Donald F. Backe of Crawfordsville died Saturday morning
at The Lane House Nursing Home. He was 93.
He was born May 14, 1918, in Crown Point, Ind., to
Frank J. and Teresa (Franz) Backe.
Don graduated from Catholic Central
High School in Hammond, Ind., in
1936 then served as a sergeant in the
Army from June 1941 to August 1945
mostly on the south Pacific islands of
New Caledonia and Guadalcanal. He
operated Backe Insurance Agency in
Hammond, Ind., for over 30 years
before relocating to Crawfordsville
where he continued in the insurance
business before his retirement. Until his recent illness,
Don was an active member of the Crawfordsville Kiwanis
Club, Knights of Columbus and American Legion Post 72,
a volunteer for the Crawfordsville Meals on Wheels and
helped seniors with their insurance benefits.
He was an avid reader and writer with a passion for
current events and anything Lincoln. Don was the founder
of The Calumet Movie Makers in Hammond in the late
1930's when he started a lifelong love of film and still
photography. He joined Elizabeth as a loyal Cubs fan and
had fond memories of their many driving vacations
around the country. Don's optimistic attitude was reflected
in one of his favorite sayings "Stay young!"
Don is survived by his wife of 25 years, Elizabeth
(Caster McCarthy); children, Mary Therese Dalton of
Chapel Hill, N.C., Ruth (Wayne Dertz) Mores of Hammond,
Ind., Tom (Pat) Backe of Sequim, Wash., Paul
Backe of Mesquite, Nev., Joan (Dan) Backe-Kuhl of
Westerville, Ohio, Jim (Betsy) Backe of Carmel, Ind.,
John (Shirley) Backe of Ashville, N.C. and Helen (Maureen
Schultze) Backe of Lansing, Ill.; brother, Francis
(Caroline) Backe of Westminster, Colo; 10 grandchildren,
10 great-grandchildren, seven stepchildren and
his Godson Jean-Fred Tessier in New Caledonia. He
was preceded in death by his parents and brother Gerald
Backe.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m.
Thursday, June 2 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in
Crawfordsville with visitation at Hunt & Son Funeral
Home from 4-7 p.m.Wednesday, June 1.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the
Crawfordsville Kiwanis Club or the Knights of Columbus
Council 15901.