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Lazarus Project

An expanded obituary project of MennObits.  Includes additional information of obituaries appearing in
The Mennonite and other newspapers.  
Source of individual obituaries given with each record.  Project managed by Thelma Martin.

 2007  - R


  Ramer. Susannah S. "Susie" Martin;   Ray, Dorothea Bechtel;   Regier, Daniel George ; . . Regier, Hilda R. Woelk ; . . Reimer, Emile Jane Klassen;    Reinford, Wilmer L.;   Rheinheimer, Alfert "Al" A. Richard, Catherine Viola Yoder;   Richard, Marlene Kay;   Riehl, Mary Anna;  Rodeheffer, Elnor Locher;  Ropp, Omer Wesley;   Roth, Beatrice Hartzler;   Roth, Ruth Verelda Zook;   Rupp, Donald R.;   Ruth, Lizzie Halteman;   Ruth, Mildred Moyer;   Rychener, Helen M. Frey;   

Ramer. Susannah S. "Susie" Martin


December 14, 1915 - December 21, 2007

CELINA, Texas - Susannah S. (Susie) Ramer, 92, went peacefully to be with her LORD Dec. 21, 2007, in Celina, Texas.

Susie was born on Dec. 14, 1915, in Wakarusa, the second of 17 children, to Joseph E. and Mary Shaum Martin.  Early in life she accepted Christ as her Savior.

She was a homemaker, master gardener, avid quilter, and mother who instilled faith in her 19 children.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Mervin Ramer; a daughter, Mary Edna; a son, David; two brothers; three sisters, and several grandchildren.

She is survived by 17 children and their families, including: eight sons, Samuel Ramer, Peel, Ark., James Ramer, Lufkin, Texas, Paul Ramer, Argos, John Ramer, Celina, Texas, Stephen Ramer, Dallas, Texas, Jason Ramer, Celina, Texas, Luke Ramer, Bonham, Texas, and Daniel Ramer, DeSoto, Texas; and nine daughters, Eva Neckels, Deer Lodge, Mont., Priscilla Gowan, Green Valley, Ariz., Rachel Ramer, Red Lake, Ontario, Phebe Beachy, Goshen, Martha Aycock, Whittier, Calif., Ruth Stromlund, Harrison, Ark., Joanna Penrod, Plainfield, Ind., Susie Whirledge, Syracuse, Ind., and Faith Mobley, Pawnee, Okla.

She is also survived by more than 80 grandchildren, and more than 40 great and great-great-grandchildren, four brothers and seven sisters.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Wise Funeral Home, 219 Sam Rayburn, Bonham, Texas.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Stonebriar Community Church, 4801 Legendary Drive, Frisco, Texas.

Burial will follow at 3 p.m. at Arledge Ridge Cemetery, Bonham, Texas.

Submitted by: Thelma Hoover Martin, Nappanee, In



Ray, Dorothea Bechtel
, 58, of Souderton, PA died March 21, 2007 at Sellersville, PA. She was born December 14, 1948 at Phoenixville, PA to Norman H. and Irene (Souder) Bechtel.  On April 29, 1998 she was married to Kenneth M. Ray, Jr., who survives.

Surviving are her mother, children: Michael Eckman, Clinton Holmes, Elaine Holmes, Johanna Mearns; Stepchildren: Jennifer Ray, Kathryn Ray, Eleanor Ray, and six grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father.

Memorial services were held February 26, 2007 at Vincent Mennonite Church, Spring City, PA  with burial in the adjoining cemetery.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Sylvia M. Derstine
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Regier, Daniel George
, 84, of Hesston, Kansas died August 22, 2007 at Hesston, Harvey County, Kansas from natural causes. He was born March 15, 1923 at Inola, Oklahoma to George Baergen and Maria (Janzen) Regier.  His mother was born September 27, 1887 and died December 19, 1971.  His father was born December 11, 1885 and died March 8, 1972.

On June 2, 1947 at Medford Mennonite Church, Medford, Oklahoma he was married to Goldie Jane Neufeld, who was born August 20, 1924 and survives with two daughters: Sheryl and husband Bill Wineinger; Sandra and husband Kent Unruh, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Also surviving is one brother Bill Regier and wife Dahna. One brother, Henry Regier, and one sister, Frieda Regier Unrau preceded him in death.

He was a pastor for six Mennonite congregations throughout the U.S., a past President of Pacific & Northern District General Conference, and administrator in two Mennonite nursing homes in KS and PA.

