Mennonite Weekly Review
February 3, 2003
81st Year, No. 5
p. 11

Selma E. Unruh
Selma Elizabeth (Dick) Unruh, of North Newton, Kan., died Jan. 17, 2003. She was born Oct. 13, 1919, to Issac J. and Helen J. (Schroeder) Dick on a farm north of Mountain Lake, Minn. On June 5, 1938, she was baptized and joined First Mennonite Church of Mountain Lake. In 1939 she attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. She became secretary to Bethel President E.G. Kaufman in 1941. At Bethel she met Willard Unruh. They were married Aug. 18, 1943. They served in the Belton, Mont., Civilian Public Service camp, where she was the dietitian. In 1948 they went to India and served with the General Conference Mennonite Church for five years. When they returned to North Newton in 1959, she worked as a secretary at Bethel College Mennonite Church and in several areas at Bethel College.
She was a member of Spic and Span EHU, an interracial extension club, was active in Church Women United, Bethel College Reading Club and Ethnic Lunch Bunch. At Bethel College church she was a member of Women's Fellowship.
In 1974 they went to India and Nepal for four months, to Haiti for a month in 1976, then spent two years in Nepal and four months in Somalia in 1979. Later they spent four months in India, Nepal and Taiwan and took a trip to Europe.
She loved bird watching, growing flowers and gardening. She canned produce from her garden and made applesauce, juice, pie and cake from their apple trees. She enjoyed handwork, including knitting and sewing.
In later years she had Parkinson's disease. She suffered a stroke that reduced her mobility in 1995. Willard cared for her at home until August 2001. She then resided at Kidron Bethel until her death.
Survivors include three sons, Paul and his wife, Shirley, of Greensburg, Burton and his wife, Kathy, of Wichita, and Allan and his wife, DaLene, of Valley Center; two daughters, Carol Buller and her husband, Jerry, of Newton, and Louise Hurwitz of Stuart, Fla.; two sisters, Marcella Klaassen of Hillsboro and Mildred Stucky of North Newton; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willard, on March 9, 2002.

Glendola Alta Wenger
Glendola Alta Bentch Wenger, 78, of Versailles, Mo., died Jan. 2, 2003, at Capitol Region Medical Center in Jefferson City. She was born March 8, 1924, to George Ezra and Minnie Opal McDavitt Bentch in Sagrada.
She married L. Roy Wenger on Sept. 19, 1948, in a double ceremony with her sister, Lela, and his brother, Paul, at Mount Zion Mennonite Church.
She accepted Christ as her Savior at age 10 and was baptized. She was a member of Cornerstone Church of Versailles and Gideons International Auxiliary. She loved the Lord and served him all her life. She was an example of a godly woman, a wonderful mother and wife.
She attended school in the Lick Creek area and graduated from Climax Springs High School.
Survivors include her husband, L. Roy Wenger; seven daughters, Delores Miller and her husband, Marlin, of Versailles, Charlene Yoder and her husband, Cleo, of Wolford, N.D., Darlene Reimer and her husband, Leonard, of Omaha, Neb., Marilyn Stevens of Omaha, Janice Miller and her husband, Clifford, of Versailles, Judith Redcay and her husband, Elmer, of Jefferson City, and Vivian Good and her husband, Jeff, of Murphy, Idaho; two sons, Philip and his wife, Helen, of Versailles, and Frederick and his wife, Natasha, of Jefferson City; two brothers, Don Bentch of Versailles and Clarence Bentch of Jefferson City; two sisters, Lela Wenger of Hesston and Eunice Lehman of Versailles; 27 grandchildren, a step-grandchild and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by an infant daughter and an infant great-granddaughter.
Funeral services were held at Cornerstone Church in Versailles. Burial was in Mount Zion Cemetery in Versailles.

