Mr. Robert Steven "Bear" "Steve" Bladen, age 72, of Vevay, Indiana, passed away at 11:45 a.m., Saturday, December 19, 2020, at the Our Hospice of South Central Indiana in Columbus, Indiana. Bear entered this life on January 20, 1948 in Madison, Indiana. He was the son of the late Harvey Edward Bladen, Sr. and Julia May (Jones) Bladen. He was raised in Markland, Indiana and was a 1966 graduate of Vevay High School. Steve was inducted into the United States Army and was trained as a combat medic and also as a preventive medicine specialist during the Vietnam War. He also served as a grave's registry body escort in 1968. Steve earned the Good Conduct Medal and the Expert Marksman Badge and was honorably discharged. Bear attended Indiana University and later attended Butler University in the pharmacy program for five years. Steve was united in marriage on August 11, 1990 at the Markland Baptist Church to Martha Eileen Leuzinger. This happy blended family was blessed with five children, Beth, Zachary, Rhonda, Mike and Robert. Steve and Martha shared over 30 years of marriage together until his death. Bear was a former millwright for a carpenters union in California, New York and New Orleans for several years. He was also employed as an orderly for the Bloomington Hospital for several years. Steve was a member of the Switzerland County Historical Society, Vevay American Legion Post #185 and the Vevay VFW Post #5396. In his younger years, he attended the Markland Baptist Church in Markland, Indiana. Steve will be remembered for his love of traveling, cooking, gardening and canning. He especially enjoyed playing euchre and pool with his friends.

Steve will be deeply missed by his wife, Martha Eileen (Leuzinger) Bladen of Vevay, IN; his children, Beth Cooper and her husband, Jesse of Bloomington, IN, Zachary Bladen and his wife, Autumn of Louisville, KY, Rhonda Jackson and her husband, Darrell of Peoria, IL, Mike Schwartz of Vevay, IN and Robert Schwartz of Las Vegas, NV; his granddaughter, Sally Curry and several other grandchildren and his several nieces and nephews and abundance of friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey Edward Bladen, Sr., died June 19, 1960 and Julia May (Jones) Bladen, died October 2, 1970; his brothers, Harvey Edward "Bud" Bladen, Jr., died July 3, 1991, Donald Augustus Bladen, died May 13, 2001 and James Vernon "Jim" Bladen, died January 18, 2020 and his sisters, Arvenia (Bladen) Whiteford, died July 9, 1988, Oleta Jane "Janie" Kimmons, died November 2, 1995, Addie Wilena (Bladen) Stewart, died August 25, 1998 and Wanda JoAnn Chipman, died February 27, 2010.

No services are being held at this time.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Switzerland County Historical Society or Vevay American Legion Post #185 Relief Fund. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com