Mary Sue Mehler, of Portage and formerly of Black Oak, passed away on March 13, 2024, at age 90.  Born to the late Cornel and Nora Paschall in Paris, Tennessee, Mary was the middle of three children.  As an adult, she lived and worked in several states before settling in northwest Indiana. She was the long-time proprietor of the Cedar Inn in Black Oak.

Mary had many hobbies growing up, including reading and crocheting.  She was also an avid CB user in the 1970s, going by the handle “Gravel Gertie.”  As she got older, she turned to more relaxing pursuits, such as catching up with her favorite vintage western TV shows.  She enjoyed travelling, spending memorable summers at Lake Eliza with family and friends.  While Mary cherished many of the knickknacks and gifts her children and grandchildren bought and made her, nothing made her happier than her frog collection, to which everyone contributed to.

While she had many loves in her life, her family and friends were her highest priority, and nothing made her happier than spending time with both.  Her love of food, holidays, and jokes lives on in the generations that follow her.  While she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Phillip “Buck” Mehler, son Lee Paschall, and granddaughters Michelle Collier and Tonda Heywood, she was blessed to be surrounded by her children and grandchildren to the very end.

Mary’s memory will live on in the people she is survived by: daughter Elaine (Gary) Hutchens, daughter Mary Catherine Poweska, daughter Carolyn Jo (Tom) Cizon, son John A. (Tina) Wheatley, and daughter Karen (Scott) Massom.  She is also survived by many grand, great-grand, and great-great-grandchildren and her dear friend, Libby Perryman.  A private memorial was held for the immediate family, and she will be interred along with her husband, Phillip, at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Gary.