April 17, 1923 — Feb. 6, 2010
Della Jean “D.J.” Land Bender, 86, Kokomo, died at 8:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, at her home. Della was born April 17, 1923, in Tipton County, the daughter of Lee Roy and Nellie Mae (Prickett Ramseyer) Land, who preceded her in death. On March 10, 1946, at her parents’ home in Kokomo, Della married Malcolm F. “Mac” Bender, who survives.
Della was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who will be sadly missed by family and all who knew her.
She worked many jobs in her lifetime, the first being at her parents’ restaurant, Nellie’s Sandwich Shop. More employment followed with Globe American, Stellite, Long’s Supermarket, General Electric, Delco Radio and Tucson General Hospital in Arizona. She received her training as an OB technician at St. Joseph Hospital, where she was employed for 151/2 years. She was then employed at Howard Regional Health System for 15 years before retiring. She loved her job as an OB technician and assisted several doctors with the birth of many babies in the Kokomo and Howard County area.
Surviving, in addition to her husband, are a son, Jack L. Bender; three daughters, Shirley J. Bannister, Lauretta M. Taylor and her husband, Ronald, all of Kokomo, and Marilyn A. Lowe and fiancé, Charles William “Bill” Sturm, Greenfield; three grandchildren, Paul M. Burkett and his wife, Janelle, Crystal D. Gibson and her husband, Cory, and Joshua A. Taylor and his wife, Kathleen; two future grandchildren, Savannah Sturm and Chase Sturm; three great-grandchildren, Wesley Burkett and his fiance, Stefanie McAnnich, Kristen Burkett and Kyra Burkett, and one expected great-great-grandchild, Bentley Malcolm Burkett.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Harold D. Land; two sisters, Gladys “Joan” Hysong and twin Mary J. Alesky.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Shirley & Stout Funeral Home, Lincoln Road Chapel, 1315 W. Lincoln Road, with Pastor William Salsbery officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memory Gardens Mausoleum. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Online condolences may be left at www.shirleyandstout.com.
