Lois S. Ludwig

Born April 21, 1923, in Seneca County near Tiffin, Ohio, she was the youngest of three children of Lester Bruce and Ida Elnora Good Summer. She graduated from Hopewell-Loudon High School as the valedictorian of the Class of 1941. In the fall of 1941, she entered Heidelberg College in Tiffin, just months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She continued her college education during the tumultuous years of World War II and graduated from Heidelberg with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin in 1945.

Lois began her first year of teaching in the fall of 1945 at Amherst High School in Amherst, Ohio, where she taught Latin and English. In January of 1946, she met Donald James Ludwig, a fellow teacher who had returned to his position at Amherst High School after his service during World War II. They began dating, and Lois completed her second year of teaching there. In 1947 she attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and earned a Master of Arts degree in Latin.

Lois and Donald Ludwig were married in Bascom, Ohio on June 13, 1948. She took a new position at Clearview High School in Lorain, Ohio, where she taught Latin and English and served as the advisor of the school’s drama club. That year her students won first place in the state of Ohio’s annual competition for the best high school dramatic performance.

In 1949, Lois moved to Bloomington, Indiana with her husband after he was accepted as a graduate student in the doctoral program of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation at Indiana University. As no teaching positions were available at Bloomington High School, she worked as a secretary in the IU School of Education until the birth of her daughter, Linda, in November of 1951. Following the birth of her son, William, in May of 1953, Don completed his Doctor of Health and Safety degree in August and accepted a position as an assistant professor at IU. They decided to remain in Bloomington, and another son, Donald Jr., was born in April of 1956. With the family complete, Lois and Don continued to live in Bloomington for the remainder of their lives.

Lois and Don became members of the First United Methodist Church in 1955. In order to meet people and expand her circle of friends, Lois joined a group of church women meeting monthly for devotions and fellowship. As a longtime member of the Phoebe Circle, Lois supported the local church and community with her time and talents and became even more involved with United Methodist Women on the state and national level. For 65 years, Lois supported First United Methodist Church in various leadership roles, teaching Sunday School and serving on numerous church committees.

As her involvement in United Methodist Women grew, Lois served as president of the South Indiana Conference of United Methodist Women from 1971 to 1975. She was actively involved in supporting the Lucille Raines Residence, the Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home and the Franklin United Methodist Home for retired individuals. On a national level, she served as a member of the Board of Directors of the General Board of Global Ministries, the worldwide mission agency of the United Methodist Church, from 1981 to 1984.

Lois was elected to serve as a lay delegate to the Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1984. She also served many years as a delegate to the South Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church held annually in June. She was a regular participant in the church’s School of Christian Missions sessions held every summer.

In addition to her volunteer work with the church, Lois was a devoted mother to her children and very involved in all their school and athletic activities. She was a loving grandmother to her grandchildren, giving them many special memories of fun times together that they will cherish always.

Lois was an avid sports fan and a proud supporter of IU athletics. She was a member of the IU Varsity Club and a season-ticket holder for men’s basketball since 1949. She was also a devoted fan of the Butler Bulldogs basketball team, since her grandchildren Christopher and Sarah both graduated from Butler. She enjoyed being a member of Conversation Club and the Argonaut Club and held past memberships in the Bloomington Country Club and the University Women’s Club at IU.

Lois and Don enjoyed traveling to other states and foreign countries. She was especially proud to have visited all 50 of the United States. She also loved to spend winters in Bonita Beach, Florida in her “retirement” years.

Lois is survived by her daughter, Linda Goff, of Bloomington; her son, William Ludwig, of North Vernon; and her son, Donald Jr., and wife Janet of Little Rock, Arkansas. She is also survived by her grandson, Christopher Goff, of Indianapolis; her granddaughter, Sarah Goff, of Greenwood; her step-grandson, Ryan Berdel, of North Vernon; and her step-granddaughter, Rebecca Berdel, of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 61 years, Donald, in 2009; her brother, Robert Summer; her sister, Helen Holcomb; her daughter-in-law, Jan Ludwig, in 2004; and her son-in-law, Frank Goff, in 2008.

A service of celebration will be held at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home on Saturday, January 16, at 12:00 noon. Entombment will follow at Valhalla Memory Gardens. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturday before the service.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church at umcmission.org/givelove, the First United Methodist Church of Bloomington or the Donald J. Ludwig Scholarship at the Indiana University Foundation, P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46206.

Online condolences may be given at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com.