Memorial services were held August 25, 2007 at First Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas with burial in Greenwood Cemetary, Newton, Harvey County, Kansas.

He was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Sandra Unruh, Denver, PA
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin


 

Regier, Hilda R. Woelk
1934 - December 28, 2007

Hilda was born in 1934 and passed away December 28, 2007. In 1955 she married Vernon Regier.

Hilda is survived by daughter, Joann Rutledge and husband John of St. Louis; sons, Delbert Regier and wife Wendy of Newton, and Roy Regier and wife Teri of Newton; four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Her parents preceded in death.

Burial was in the Eastlawn Cemetery.

Submitted by: Elnor Stutzman, Halstead, KS




Reimer, Emile Jane Klassen
, 84, of North Newton, Kansas died July 31, 2007 at North Newton, Kansas.  She was born February 2, 1923 at Hillsboro, Kansas to Dan and Emma (Schroeder) Klassen.  On June 25, 1950 at Hillsboro, Kansas she was married to Eldon Reimer, who was born March 23, 1923 and died May 8, 1973.

Surviving are children, Denise (Doug) Yoder, Brenda (Mike) Foster, four grandchildren,  two great-grandchildren and a sister, Dayle (Ennis) Unruh.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Susan (Robert) Flickner and a sister, Marjorie (Jim) Peters.

Memorial services were held August 4, 2007 First Mennonite Church, Newton, KS.

She was a member of Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton, Kansas.
Submitted by: Melanie Mueller, North Newton, KS
Bethel College Mennonite Church
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Reinford, Wilmer L.
, 90, of Creamery, Montgomery Co., PA died June 4, 2007 at Creamery, PA.  He was born December 11, 1916 at Yerkes, Montgomery Co., PA to Frank and Bertha (Landes) Reinford.  On February 10, 1940 he was married to Margaret K. Bean (b. 09/16/1918), who survives.

Surviving are children, Mae K. Reinford, Ruth K. Keppley (Rev. Harry Keppley), Linda K. Watson, Ida R. Proco, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Also surviving is a brother, Donald L. Reinford (Helen).  He was preceded in death by two brothers, Paul L. Reinford (Betty) and John Reinford (Beatrice).


Memorial services were held June 7, 2007 at Wellspring Church of Skippack,  Skippack, Montgomery Co., PA with burial in the adjoining cemetery.

He was a member of Mennonite Church USA.

Submitted by: Mae Reinford
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin

--------

The tribute from the family as read at the Service of Celebration for Wilmer L. Reinford, June 7, 2007

Wilmer Reinford's Service of Love                                                   Picture

When a forty-two-year-old farmer along Route 113 between Creamery and Rhans, Pennsylvania had a heart attack in 1958, it seemed his life might be over. Having to get less physically demanding work, he moved with his wife and four young daughters to a brick house along the same road between Creamery and Skippack. There the home of Wilmer and Margaret Kulp Reinford would be a communal fixture for an unexpected nearly half century.  There too the once threatened farmer's life would blossom in a direction unanticipated, but with consequences for the historical memory of a spiritual
community stretching from Norristown to Bethlehem and Doylestown to Spring City.

Wilmer was not so much an idea man as a person with a heart for the sense of a spiritual family across the previous three centuries.  In April 1961, only a few years after his heart attack, he was present at a historic gathering called in the 110-year-old meetinghouse on these grounds. Here was where Wilmer and Margaret had laid hold on the covenant of Christ.

The meeting was attended by twenty persons, including six Franconia Conference bishops, six visitors from the Lancaster Mennonite community, and Wilmer's Skippack deacon Eugene Kerr. They had gathered at this significant location to ratify a constitution for a new organization, the Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Library and Archives. This was to unite and serve as a clearinghouse for the nascent historical interests of the Franconia, Lancaster, Virginia and Juniata Mennonite communities. Chosen as Treasurer was Witmer Reinford, who had lived as a boy on a farm taken from the adjacent Penitentiary Property.

Wilmer had found a calling. His imagination became suffused with a sense of fellowship with those of like precious faith in previous generations. His total loyalty to the Church of Christ as he knew it, in what was in fact a historically significant but seriously declining congregation, fed into a growing passion to let the humble record speak. He was blessed with a life-partner who could sympathize with and participate in that love for the fellowship of those whose names he would collect from a thousand gravestones in dozens of cemeteries. Even the four daughters were swept along in those fact-recording
expeditions.

