Liam Dean, Declan Dean, Keeva Dean, Eleanor Eliason, and Emmett Eliason; siblings: Carole (Ron) Weidhuner, Jeff (Janet) Holmgren, David (Rebecca) Holmgren, James Holmgren, and Janice (Dan) Ricker; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John Patrick and Patricia Jeanne (Boos) Holmgren; aunts and uncles, Father Raymond Holmgren, Geraldine and Larry O’Connor, Harriett and Frank Aldendorf, Marge and Ernie Barra, Dorothy and Joe Haley; sister-in-law, Laurie Holmgren; and nephew, Jonathan Weidhuner.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 West Main Street, Greenfield, IN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held the following morning, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Michael Catholic Church, 519 Jefferson Blvd, Greenfield, IN, with Father Aaron Jenkins officiating. Memorial contributions may be made of the Arbor Day Foundation, under tab “Dedicate a Planting; Trees for Celebration or Memory, “ via website www.arborday.org . If you would like to sign the online guest book or send condolences to the family, you may do so by visiting www.stillingerfamily.com

View Susan Jeanne (Holmgren) Riordan's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

02/26/2026

Did you know that it's National Letter to an Elder Day? Kindness travels through the mail, and with a heartfelt note, you can make someone's day. Try it!

02/25/2026

When it comes to finding a trustworthy guide to help you and your family through the funeral planning process, look no further than David Stillinger!

David is our Funeral Director and Owner, and he has worked in funeral service since graduating from high school in 1983. After earning bachelor’s degrees in both architecture and environmental design, he attained his associate’s degree from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1996.

He is a member of Hancock Lodge #101, the Valley of Indianapolis Scottish Rite, and a former president of the Rotary Club of Greenfield. In October of 2008, he became certified with the State of Indiana as a Medico-Legal Death Investigator. In 2017, David was elected the new Hancock County Coroner and served two four-year terms.

David and his wife, April, have three sons, one daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. They have four labradoodles: Harley, Harper, Foster, and Huxley, who are all grief therapy dogs. David loves to remodel old homes and is an enthusiast of Corvettes and Harley-Davidsons. He is a member of Park Chapel Christian Church.

To learn more about David and our amazing team, visit www.stillingerfamilyfuneralhome.com/about-us/our-staff.

02/24/2026

Gale (Wood) Bridgewater

Karen Gale (Wood) Bridgewater, 65, Greenfield, passed away Sunday, February 22, 2026, with family by her side. Gale was born on February 7, 1961, in Indianapolis, to parents, Dennis Gene and Veda Mae (Gross) Wood. Gale attended John Marshall High School in Indianapolis. She married the love of her life, Gary Lee Bridgewater, on December 30, 1981.

Gale had a heart of gold and was so full of love. She never met a stranger, worried about everything and everyone in a good way, and loved her community. Gale loved to embody herself amongst others. She enjoyed get-togethers, having everyone gather around the swimming pool, as well as during the holidays or celebratory gatherings. She thrived on being the social butterfly. She was strong-willed as well as supportive of all, whether they were family, friends-of-friends, or neighbors down the road. She held onto small mementos that blossomed and flourished into sentimental keepsakes throughout her life as well as her children’s and grandchildren’s lives. She collected small trinkets that came with stories and loving memories. She loved to bird watch, but especially the hummingbirds as they fluttered about her flowers. Speaking of flowers, Gale had very beautiful flower beds while she and Gary lived in Indianapolis. And when they moved to Greenfield, so did her love of flowers. Gale was awarded one of The City of Greenfield’s ‘2020 Greenfield in Bloom’ beautiful yards designation. Although Gale had many loves, her biggest and greatest loves were directed towards her children and grandchildren. She was always present, active, attentive, and giving to them. They will surely miss her and she them. Gale worked many years in the customer service field with at least two printing companies: the most recent at Greenfield’s PostNet as well as Indianapolis’s PIP.

Gale is survived by her loving husband Gary of 44 years; sons, Gary Brian Bridgewater and Andrew Lee (Tequila) Bridgewater; grandchildren: Kelsey Lynn (Sam) Bolinger, Gary Otto Bridgewater, Evan Joseph Bridgewater, Ethan Lee Bridgewater, and Ean Andrew Bridgewater; brothers, Richard Wood and Jeff (Staci) Lee; and several nieces and nephews.

Gale was preceded in death by her father, Dennis Wood; mother, Veda Irelan; brother, Danny Wood; sisters, Patty Sweet, Robin Wood, and Teresa Pratt; and two stepfathers, Francis Lee and Ralph Irelan.

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 West Main Street, Greenfield, with the service starting at 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Andrew & Tequila Bridgewater, to offset funeral expenses, please. If you would like to sign the online guest book or send condolences to the family, you may do so by visiting www.stillingerfamily.com

View Karen Gale (Wood) Bridgewater's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.