Helen Buckingham

Helen Irene Buckingham, 99, of Berne passed away at 5:05 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Swiss Village. She was born Friday, April 13, 1923 in Berne to Noah and Amelia (Badertscher) Sprunger. She married Clarence E. “Ittle” Buckingham at the Geneva First UM Church Sunday, Oct. 22, 1944.
She was a 1941 graduate of Geneva High School. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church in Berne and a member of the Methodist Church Circle where she was the church treasurer for many years and sang in the choir. She was a homemaker and worked as a controller at the Bank of Geneva from 1963 to 1989. She gave tours at the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site. She loved to cook, bake, quilt and needlepoint.
She is survived by sons, John C. (Susan) Buckingham; and James P. (Carol) Buckingham, both of Geneva; sister, Marjorie Gaskill of Berne; grandchildren, Brenna Michels of Zionsville; Bradley Buckingham of Berne; and Scott Buckingham of Louisville, Kentucky; great-grandchildren, Reed Michels and Grant Michels of Zionsville; Duke Buckingham, Emmaline Buckingham, Elizabeth Buckingham and Everly Buckingham of Berne; and Collins Buckingham of Louisville, Kentucky.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brothers, Roger Sprunger, Adrian Sprunger and Stanley Sprunger; and sister Katherine Sprunger.
Visitation will be two hours prior to the 1 p.m. funeral service Saturday, Jan. 7 at Downing and Glancy Funeral Home, 100 N. Washington St., Geneva. Pastors Jim Schwartz and Jeff Gaskill will officiate. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Geneva.
Preferred memorials may be made to South Adams Trails or Swiss Village Samaritan Fund. Arrangements provided by Downing and Glancy Funeral Home in Geneva. Online condolences may be made at www.glancyfuneralhomes.com.