I personally was taken along for the ride, when returning to the community in 1962, and being appointed as Franconia Conference member in the EMALA. Once a quarter Wilmer's car would be quietly waiting for me, at King of Prussia or Vernfield, in order to take us to EMALA meetings in Lancaster, where we would always hear his meticulous treasurer's report.  For over two decades on those long rides we shared our family hopes and dreams for the historical ministry. I would listen to Wilmer's enthusiastic accounts of
documents he found from Swamp to Methacton, his contacts with Raymond Hollenbach and Abram Hunsicker or Mary Mensch Lederach. Once he even brought home, for fifty cents, a priceless Froschauer New Testament of the 1530's he had found in a pile at a What-not Shop near Doylestown. He fostered the gathering and publication of key manuscripts kept in the Mensch-Lederach family. He presided over the fading Franconia Mennonite Historical Society, and came along graciously into the Board of the emergent twin-Conference Mennonite Historians of eastern Pennsylvania. He had words of encouragement for new members.
All along Margaret was a quiet participating presence, who baked an incredible 1,000 apple pies and cooked 125 gallons of soup for the annual Applebutter Frolic.

In retrospect we can see that it was Wilmer Reinford who, while steadily serving his own congregation in multiple lay capacities, took up the central responsibility of our community's heritage after an interval of nearly two decades following the death of Telford's historian John Derstine Souder 1942.  In this, Wilmer was an integral part of a growing post-World War II movement to steward the records of our faith fellowship. Out of his faithful service has grown a ministry that caused him to shake his head in joyful wonder, as the Mennonite Heritage Center near Harleysville took shape in his closing decades.

It is not given to every person to take an interest in the historical record.  In fact, to follow Christ it is often necessary to leave the past behind. At the same time, we need to fulfil the past, not ignore it. And to converse with it, as Jesus did so importantly. Wilmer made no apology for linking history and faith.  He exemplified the fact that allowing the testimony of a heritage to speak can be taken up with those who have ears to hear it.

Wilmer Reinford was a brother whose contribution will be remembered.  He served us all like the householder of whom Jesus spoke, who faithfully brings out of the treasure of spiritual memory, things new and old. His own memory will live in our fellowship.




Rheinheimer, Alfert "Al" A.
, 88, of Middlebury, Indiana died November 5, 2007 at Elkhart, Indiana.  He was born November 14, 1918 at Middlebury, Indiana to Clayton and Maude (Miller) Rheinheimer.  Clayton was born April 10, 1895 and died November 13, 1971.  Maude was born September 24, 1899 and died January 8, 1987.

On February 4, 1945 in New Mexico he was married to Elizabeth Schrock, who was born March 5, 1920 and died June 10, 1985.

Surviving are children, Karla (Lester) Furney, Alan (Sandy) Rheinheimer, Lynette Rheinheimer, 4 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving  are two sisters, Pauline Schrock, Esther (Floyd)Hoover, and three brothers, Floyd A. Rheinheimer, Ivan (Evelyn) Rheinheimer, and Ernest Rheinheimer.

Two brothers, Maynard Rheinheimer, and John Rheinheimer, and a sister, Lois Blosser preceded him in death.

Al was a member of First Mennonite Church, Middlebury, and a World War II Army Air Corp veteran. He owned and operated AERCO Products and delivered RVs for Jayco.

Memorial services were held November 10, 2007 at First Mennonite Church, Middlebury, Indiana with burial in Grace Lawn Cemetery, Middlebury, Indiana.

He was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: DeRoy Kauffman,  Middlebury, IN
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Richard, Catherine Viola Yoder
, 88, of Wayland, IA died June 21, 2007 at Parkview Home after a long illness. She was born November 12, 1918 in Washington County, IA to Eli J. and  Annie Bissey Yoder. She was married to Oscar Daniel Richard, who was born July 8, 1921 and died November 10, 1994.

Surviving are two sons, Daniel Richard and Dean Richard, nine grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two children, Larry Richard and an infant.

Memorial services were held June 25, 2007 at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church Henry Co., Iowa  with burial in the adjoining cemetery.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Karen Meyer Wayland, Iowa
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Richard, Marlene Kay
, 61, of Bluffton, OH died September 7, 2007 at Lima, OH.  She was born October 21, 1946 at Helena, OH to Cecil LeRoy and Princess Richard.  She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Unknown
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin




Riehl, Mary Anna
, 85, of Lancaster, PA died July 4, 2007 at Lancaster, Lancaster Co., PA  from cancer of the lung. 

