Ellen Irene Deeter

Ellen Irene (Fugate) Deeter, 85, passed away on Monday, February 10, 2025, at her home away from home, Zionsville Meadows Memory Care, following several years of dementia and congestive heart disease.

Ellen was born on September 8, 1939, in Macomb, Illinois to Dale Forest and Grace (Goin) Fugate. The widowed Grace Fugate married Vernon Losch; together the two raised Ellen and her siblings in Creve Coeur, Illinois. Ellen graduated from East Peoria High School in 1957 and married Walt Deeter on June 30 of that year. Ellen and Walt were married for more than 67 years. Their children: Deb (Jim, decd.) Krupowicz of Westfield, IN, Ray (Nancy) Deeter of Pleasant Prairie, WI, and Clayton (Jennifer Fleming) Deeter of Minooka, IL survive. Ellen’s dear sister and best friend, Bonnie Eigenheer, also survives, as do numerous beloved nephews and nieces. Sister-in- law Joyce Fugate lives in Pekin; sister-in-law Barb Fugate resides in Florida. 

Ellen’s parents--Grace Fugate Losch, Dale Fugate, and Vernon Losch-- preceded her in death, as have her siblings and/or their spouses: Kenneth and Elaine Fugate, Jerry Fugate, Carol Brothers, Joe Eigenheer, Tom Fugate, and Lois Norris. Ellen’s son-in-law, Jim Krupowicz, and two great-granddaughters, Monica and Joanna LaPaglia, deaths also preceded Ellen’s.

In addition to being a devoted wife and loving mother, Ellen worked as a columnist for a brief period for the Plainfield Enterprise and as office support at Plainfield High School. Prior to retiring, she served as the customer service manager for Plainfield Stamping. Ellen also owned and operated an upholstery recovering business. She could fix washers, TVs, and vacuum cleaners! 

Ellen enjoyed life! She loved cooking and baking for family and friends, playing bingo and having coffee with her girlfriends, and golfing and playing cards with Walt and their friends. She played softball and volleyball with a very competitive spirit and took up golf in her mid-60’s. She loved to read and to write original poetry to create her own greeting cards. In their young married life, Ellen camped and fished with Walt and their dear friends, Marilyn and Bruce Laurie. She was blessed later to travel to Europe, to take cruises, and to visit Las Vegas multiple times, as well as many other US destinations with Ken and Elaine and Bonnie and Joe (her siblings and their spouses), as well as with special friends. She loved family reunions! The most recent reunion this past summer hosted by her beloved niece Brenda Tracy allowed a final time to connect not only with family members from throughout the Midwest, but also with family who came from Hawaii, California, and Switzerland.

Ellen relished time with her eleven grandchildren: Amber (Clinton)Garber, KimberLee (Robert) Gummere, Janelle (Zach) Hocutt, Jennifer Deeter, Ryan (Chris) Deeter, Katelyn (Jason) LaPaglia, Emilee (Zach) LeDuc, Ismarie (Anthony) Germaine, Colin (Erika) Deeter, Ismania (Moise) Guerrier-Graham, and Riley (Madison) Deeter. They fondly recall baking cookies, playing Yahtzee, card games, and dominoes, spending the night with siblings and the entire family, enjoying Grandma’s endless supply of Werther’s candy, making crafts, helping her make scalloped corn, getting drenched by a surprise shower after a long walk, being taught to sew, indulging in a manicure and eating out, and listening to her shrewd, common-sense advice. Ellen’s legacy will continue with the twenty-five great grandchildren that her grandchildren have added to her family so far.

Services to honor Ellen will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025, with visitation from 9-11am (CST) followed by an 11am (CST) funeral at Mission Bible Church, 412 N. Wabena, Minooka, IL 60447. A luncheon will follow. 

Donations can be made in Ellen’s honor to Mission Bible Church (address above) or to Zionsville Meadows’ activity director (Zionsville Meadows, 675 South Ford Rd., Zionsville, IN, 46077).