Died April 10, 1983

From the front page of the Madison Courier

A 28-year old Jefferson County man died in a fire in his home early Sunday morning east of Brooksburg.

Lonnie W. Bladen, route three Vevay, was found on the living room floor next to a couch by firemen fighting the blaze that began about 5am yesterday, according to deputy coroner Ken Goins.

The blaze started about 5am and was discovered by a passerby about 5:30am.  Volunteer firemen from Brooksburg, Madison Township and Rykers' Ridge fire companies responded to the alarm.

The house, located about 1.5 miles east of Brooksburg on the north side of State Road 56, was engulfed in flames when firemen arrived. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office.

Bladen was a native of Madison, and had worked in quality control for U.S. Testing Co. at Marble Hill.

He was a member of the Brooksburg Baptist Church and the Pipefitters Union.

He had planned to marry Debra Lee Smith, Versailles, on May 28.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Bladen Jr., Brooksburg, three brothers: Tommy, Brooksburg, Edward, route five; and Jeffery, Madison; one niece and one nephew.

Services will be at 2pm tomorrow at the Brooksburg Baptist Church with burial in the Brooksburg Cemetery.