Isabelle Lee (Brewer) Black, 70, died at 10 p.m. June 28 at Community North Hospital in Indianapolis. Although her heart had long been weak, her family and friends always benefited from what her brother Paul once called “the biggest heart of anyone I know.”
Isabelle was born on Nov. 7, 1940, to Paul G. and Mae (Winkler) Brewer in Indianapolis. Isabelle and her brothers lived in and attended schools in Indianapolis and New Palestine, Ind., and she graduated from Shortridge High School.
She was adventurous and practically fearless. She loved amusement park rides and scary movies. Isabelle was a voracious reader, favoring mysteries and historic fiction, and she helped spearhead the movement for a library branch in New Palestine. She could find as much glee in cartoons and kids’ movies as kids do.
Isabelle held several jobs in her life, working at a drugstore soda fountain, at AUL Insurance Co. in Indianapolis and at a day-care center, among other things. But she always considered her true calling to be that of a wife and mother, and at that, she excelled.
She married Thomas Marvin Black on Nov. 26, 1959. After the two of them moved their family from Terre Haute to the Black homestead near Greenfield in 1974, Isabelle was able to also mother countless lambs, stray cats, ailing dogs and baby rabbits.
Our mother was a Cub Scout leader and a longtime Girl Scout leader, loving the fun and adventure that came from many camping trips and other events. She watched from the stands at countless band concerts, baseball games and wrestling matches over the years. One of her proudest moments was when the New Palestine High School wrestling team one year presented her with her own shirt, “TEAM MOM” emblazoned across the back. Isabelle didn’t just pull for and worry about her own kids; everyone else’s were somehow hers, too.
Isabelle loved being active and was especially fond of her sisters in the Eastern Star, where she had held many offices including Worthy Matron and Grand Representative of Saskatchewan Grand Chapter of Indiana. She also belonged to the Hancock County Home Economic Club and the Red Hat Society.
Surviving are her husband, Thomas; children, Virginia Black of South Bend and her sons, Austin and Anthony; Thomas (Carolyn) Black of Kinsale, Ireland, and his daughters, Alexandra, Sarah and Catherine; Christopher Black of Orlando, Fla., and his daughter, Elizabeth; her brother Thomas (Anita) Brewer of Fort Wayne, Ind.; her brother Paul’s wife, Jane, of Indianapolis; and several nieces and nephews of whom she was quite fond.
Her parents and younger brother, Paul Brewer, preceded her in death.
Calling will be at 5 p.m. on July 13 with services beginning at 6 p.m. at Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 West Main St., Greenfield.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Eden Chapter 101 Edna Hayes Scholarship Fund, in care of the funeral home.
"I hope I will be able to help you," our mother ended her last letter not long ago, "but if not, remember I will always watch over you."
