Mennonite World Review - June 2012

Obituaries are emailed to MennObits before MWR is printed. Wording may vary in printed version.

Mennonite World Review - June 11, 2012 - 90th Year, No. 16 - p. 16

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Jantz, Marie F. Bergman

Marie F. Bergman Jantz, 97, of Newton, Kan., died May 24, 2012, at Asbury Park. She was born Oct. 29, 1914, to Maria Goertz Bergman and Cornelius Funk Bergman in Hillsboro.

She spent her early years in Hillsboro and in Canada. In 1926 the family moved to Newton. In 1931 she was baptized in First Mennonite Church. She graduated from Newton High School in 1933. She went to Bethel College for one year and then worked for two years to go to Emporia State Teachers College, where she earned a teaching certificate in 1937. She then taught in one-room schools around Durham, McLains and Peabody. She got her lifetime certificate in 1940.

She met her future husband, Alvin F. Jantz, while attending a cousin’s wedding in Durham. They were married on June 14, 1941, at First Mennonite Church, Newton.

After their marriage she quit teaching and became a homemaker. They lived in Wichita and Newton while Alvin was in the Navy before deciding to settle in Newton.

Survivors include her children, James A. Jantz and his wife, Cathie, of Wichita, Janice M. Donovan of Salt Lake City, Utah, Allen E. Jantz and his wife, Darlene, of Sacramento, Calif., and Jerald C. Jantz of Newton; eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin, in 2005; brothers Albert and Elmer before she was born; sisters Viola Hettinger and Edna Hollasch; and a son-in-law, Charles D. Donovan.

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Stahly, Maurice L.

Maurice L. Stahly, 90, of Eureka, Ill., died April 11, 2012. He was born Feb. 10, 1922, to Ali and Anna Weidinger Stahly Sr. in Carlock.
He married Opal L. Bostic on May 31, 1942, in Danvers.

During World War II, he and his wife served in Civilian Public Ser­vice under the auspices of the Mennonite church in Colorado and Pennsylvania. He started farming in the Danvers and Carlock areas. He owned and operated Maurice Transport for 33 years.

In retirement he enjoyed fishing trips to Canada. He found great pleasure in volunteering and serving on many church and civic organ­izations. He visited and supported missionaries around the world through the Mennonite church. He gave God credit for everything he had, and he was a good steward of his resources and time.

Survivors include his wife, Opal; three daughters, Joyce Ropp and her husband, Ken, of Tremont, Patricia Combs and her husband, Gary, of Fisher, and Sandy Hoffman and her husband, Denny, of Goodfield; two brothers, Lory Stahly of Cape Girardeau, Miss., and Ali Stahly Jr. of Sun City, Ariz.; a sister, Verda Maurer of Bloomington; 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Roger Quillian Stahly; two brothers, Cloyd and Norval; and four sisters, Lola, Lorene, Opal and Etta.
Services were held at North Danvers Mennonite Church in Danvers. Private inurnment was at North Danvers Mennonite Church Cemetery.

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Weaver, Arlie Virginia Hershberger

Arlie Virginia Hershberger Weaver, 90, died May 19, 2012. She was born Dec. 24, 1921, to John J. and Lila Kreider Hershberger near Kalona, Iowa. She became a Christian at an early age and had a deep love for the Lord. On Aug. 14, 1948, she married Stanley Weaver.

She grew up on the family farm and helped there until she was 21 years old, after which she attended Hesston (Kan.) Academy and college. In 1951 she graduated from Goshen (Ind.) College with a bachelor’s degree in education. In 1975 she received a master’s degree in special education from Northern Arizona University and received special MR certification from Arizona State University. She taught schools in Elkhart, Ind., Chinle and Phoenix in Arizona. She was chosen as a Pilot Teacher for English as a Second Language Classes in the Bureau of Indian Affairs School at Cottonwood School near Chinle. In 1975 she was honored as Teacher of the Year and recognized as a Master Teacher by the BIA. She loved children and loved teaching and mentoring them.

She and Stan went into voluntary service for one year among Navajo Indian migrant workers. That became a 20-year ministry among the people in the Black Mountain/Chinle, Ariz., communities, where two Navajo churches were established. As Navajo leadership developed in the church, she went back to teaching in that community.

In 1975 they moved to Phoenix, and she worked with developmentally challenged children. She taught summer Bible school at Sunnyslope Mennonite Church, where she and Stan became members. As dementia began to impact her life they moved to Glencroft in Glendale, Ariz.

Survivors include her husband, Stanley; and her younger sister, Marie Reeves, and her husband, Joel, of Southern California. She was preceded in death by her older sister, Fern.

Mennonite World Review - June 25, 2012 - 90th Year, No. 17 - p. 19

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Miller, Harry L.

Harry L. Miller, 86, of Arlington, Kan., died May 3, 2012. He was born Aug. 7, 1925, to the late Levi D. and Clara (Nisly) Miller in rural Hutchinson.
During World War II he served as a conscientious objector in Civilian Public Service in California and Nebraska. After the war, he served on ships taking horses to war-torn Poland, and he also assisted with rebuilding in France through Mennonite Central Committee.

