Inge Larsen Twitchell

Inge Larsen Twitchell passed away February 1, 2020, in Carmel, Indiana. She was 85.

Born January 5, 1935, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Inge was the second child of Harriet (Walsoe) and Einard Larsen. They named her Inge Dyring Larsen.

Inge grew up in the suburbs of Copenhagen, where her father played on the Danish national soccer team. She lived through the German occupation of Denmark during World War II, celebrating the end of the war when she was 10 years old.

As a young woman, Inge travelled to Scotland to assist in running an estate and perfect her English language skills. She later accompanied the owners of the estate to Australia, where she served as a nanny for their children for three years.

Inge moved to the United States in the 1950s at the invitation of her brother, Leif Larsen. She lived and worked at a ranch outside Tucson, Arizona, becoming a gourmet cook and dining manager.

Inge married Hanford Mead Twitchell Jr. March 15, 1969, at the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen.

The young couple travelled in Europe as chaperones with the global volunteer organization, Up With People, and Inge sewed costumes for its productions. Inge and Mead settled in Los Angeles, where Inge worked as a seamstress at Bullock’s department store.

In 1972, Mead’s job took the couple to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they lived for 37 years. Inge was a homemaker and enjoyed writing, tennis and masters-level bridge. She belonged to a gourmet cooking club and sometimes served as a Danish-English translator. She loved art and antiques, collecting finely-woven Native American baskets.

In 2009, Inge and Mead relocated to Indianapolis to be closer to their son, Robert Mead Twitchell; daughter-in-law, Evelyn Ellison Twitchell; grandson, Robert Spencer Twitchell; and granddaughter, Camille Grace Twitchell, all of whom survive. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary shortly before Mead died last year.

Inge was a devoted wife, mother, sister and grandmother. She is survived by her brothers, Leif Larsen of Mercer Island, Washington, and Kaj Larsen of Copenhagen, Denmark, and their families. Inge was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

She will be laid to rest in the Twitchell family cemetery on Setauket, Long Island. A memorial service will begin at 2:00 pm on Sunday February 23, 2020 at Flanner Buchanan – Carmel (325 E Carmel Dr, Carmel, IN 46032). Following the service, the Twitchell family would like to invite everyone to stay for a reception at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Eiteljorg Museum, 500 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, or to the Indiana University Foundation in support of the Vera Bradley Center for Breast Cancer Research, P.O. Box 7072, Indianapolis, IN, 46207-7072