Mary (Squires) Shonkwiler

Mary C. (Squires) Shonkwiler of South Bend, passed into eternal rest on Thursday, November 6th, 2025, surrounded by the family she so deeply loved and who loved her in return.

Born on December 31st, 1930, in Mishawaka, Indiana, to the late John I. and Sarah E. (Stevenson) Squires, Mary spent her childhood and teenage years working diligently on the family farm, where her lifelong love of horses first began to shine through as she found joy and purpose in riding whenever she could.

A proud graduate of Van Buren High School in 1948, Mary would soon meet the love of her life, Forest Shonkwiler, the day he was honorably discharged from the Navy after World War II. The two were married on January 9th, 1949, beginning a union that would last nearly sixty-six beautiful years until Forest's passing on January 5th, 2015.

After a few years of marriage, Mary and Forest settled in South Bend, Indiana, where together they built a home filled with love, laughter, and the kind of strength that comes only from years of shared devotion. Mary worked for a number of years at Calho Fence Company while raising four children, managing to attend every sporting event, horse show, and rodeo that her children were involved in—never once allowing her presence to be missed by those who depended on her encouragement and boundless spirit.

Some of her fondest memories came in the last decade of her husband's working years, when they traveled extensively across the continental United States, as well as into Canada and Mexico, attending farm shows and making cherished memories that would stay with her for the rest of her life.

Mary's greatest joy came from her family, and she loved nothing more than watching her twelve grandchildren play sports and ride horses. She was affectionately known as "Grandma Shonk" by not only them but by countless other children who grew up in the horse community over the last five decades.

Mary is survived by three of her children: Gary L. (Janet) Shonkwiler of Brazil, Indiana; Sue E. (Torbert) Shonkwiler of Brazil, Indiana; and Steven J. (Kristi) Shonkwiler of Madison, Indiana. She also leaves behind twelve grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren, all of whom carry her strength, love, and spirit forward in their own lives.

Along with her husband, Mary was preceded in death by her beloved son, Robert D. Shonkwiler, on May 17th, 2003; her brother, Ralph L. Squires; and her sister, Ethel C. Wells. She was a loving sister, a devoted wife, a nurturing mother, and a steadfast friend—and there is comfort in knowing that she has now gone home to be with her Lord and reunited with those who went before her.

Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, November 12th, 2025, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Hanley and Sons Funeral Home, Southwest Chapel, 23421 S.R. 23, South Bend, Indiana. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 15th, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Lena United Methodist Church, 10932 S. Lena Rd, Brazil, Indiana, with burial to follow at Poff Cemetery, where Mary will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband.

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