He married Orpha Wagler on Aug. 28, 1949. After their wedding, he and Orpha helped in building a church in Glen Flora, Wis. They returned to Reno County in Kansas in 1950, where he was a dairy farmer near Partridge for many years. He was a member of Cedar Crest Amish Mennonite Church.
Survivors include his wife, Orpha; six children, Yvonne Miller of Chicago, Leon Miller and his wife, Holly, of Millersburg, Ohio, Jean Ann Schrock and her husband, Wesley, of Arlington, Michael Miller and his wife, Lois, of Partridge, Erlis Miller and his wife, Gesine, of London, England; and Arlyn Miller and his wife, Loretta, of Arlington; seven brothers and three sisters, Edwin Miller, Willis Miller, Elizabeth Wagler, Perry Miller, David Miller, Mahlon Miller, Paul Miller, Fred Miller and Emma Troyer, all of the Hutchinson area; and Mary Beachy of Kalona, Iowa; and 10 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Daniel Miller.

Memorial services were held at Cedar Crest Amish Mennonite Church. Burial was in the West Center Cemetery.

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LeFevre, Robert E.

Robert E. LeFevre, 80, of Goshen, Ind., died March 31, 2012, at I.U. Goshen Hospital as the result of a fall in his home. He was born Jan. 3, 1932, to Noah and Esther (Landis) LeFevre in Sterling, Ill.

He resided on the LeFevre family farm most of his life until August 2010, when he and his wife, Carolyn, retired in Greencroft Retirement Community, Goshen.

He married Carolyn Main on Aug. 20, 1961. They were privileged to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in the fall of 2011.
His primary occupation was farming. Other jobs he did were as a school bus driver and janitor; 16 years for the American Red Cross Blood Services delivering blood and blood products to 11 hospitals in Northern Illinois; a father to 14 foster babies for long and short periods of time; service in many capacities in the local church; and helped his wife by working in a clothing center in the Sterling area, which assisted disabled people, unemployed people and people on low fixed incomes.

He was a former member of Science Ridge Mennonite Church and Community Mennonite Fellowship, both in Sterling, Ill. After retiring in the Goshen area, he was a member of Clinton Frame Mennonite Church.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn; three daughters, Marcia Friesen of North Newton, Kan., Karen Swartzendruber and her husband, Calvin, of Goshen, and Jackie Sue LeFevre of Bristol; two sons, Dennis Lefevre and his wife, Jennifer Friesen, and Ronald LeFevre and his wife, Patrice Galbreath, both of Hesston, Kan.; a brother, Elwin LeFevre of Sterling; a sister-in-law, Lois (Schmitt) LeFevre, of Rock Falls, Ill.; and 11 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Marlin LeFevre.

There was a prayer service at Clinton Frame Mennonite Church, Goshen. There was a memorial service at Science Ridge Mennonite Church at Sterling.

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Pellman, Richard L.

Richard L. Pellman, 90, of Lititz, Pa., died May 29, 2012. He was born to LeRoy S. and Elizabeth Lauver Pellman in Richfield. He married Betty Neff on June 16, 1945. They lived most of their lives near Millersville until they retired to Landis Homes in 2000.

He spent more than 50 years at Turkey Hill Dairy, where he was sales manager. Among the first retail route drivers, beginning in 1950, he took on increasing leadership and responsibilities as the company grew. After retiring in 1994 as sales manager, he continued part-time with the business, serving as liaison between the dairy and their Minit markets.

He was a member of Rossmere Mennonite Church in Lancaster. He was a beloved Sunday school teacher and served in a variety of leadership roles since becoming a member there in 1960. He served on the boards of Eastern Mennonite Missions and of Choice Books.

His first job was helping to farm and to butcher on his family’s farm in Snyder County. When he moved to the Lancaster area in his mid-20s, he first worked on a farm near East Petersburg, and also became a part-time butcher with a small Landisville firm.

He enjoyed reading, playing tennis, traveling internationally, food and cooking. He graduated from Eastern Mennonite High School, Harrisonburg, Va., in 1939.

Survivors include his wife of almost 67 years, Betty; a daughter, Phyllis Good and her husband, Merle, of Lancaster; a son, Kenneth Pellman and his wife, Rachel Thomas Pellman, of Lancaster; three brothers, Hubert R. Pellman of Harrisonburg, Va., William R. Pellman of New Holland and Charles W. Pellman of Harrisonburg; two sisters, Ferne P. Pellman of Lancaster and Miriam E. Pellman Maust of Waterloo, Ont.; two brothers-in-law, Dwight W. Hartman and Calvin W. Redekop, both of Harrisonburg, Va.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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Moyer, Verna D.

Verna D. Moyer, 95, of Quakertown, Pa., died June 5, 2012, in the Rockhill Mennonite Community, Sellersville. She was the wife of the late Ernest K. Moyer, pastor and businessman for 40 years. She was born to Joseph and Katie (Derstine) Hackman in Souderton.

Before moving to the Quakertown area with her husband in the mid-1940s, she was employed at Shanaman’s Sunlight Clothing industry in Souderton. She then assisted her husband in the founding of Moyer’s Chicks hatchery as well as becoming a pastor’s wife and associated lay ministry involvement at Rocky Ridge Mennonite Church in Quakertown. She always demonstrated a gracious spirit, a servant’s heart, and easily shared a hearty laugh to lift one’s spirits.

Survivors include two sons, Ivan H. Moyer and his wife, Evelyn, and Leon H. Moyer and his wife, Karen, all of Quakertown; a daughter, Eileen Knechel and her husband, Jeryl, of Harleysville; a sister, Dorothy Martin and her husband, Paul, of Lititz; nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest; and siblings Linford, Wilmer, Susan and J. Walter.

Services were held at Rocky Ridge Mennonite Church, Quakertown. Burial was in Rocky Ridge Mennonite Cemetery