Carla H. Abel, 85, of Bedford, passed away on September 21, 2026, at the Stonebridge Health Campus in Bedford. Born September 24, 1940, in Bedford, she was the daughter of George and Ernestine (Blackburn) Hitchcock. She married Norman E. Abel on February 13, 1995, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he preceded her in death.

Carla graduated from Bedford High School and attended Indiana University and Ivy Tech. She was a service representative for the Social Security Administration and was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the Altrusa Club.

She enjoyed attending church services, doing crossword and word search puzzles, cross-stitching, and dining with her friends.

Surviving to cherish Carla's memory is her son, Michael E. (Juanita) Fields of Springville; her daughter, Carrie (Ed) Bunch of Spencer; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Abel; her parents, George and Ernestine Hitchcock; her son, Jeffrey D. Fields; her brothers, Donald, Thomas, George, and John Hitchcock; and her sisters, Nadine Hendershot and E. Joan Griffith.

Funeral services for Carla will be Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne Family Funeral Homes, 818 18th Street, Bedford, Indiana, with Judy Early officiating. Burial will follow in Cresthaven Memory Gardens. Visitation for Carla will be on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 12:00 p.m., also at Ferguson-Lee Chapel.

Online condolences may be sent and flowers ordered at www.ThorneFunerals.com.