Raymond E. Landis
Raymond Earle Landis, 89, of Lititz, Pa., died June 3, 2002, at Landis Homes Retirement Community. He was born Feb. 18, 1913, to Samuel A. and Barbara R. Weaver Landis in Fentress, Va. He graduated from East Cocalico Vocational School in 1930. He married Esther May Forry on June 18, 1938.
He worked for 37 years at Ivan Martin Inc. at both the Limestone Quarry and New Holland Concrete Plant. He retired in 1978. After retirement he was a manufacturer's representative for Holmes and Murray locks and Anderson Windows.
He was a charter member of Ephrata Mennonite Church and served in the cabinet there for many years. He also taught the junior boys Sunday school class. He served on the board of Ephrata Mennonite Christian Day School for 24 years, including 19 years as board chair. He was secretary for the board of Lancaster Mennonite School and helped form the Association of Mennonite Elementary Schools.
He learned to play organ, piano, mandolin, banjo, guitar, harmonica and accordian. He served as chorister and later played the church organ for Sunday services. He also enjoyed accompanying male ensembles and singing gospel songs.
He enjoyed hiking, bird watching, gardening, hunting, horses, traveling and visiting. He and his wife, Esther, traveled to Africa in 1967 to visit their daughter serving with Mennonite Central Committee and also visited Israel and Greece.
Survivors include his wife, Esther May; two sons, Dean Edward and his wife, Deborah Wenger Landis, of York, and John Ray of Lancaster; two daughters, Esther Mae Kurtz and her husband, Calvin, of Elverson, and Lois Elaine Shenk and her husband, John Barge Shenk, of Stevens; a sister, Marian Eby of Sarasota, Fla., 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Clarence, Harry and Roy; and three sisters, Elva Snader, Anna Espenshade and Martha Weinhold.
Services were held at Ephrata Mennonite Church. Burial was in Metzler's Mennonite Cemetery in West Earl Township.

Mennonite Weekly Review
February 10, 2003
81st Year, No. 6
p. 8

Eugene Clell Garber
Eugene Clell Garber, 77, of Sweet Home, Ore., died Jan. 31, 2003. He was born Oct. 17, 1925, to Clyde and Alma Zehr Garber in Manson, Iowa.
He married Melva Darlene Yoder on June 24, 1947, in Kalona, Iowa.
He received his bachelor's degree in religious education at Hesston (Kan.) College. While there he served as a student pastor at the Mennonite church in Greensburg.
He served as a pastor to congregations in Kalona, Iowa, International Falls, Minn., and Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He and his wife moved to Sweet Home in 1969. He was pastor at Sweet Home Mennonite Church until his retirement and was a member there at the time of his death.
He taught Bible classes at Iowa Mennonite School, was literature secretary for Iowa-Nebraska District Mission Board, was a representative of Mennonite Foundation to Oregon congregations and led the activities of seniors ministry at Sweet Home Mennonite Church.
He had a keen interest in evangelism and began with a tract distribution project. After his appointment as district literature secretary, he was inspired to distribute inspirational books and was instrumental in founding Choice Books Inc., now located in Harrisonburg, Va.
He owned and operated Mountain Shadows Mobile Home Park in Sweet Home. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and tropical fish.
Survivors include his wife, Melva; six children, Karen Reed and her husband, Charles, of Columbus, Ohio, Ken and his wife, Deb, of Pomeroy, Iowa, Jim and his wife, Linda, of Lebanon, Ore., Dan and his wife, Regena, of Hutchinson, Kan., Marlene Sherfy and her husband, Duane, of Albany, Ore., and Ron and his wife, Kerri, of Boardman, Ore.; two sisters, Carol Birkey of Manson, Iowa, and LaVonne Bohn of Chicago; two brothers, Irvin of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Daryl of Akron, Pa.; 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Funeral services were held at Sweet Home Mennonite Church. Burial was in Gilliland Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review
February 17, 2003
81st Year, No. 7
p. 8

Paul LaMar Short
Paul LaMar Short, 64, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Jan. 25, 2003, at his family home. He was born on July 11, 1938, to Dennis and Louella Baer Short in Archbold, Ohio.
While he was still in grade school, the family moved to Phoenix. In his youth he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and was baptized in the Mennonite Church. He graduated from Sunnyslope High School in 1956.
He married Joyce Kester on Dec. 21, 1962. The family celebrated their 40th anniversary in December 2002.
He joined the Arizona Highway Patrol in January 1963. He remained employed with the patrol, serving his fellow citizens until his retirement at the rank of sergeant 23 years later. He loved his work, and as retirement age approached, he enjoyed participating in many activities with his family and friends, including antiquing, auctions, woodworking and traveling.
When he was not spending the summer at his family cabin, he was the best babysitter for his grandsons. He was noted for making a variety of wood-crafted items for his children to enjoy, from skateboards to angels to quilt racks. His preferred travel location with Joyce was to Ohio to visit the extended family. He is also remembered for his warm greetings while serving coffee every Sunday at church.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce; two children, Kelly and his wife, Tracy, and Teri Womack and her husband, Paul; a sister, Loueen Burrows; a sister-in-law, Ann Short; a brother, Edward Short; two grandsons and a granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Emerson, Herman, Alvin and Marvin Short.
A celebration of life service was held at Sunnyslope Mennonite Church in Phoenix.

