Obituary: Josephine Shearer Bedker, 81, of Scottville

Jo Shearer Bedker

Obituary: Josephine Shearer Bedker, 81, of Scottville

Josephine Shearer Bedker, 81, of Scottville, passed away on Friday, January 27, 2023 with her sons John and Fred by her side.  Jo was born on June 28, 1941 in Latrobe, Penn., the daughter of Steven and Ada (Moore) Drobneck and graduated from Latrobe High School with the class of 1959.  On February 10, 1964 she married Fred D. Shearer, who was serving in the United States Air Force, and they celebrated 28 years together before Fred preceded her in death in 1992.  After Fred’s service during the Vietnam Conflict concluded, they lived in Alaska for a short time before moving to Scottville in 1969.  Jo worked for Richter Vinegar in Scottville before working as a legal assistant for Clay Olmstead in Ludington, and eventually serving as deputy magistrate for Mason County District Court until her retirement in 2001.  On August 4, 2001, Jo married Bruce Bedker at Riverside Park in Scottville and they celebrated 21 years together before Bruce preceded her in death on November 24, 2022.

Jo was a longtime member of the Ludington Scottville Chapter 327 Order of the Eastern Star, the Ludington Boat Club, and the Western Michigan Old Engine Club.  She also bowled on a traveling team out of Scottville for many years, and enjoyed working on arts and crafts – especially crocheting.   In retirement, she and Bruce often spent the winter months in Arizona and Alabama, and traveled throughout the United States. She and Bruce were also members of Scottville United Methodist Church.

Along with her husband’s Fred and Bruce, Jo was also preceded in death by her father Steven; her mother and stepfather Ada and Paul Gunter; and her sister Ada Simms.

Jo will be greatly missed by her sons John Shearer of Scottville and Fred Shearer Jr. of Ludington; her grandson Aiden Shearer; her stepdaughters Tammy (Patrick) O’Brien of Scottville, and Neta (Aage) McDonald of Custer; her step-grandchildren Chris (Heather) Lutrell, Jamie Lutrell, Murphy O’Brien, and Brandon (Katrina) McDonald; her step-great-grandchildren Alexandria and Rylie Lutrell, Nikolaj McDonald, Hayley and Emma Reid; her sister Pauline (Michael) Ridilla and her brother Paul (Sally) Gunter all of Latrobe, Penn.; and her brother-in-law Russell Bedker of Scottville.

A ceremony to celebrate Jo’s life will be held at noon on Friday, February 3 at the Scottville United Methodist Church with her pastor, Rev. Rick Hodgeson officiating. Burial will take place later this spring next to her husband Fred at Riverside Cemetery in Custer Township.

Friends may meet with Jo’s family on Friday morning from 11 a.m. to noon at the church prior to services.  Those who wish to remember Jo with a memorial donation are asked to please consider the Scottville United Methodist Church.

Please visit Jo’s memory page at www.wymanfuneralservice.com to share a tribute or memory of Jo with her family, or to light a candle in her memory.