Elizabeth Ann Binkley passed away peace­fully at her home in the early hours of June 30, 2018, surrounded by family and love.

She was born Feb. 7, 1922, in Edgerton, Ohio, to Howard and Bess Wilkinson Oxenrider. As a girl, she and her family moved to Pierceton, where her father owned the B&O Hardware.

She graduated from Pierceton High School in 1940 and was proud to attend annual alumni gatherings for more than 60 years. She was a founding member of Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church and active in the Women’s Association there until her health no longer allowed. She was a lifetime member of Eastern Star and taught hundreds of young girls how to sew and bake in her 17 years as a 4-H leader. She was a 50-plus year member of Union Busy Bells and served as an officer in her early years. She also swam at the YMCA for more than 20 years.

Elizabeth and Tom Binkley were married on April 28, 1941, and were together for 50 years, until his death in 1991. Mrs. Binkley was so pleased that their three daughters – Sue, Sarah, and Sylvia – all celebrated their 50-year wedding anniversaries too. She didn’t think that she would be without Tom for so long, but she made the most of it traveling a little, knitting and sewing, and always baking cookies for others, earning her the nickname “The Cookie Lady.” She watched Days of Our Lives for half a century and didn’t really like the storylines, but said she was too old to quit now.

Elizabeth Binkley’s joy in life was her daughters and she talked to them every day. She is survived by Sue (Mike) Collier of Columbia City; Sarah (Den­nis) Myers of Nappanee; and Sylvia (Alan) Kaufman of Chesterfield, Mo.; six grandchildren: Tom Myers, Shelley Flandermeyer, Chad Collier, Chris Collier, Gretchen Burch and Clay Kaufman; and eight great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Tammy McQueen, Beth Bianski, Monica Maloney, Kerri Stidham and Mel Fry for the heartfelt care they gave to Elizabeth over her last few years. Also, her good friends Judy Garrison and Rhonda Darley, for their devotion and caring ways.

Mrs. Binkley had a sweet tooth and if you visited her, she always made sure you got a piece of candy from the bowl. She also kept a bag of special chocolates by her chair and would tell you they were only for very special friends, but actually she offered them to everyone. That’s the thing about Elizabeth when you were with her, she just made you feel like you were the most special person on earth. We will miss that feeling. But there’s no doubt that she is in heaven right now, safe in the arms of her Savior, Jesus, and bet she’s baking cookies for everyone.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, July 7, at Smith & Sons Funeral Home in Columbia City. Services will be at 3 p.m. at the funeral home with burial at Hillcrest Cemetery in Pierceton.

Instead of flowers, gifts may be made to a charity of your choice in Elizabeth’s name.