Randy Penner
Randy Penner, 81, of Freeman, S.D., formerly of Hudson, Wis., died Dec. 24, 2002, at Freeman Community Nursing Home. He was born on Feb. 27, 1921, to Albert H. and Elizabeth (Riesen) Penner near Hillsboro, Kan.
On Dec. 29, 1946, he married Luella Tieszen. They lived in Newton, Kan., Hudson, and moved to Freeman in 1999.
He served in Civilian Public Service camps in La Pine, Ore., and Bowie, Md., from 1942 to 1945.
He attended Wichita (Kan.) State University and Bethel College in North Newton, obtaining a bachelor's degree in fine arts.
He worked as an illustrator for printing, calendar and aviation companies. He was a commercial artist and then worked entirely in fine art, specializing in watercolors.
He was a member of the Midwest Watercolor Society and American Society of Aviation Artists. His paintings hang in private and corporate collections across the nation. He wrote and illustrated a book, A Harvest of Memories, depicting his younger years on a Kansas farm.
He is survived by his wife, Luella.
Memorial services were held at Salem Mennonite Church, rural Freeman. Private committal of the cremains was at Rose Hill Cemetery, rural Dolton.

Virgil P. Schmidt
Virgil P. Schmidt, 67, of North Newton, Kan., died Feb. 10, 2003. He was born March 24, 1935, to Arnold T. and Marie G. (Flaming) Schmidt in Goessel.
He was raised on the family farm near Goessel and attended Greenfield Elementary School, Goessel High School and Bethel College in North Newton.
He married Doris Jane Mendel on Aug. 30, 1959, in Freeman, S.D.
He lived in Newton from 1959 to 1965, when he moved to North Newton. He worked at Hesston Corporation for 15 years, Excel Industries for 10 years and Kidron Inc. for five years prior to working for Bethel College as director of grounds for the last 15 years. He also operated Virg's Lawn Care for the last 30 years, doing landscaping and yard maintenance.
He was a member of Faith Mennonite Church of Newton. He enjoyed fishing and being outside.
Survivors include his wife, Doris; a son, Keith of Omaha, Neb.; two daughters, Kathy Steely of Hewitt, Texas, and Karma Kauffman of Tulsa, Okla.; a sister, Luella Schmidt of Hesston; two brothers, Arlo of rural Newton and Orville of Elbing; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Wilma Schmidt.
Memorial services were held at Faith Mennonite Church. Burial was in Tabor Mennonite Church Cemetery of rural Newton.

Mennonite Weekly Review
February 24, 2003
81st Year, No. 8
p. 12

Paul L. Rempel
Paul L. Rempel, 78, of Manhattan, Kan., died Feb. 14, 2003, at Mercy Regional Health Center. He was born March 8, 1924, to Jacob E. and Liese (Balzer) Rempel in Hillsboro.
He married Nellie Schmidt on June 1, 1951, at Tabor Mennonite Church in Marion County.
He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1942 and attended Bethel College in North Newton. He was a Manhattan resident since 1962, moving there from Hillsboro.
He was a technician for the Marion County ABA for 11 years prior to working for the Kansas State Artificial Breeding Service Unit as laboratory manager for 27 years, retiring in 1989.
Originally a member of Bruderthal Mennonite Church, he was a founding member of Manhattan Mennonite Church. He harbored a lifelong passion for peace issues. He enjoyed inventing and building equipment for the lab, gardening, traveling and hiking in the mountains.
Survivors include his wife, Nellie; six children, Don Rempel of St. Louis, Mo., Laura Klocke and her husband, Richard, of Lawrence, Terry Rempel and his wife, Sara, of Manhattan, Trudy Rempel and her husband, Richard Schulz, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., Lisa Rempel and her husband, Kevin Bertrandt, of Gilbert, Ariz., and Audrey Hunter and her husband, Perry, of Portland, Ore.; a sister, Lula Klaassen and her husband, Herman, of Newton; a brother-in-law, Clarence Unrau of North Newton; a sister-in-law, Frances Rempel of Hillsboro, and seven grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at Manhattan Mennonite Church.