She was born January 2, 1922 at Lancaster, Lancaster Co., PA to Aaron Kaufman and Malinda (Glick) Riehl. Aaron was born October 14, 1895 and died August 31, 1983.  Malinda was born March 1, 1896 and died December 29, 1986.

Surviving are her siblings; Aquilla and Ella Mae Riehl; E. Daniel and Marie Riehl; and Lois (Riehl) and Harry Dyck.

 Three sisters, Rebecca Riehl Ulrich, Sadie Riehl Yoder, and Elma Riehl Knapp preceded her in death.

Memorial services were held July 6, 2007 at Bart Mennonite Chapel, Lancaster Co., PA with burial in the adjoining cemetery.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: E. Daniel Riehl, Landenberg, PA
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Rodeheffer, Elnor Locher
, 99, of Bluffton, OH died December 5, 2007 at Bluffton, OH from natural causes.  She was born April 26, 1908. Surviving are two sons,  Jonathan Rodeheffer and Timothy Rodeheffer and a sister,Mary Yoder.

Memorial services were held at First Mennonite Church.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Unknown
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Ropp, Omer Wesley
, 81, of Kalona, IA died December 5, 2007 at Sarasota, Florida from natural causes.  He was born July 4, 1926 at Kalona, Iowa to Lewis and Magdalena (Hershberger) Ropp.  On September 11, 1949 at Kalona, Iowa he was married to Pearl Hochstetler, who survives.

Surviving are children, Robert and Mary Ropp, Lonnie and Janice Ropp, Connie Waldron, and 6 grandchildren.

Also surviving are six sisters, Lydia and Alvin Gingerich, Ada and Ivo Gingerich, Edith and Paul Helmuth, Effie and Harold Baer, Martha Bender, Verda and Bill Swartzendruber, and one brother, Vernon and Mary Elva Ropp.

Three sisters, Mary Jane Ropp, Ella Mae Ropp, Esther Ropp, and one brother, Ernest Ropp preceded him in death.

Memorial services were held December 9, 2007 at Kalona Mennonite Church, Kalona, Iowa.

He was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Bonnie Pickard,  Kalona, IA
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin


Roth, Beatrice Hartzler
, 93, of Souderton, PA died August 15, 2007 at Souderton, Montgomery Co., PA. She was born June 16, 1914 to Levi L. and Maude Esther (Yoder) Hartzler.  On June 21, 1936 she was married to Paul M. Roth, who is deceased.

Surviving are children, Paul Roth & wife Sheila, Nelson Roth & wife Emma Jane, Priscilla
Ziegler & husband Donald, Dwight Roth & wife Ruth, Philip Roth & wife Jane, and 12  grandchildren.

Also surviving is a brother, George Hartzler & wife Anna, and a sister, Janet Zook.
Two brothers, Homer Hartzler, and Fred Hartzler preceded her in death.

Memorial services were held August 18, 2007 at Souderton Mennonite Homes, Souderton Co., Montgomery Co., PA with burial in Weavers Mennonite Church Cemetery, Harrisonburg, VA.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Peggy Buzzard, Blooming Glen PA
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin




Roth, Ruth Verelda Zook
, 82, of Goshen, IN died May 27, 2007 at Goshen, IN. She was born September 12 1924 at Eureka, IL to Walter and Alvina (Wagner) Zook.  On August 12, 1950 she was married to Oscar Roth (b. 9/30/1924), who survives.

Surviving are children, Patricia Nuyken, Randall Roth, Evan Roth, and five grandchildren.

Also surviving is a brother, Stanley (Marvel) Zook.

Memorial services were held June 1, 2007 at College Mennonite Church, Goshen IN with burial in Violett Cemetery, Goshen, IN.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Ethel Hoffman, Goshen, IN
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin




Rupp, Donald R.
, 84, of Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH died February 16, 2007 from an embolism.  He was born December 4, 1923.  On April 29, 1951 he was married to Doris Rupp, who survives.

Surviving are children, Jerry Rupp; Peggy Wysong; Michael Rupp; Mary Nuberg; Susan Rupp; Cathy Rupp-Huner, and 13 grandchildren.

Memorial services were held February 19, 2007 at Tedrow Mennonite Church, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.

