Katie C. Shinn

Katie C. Shinn, 83, of Shipshewana, IN, passed away on April 17, 2023, of natural causes in Zionsville, IN.

Katie came into the world on April 16, 1940 to Charlie and Elizabeth (Eash) Lambright in LaGrange, IN. She earned her GED and Real Estate License and retired from the Indiana Toll Road as a toll attendant/supervisor where she made an impact on thousands of people by greeting them daily with a sweet smile and kind words.

Katie was a dedicated, passionate, and loving mother, grandmother, sister, wife, aunt, and friend. By building an extraordinary relationship with God, she found the silver linings in even the most difficult of situations while always making time to help people whenever they needed it. She was the kind of person to offer a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, laughter to offer or even the comfort of her home which was always filled with the smell of Bob-Andy pies, her famous turtles, or jars of strawberry jam. Katie lived with one purpose in mind: serving others. Ephesians 4:32 states – “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ”. This verse represents the epitome of who Katie was, being one of the most selfless human-beings we ever knew. She was an extremely devout Christian who enjoyed spreading the word of God to her grandchildren.

One of her favorites to quote was Psalm 23: 1-3:  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

She would tell her grandchildren that in any times of hardship, recite Psalm 23, and put your trust in the Lord to get you through it. Katie was a role model to many.

She took pride in raising her two children, Harlan Kauffman and Harlene Kauffman (Barta), but when her grandchildren came into the world, they were of the utmost importance when deciding who to spoil. Her grandchildren, Renee Sondhe (Jehl), Sydney & Hayden Kauffman, and Will & Luke Barta were the most spoiled grandchildren ever; getting ice cream for dinner, staying up late to giggle, obsessing over the wooden marble track, or playing hide the pink VW bug for hours on end.

Katie was an exceptional mother and grandmother, who will be missed dearly.

Katie was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Shinn; her parents, Charlie & Elizabeth Lambright; sisters, Mary Miller and Wilma Yoder; and brothers, Harvey Lambright and Enos Lambright.  She is survived by her son, Harlan Kauffman and his wife, Deb Kauffman; her daughter, Harlene Barta and her husband, Tom Barta; grandchildren, Renee Sondhe (Jehl), Will and Luke Barta, and Sydney and Hayden Kauffman; her brother, Freeman Lambright; and sister, Amanda Eash.

Thank you to everyone who filled her life with joy, laughter, and life-long memories. We love you, Katie.