Cletea Laneis Pence

Cletea Laneis (Nisi) Pence passed away peacefully on the morning of October 16th, 2020. She was born to Ross and Ruby Broyles on September 11, 1927 and grew up in Sharpsville, Indiana. Laneis had an older brother Jack and three younger sisters,Marcia, Vangie and Sharrie. Although she lived right across the street from the Sharpsville school, she was known to frequently be late to class! She attended nursing school in Indianapolis following her high school graduation and received her pin but chose not to finish the four-year curriculum. After meeting her future husband, Jim Pence, they eloped and were married on December 21, 1947, and established their home in a rural farmhouse near Sharpsville. Their first child was Blaine and by the time Kim and Kristi were born, they had moved to Cassville to live in the house where her husband Jim was born and raised. They enjoyed over 20 years in that home and became close friends with their neighbors, Richard and Jeanie Baker. Together, they would often travel to Canada together with their fishing boats, and camping gear to find the perfect, back-country lake where the fish were plentiful. With their coolers full of dry ice and loaded with fish, they would return to Cassville where they would throw a huge fish fry for all the friends and family . In April of 1972, following the passing of their oldest son Blaine, and the high school graduation of Kim and Kristi, they purchased a farm in Miami County where they began to build a new home on the sixty-eight acres. During the years that followed, they lived in a trailer they had parked in the woods on the farm until 1976 when they were finally able to move into the new home. Laneis often commented that they had more company in those close quarters than when they were in their previous home! However, in her “no fuss” manner, she continued to host all of the family gatherings. They even hosted the wedding reception for Kristi and her husband Don outside of the new house that was framed and had a roof overhead in case of rain. For many years afterwards, they would continue to find champagne corks in the front yard whenever Jim would mow the grass. Laneis spent a great deal of time in her huge garden surrounded by numerous fruit trees. She was known as the “applesauce lady” because of the endless supply she would freeze and enjoy all year. The cherry tree harvest was an annual event where she would invite the grandchildren to pick all the cherries with her before the birds would raid the trees. In addition to spending time in her garden, Laneis decided to try out her entrepreneur skills and began selling her Forever Living Aloe Vera products. She met so many people through that work that ultimately became lifelong friends. Everyone around her knew that there was nothing a little aloe vera jelly could not cure! Jim and Laneis celebrated their 50th anniversary at the gardens of Jack and Betty Fightner’s home. This memorable event was attended by all of their life-long friends and family and it was truly a grand occasion. In their retirement years Jim and Lanes would spend their winters in the Lake Placid, Florida area. They would always route their way through North Carolina to spend time with Don & Kristi and their three grandchildren, Eric, Megan, and Kyle. Of course there would always be a project for Jim while he was there so they would sometimes extend their stay and Laneis would get more special time with her grandkids. Laneis was fortunate enough to be close to her twin grandsons, Bart and Bryan as they grew up in Kokomo. She would later enjoy her grandchildren of Kim and Tammy, twins Mandy and Laura, and later grandson Nathan , who became the spark that kept Laneis “young”. In recent years she also became a great grandmother to twelve children. Since Laneis was an excellent cook, the family would always look forward to her frequent family dinners that were enjoyed by all! Laneis was well loved by her Emmanuel Fellowship Church family. She played a special role during weeks of Camp Emmanuel each summer, and was one of the first cooks to arrive in the morning to prepare breakfast. She happily held the position of “Pancake Chef” and stressed the importance of NOT getting all of the lumps out of the batter as “that’s where the flavor is”. Laneis also served as “Cabin Judge”. She had the boys and girls in suspense each morning as she inspected the cabins following cabin clean-up. After meticulous inspection, she then declared the winner, and surprisingly, her granddaughters did not always win! She also helped to prepare the MWBW meals for a special group of seniors each year. Laneis suggested that dressing be added to the menu and shared her mother’s recipe, and It was a hit! She was responsible for the mini meatloaf portion of the meal, as well. Her special recipes for both have been used for years and will continue on… Laneis enjoyed church friends. She and Violet Stuber (former Pastor’s wife) would often spend hours at the camp kitchen throughout the year making homemade noodles from scratch to share. Laneis and her friend Frances Hiers shared their special love of birds and flowers. When Jim and Laneis would spend winters in Florida, she would deliver her favorite plants to Frances' home for TLC until she returned in the spring. They enjoyed the special connection that for one month each year, they were the same age. Laneis loved music, especially upbeat songs. The Emmanuel Fellowship Church family visited Laneis during her years at Century Villa to share songs with her and her friends. Each time, she was sure to be present in the front line of singers and declared.. “This is my church group”! Her EFC family had the privilege of serenading her from outside her room window at Wellbrooke in September in celebration of her 93rd Birthday! Grandma Nisi was sure to be a part of the Miami County 4-H fair supporting Mandy, Laura and Nate each year whether they were showing beef, sheep, goats, rabbits or chickens. She was a bit amazed that it was necessary to give chickens a bath before going to the fair. A stop at Grandma Nisi's house each day going to or from school was the best part of the day for Mandy, Laura and Nate! Following the passing of her husband Jim, in 2001, she was able to remain on the farm until 2011 before moving into an assisted living facility. There she was able to meet new people, but she clearly missed the farm home and looked forward to her return visits and the many weenie roasts with the family. Deeply devoted to her husband and family, Laneis worked tirelessly to provide a loving home and raise her children, later getting to spend special time with her grandchildren. You would often find her playing football with Bart & Bryan in the front yard, bottle feeding the baby goats with Mandy, Laura, and Nathan, or propelling Eric, Megan, and Kyle on the lake, in the yellow raft. She was always by their side and provided strength and love when it was needed the most. Laneis will be deeply missed by her family. She taught us to love, to see beauty, and to take our place in the world. She will always be with us in the lessons she taught and the love she showed. A private family service will be held October 30th at the Sharpsville First United Methodist church. A video tribute may be seen, and condolences offered at www.ellersmortuarywebster.com