George Webster Biddlecome, 75, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2024, at his Goshen home, surrounded by his loving family.
George was born Aug. 30, 1948, to George Clark Biddlecome and Elizabeth Seibert Biddlecome (née Perry) in Elkhart, Indiana.
Following his graduation from Elkhart High School in 1966, George earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wittenberg University, with an emphasis on political science, and a Juris Doctor degree from Duke University. He was also a graduate of the Indiana Judicial College.
After having been graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1973, George began his 50-year legal career working as an associate for Attorney Robert A. "Bob" Pfaff in Elkhart and part-time as Acting Director at Elkhart Legal Aid Services Inc.
Around 1975, George began dating the love of his life and best friend, Mona Elizabeth Walker. Mona and George were married March 26, 1976, at Trinity United Methodist Church.
George became a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney in 1974, a position he held until assuming the bench, except for one year serving as a part-time public defender. In 1980, George and Mona formed the Elkhart firm Biddlecome and Biddlecome, Attorneys at Law.
George was elected to the bench in 1996 after working in private practice for 23 years, having served as a deputy prosecutor for 20 of those years. He stepped down from the bench at the end of 2014, after three six-year terms presiding over Elkhart Superior Court No. 3. George continued to serve as a senior judge until the end of 2023 and built a civil mediation business after retiring from his full-time role.
He was a faithful and life-long member of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Elkhart for his entire life, where he served in roles including altar boy, lay server, Parliamentarian, and Senior Warden. He was also a member of the Elkhart Rotary Club, Christiana Creek Country Club, Backwater Retriever Club, and Elkhart Canadian Hunt Club, and a 33rd Degree Mason member of the Kane Masonic Lodge. He greatly enjoyed participating in and directing degree work with his father, brother-in-law, Max, and several other friends. George was a member of the Indiana Judges Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the Elkhart City Bar Association where he frequently assisted his wife with serving luncheon at monthly bar meetings.
George's many talents and interests included debate, history, golfing, trap shooting and hunting. Nothing could be scheduled between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30 that might interfere with hunting. He grew to love boat rides, sunsets, and the moonrise on Eagle Lake, Mona's happy place, but he preferred his time spent on his acreage in Goshen where he could shoot and run his dogs behind the four-wheeler.
George was a loving, kind, and loyal husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family and traveling with Mona to all 50 states as well as numerous foreign countries. He was a lover of dogs, music, books, art, and Western lore.
George was preceded in death by his father George, mother Elizabeth, and grandson George Jeremiah Biddlecome. He is survived by his loving wife Mona Elizabeth Biddlecome (née Walker), daughter Elizabeth Walker Biddlecome (James Forristal III), son George Max Biddlecome (Hillaree Farrell), granddaughters Libbie, Charlie, and Ginnie, brother-in-law Max Walker, sister-in-law Mary Krue Esteves, and brother-in-law Carlos Esteves.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 18, at Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home in Elkhart. A memorial mass will be held on March 19, at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church at 11 a.m. in Elkhart, with visitation one hour before the service at the church. A luncheon will follow.
An interment of the ashes will occur at Rice Cemetery with family members in attendance.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Elkhart County Humane Society, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, or Elkhart Legal Aid Services Inc.
To leave the family an online condolence, please visit the funeral home website.