He was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Chris Gearig, Wauseon, OH
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin



Ruth, Lizzie Halteman
, 80, of Newville, [PA], died Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007, at home.Born on Nov. 6, 1926, in Telford,[PA] ,she was a daughter of Henry S. and Lizzie Bergy Halteman.

Mrs. Ruth is survived by her husband the Rev. Marvin L. Ruth, whom she married on Nov. 9, 1946.

She belonged to Diller Mennonite Church in Newville,[PA] where she taught Sunday School, was active in the church sewing circle, and was involved in the Bible release program of Camp Joy-El.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her son, Dennis (and his wife, Mary Ann) Ruth of Newville, [PA]; four daughters, Sharon (and her husband, Ray) Kuhns of Chambersburg, [PA], Joan Ruth of Melbourne, Australia, Marilyn Ruth and Nancy Ruth, both of Shippensburg,[PA]; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by a great-grandson, Job Kostick; two brothers, Harvey and Ellis Halteman; and two sisters, Eva Godshall and Mable Shelly.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Diller Mennonite Church, Creek Road, Newville,[PA] with the Rev. Dennis Witmer officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday in the church.

Services are under the direction of the Egger Funeral Home of Newville,[PA].

Published in the Cumberlink Sentinel from 8/31/2007 - 9/1/2007.
Submitted by: Leon Hertzler, Newport, NH



Ruth, Mildred Moyer
, 95, of Sellersville, PA died July 26, 2007 at Sellersville, Bucks County, PA.  She was born October 10, 1911 at Silverdale, Bucks County, PA to Calvin D. and Mamie B. (Moyer) Moyer.  On May 10, 1934 she was married to Norman S. Ruth, who was born March 9, 1914 and died August 30, 2000.

Surviving are a daughter, Janice R. Gross and husband Richard, one grandchild, and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Moyer, three grandchildren, twins, Timothy and Brian Moyer; and  Brandon Moyer; a sister, Marion Mann; a brother, Harold Moyer; and two stepsisters, Dorothy Rosenberger, and Alice Bolton.

Memorial services were held July 30, 2007 at Rockhill Mennonite Community Chapel,  Sellersville, Bucks County, PA with burial in Perkasie Mausoleum, Perkasie, PA.

She was a member of Mennonite Church USA.
Submitted by: Peggy Buzzard Blooming Glen, PA
Blooming Glen Mennonite Church
Edited by: Thelma Hoover Martin




Rychener, Helen M. Frey

 (1921 - 2007)

PETTISVILLE - Helen M. Rychener, 85, of Pettisville, died Friday evening, Feb. 16, 2007, at Fairlawn Haven Nursing Home, Archbold, where she had resided since Aug. 15, 2003.
Born June 30, 1921, near Pettisville, to Fannie (Rupp) and Edward Frey, she married Earl Rychener on March 5, 1941, and he preceded her in death on Sept. 2, 2002.
A resident of the Pettisville area for many years, she worked as a waitress and hostess at several local restaurants, most recently at Das Essen Haus at Pettisville for more than 20 years. She also worked on the custodial staff at Pettisville school.
She was a charter member of the Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold.
Surviving are seven children, Mrs. Jerry (Roseyn) Devlin of Kailua, Hawaii, Mrs. David (Marnetta) White of Colorado Springs, Colo., Dallas (and wife, Barbara) Rychener of Silver City, N.M., Mrs. Jacob (Norene) Salana of Seattle, Wash., Delvin (Mary) Rychener of Chicago, Ill., Kent (Carolyn) Rychener of Hesston, Kan., and Brent ( Laurie) Rychener of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Warren (Clara) Frey of Wauseon and Willard (Valetta) Frey of Archbold; two sisters, Mrs. Earl (Alice) Yutzy of Plain City and Rhoda King of Pettisville; and a brother-in-law, Charles Shenk of Columbus.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Lester Frey; and two sisters, Myrtie Baer and Ruth Shenk.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2-8 p.m. in the Fairlawn Chapel.
Memorial services will be Friday at 11 a.m. in the Zion Mennonite Church with Pastors Ron Guengerich, Mona Sauder and Anne Stuckey to officiate. Interment will precede at 10 a.m. in the Pettisville Cemetery.
Short Funeral Home in Archbold is in charge of arrangements.
 <www.bryantimes.com> The Bryan [Ohio] Times,19 Feb 2007
Submitted by Mona Mann


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