Edna Marie (Blevins) Tackett, age 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Born on March 5, 1932, in Van Lear, Kentucky, Edna had a foundation forged in family, faith, and the close-knit bonds of a small Appalachian community. Though she came from humble beginnings, she was rich in love, determination, and grace - qualities that guided her throughout her life. As a teen, Edna moved to Wabash, Indiana, which became the place she proudly called home; sharing her luminous spirit with the Wabash community for the majority of her years, before moving to Coupeville, Washington to live with family.
Edna was a beautiful balance of grace and grit, with a boundless capacity for love, which she expressed most often from the kitchen. Cooking for others was her love language, a joy she carried throughout her life. Her door was always open, her table always full, and her heart overflowing. She had a gift for turning strangers into friends and friends into family, often with nothing more than a warm smile and a plate of something homemade.
Edna found joy in life's simple moments. She loved George Jones and Alan Jackson's gospel, and could often be found humming along to a musical while watching the stove or crocheting. A natural-born creator, she delighted in crafting thoughtful gifts for her family and friends. Her hands were rarely still. If she wasn't crocheting or cooking, she was tending her garden - a vibrant patchwork of flowers and vegetables (even corn!) that she nurtured with the same devotion and care she poured into her family.
A committed Christian, Edna lived her faith through service and song. A founding member of Freewill Baptist Church, she sang and played guitar in the church group. In her later years, she attended and volunteered at The First Church of God in Wabash. Her dedication to faith was a steady thread, woven through every season of her life. Her favorite chapter was Matthew 24, drawing extra comfort and courage from verse 13: "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." That quiet tenacity defined her: a strength rooted in humility, grace, and an unwavering belief in God's promise.
Edna was preceded in death by her beloved husband and childhood sweetheart, Clarence Tackett, with whom she shared 54 wonderful years of marriage before his passing in 2007; her baby boy, Jerry Lee Tackett; her parents, Everett Blevins, Sr. and Sarah (Mann) Blevins; and her siblings Virgil Blevins, Everett Blevins, Jr., Dixie (Blevins) Tackett, Josephine (Blevins) Banks, and Betty (Blevins) Johnson.
She is survived by her cherished daughter, Iris (Tackett) Dirig, and steadfast son-in-law, Scott Dirig; her loving grandchildren Tiffany, Zachary, Daniel, and Sarah Dirig; and her three adored great-grandchildren, Presleigh, Annabelle, and Theodore. She also leaves behind her dear sister, Lora Mae (Blevins) McGovern, as well as a number of nieces and nephews - and even more great-nieces and great-nephews - all of whom she loved deeply and who will forever treasure her memory.
Public visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, Indiana, followed by a funeral service - officiated by Pastor Tim Webb - at 11:00 a.m. Final goodbyes and interment will take place immediately afterward at Falls Cemetery.
Her family takes comfort in knowing she has been joyfully reunited with her loved ones in Heaven.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the WhidbeyHealth Foundation - Hospice in her name. https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ednamarietackettdonationform
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