Mennonite Weekly Review - August, 2003

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

Mennonite Weekly Review - August 4, 2003 - 81st Year, No. 31 - p. 8

Maynard D. Yoder
Maynard D. Yoder, 76, of Fristoe, Mo., died June 27, 2003, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. He was born Feb. 23, 1927, to Alvin M. and Almeda Slaubaugh Yoder in Johnson County, Iowa.
He grew up on a farm in Johnson County and was a veteran of the United States Army, serving during World War II.
On June 10, 1948, he married Marvel J. Kinsinger. They made their home on a farm near Parnell. They moved to Fristoe, Mo., on Dec. 1, 1953.
They moved there to organize and provide leadership for a new church. They helped establish Evening Shade Mennonite Church near Warsaw. He served as minister of the church for 33 years. He then became conference minister of the Arkansas-Missouri District of South Central Mennonite Conference. He worked diligently for the benefit of the church and his Lord.
He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed farm life and was a carpenter by trade, building and remodeling many homes in the area.
Survivors include two sons, Cecil and his wife, Nancy, of LeMars, Iowa, and Phillip of Warsaw; a daughter, Marcella Keltner and her husband, Kent, of Galena; a sister, Marguerite Pickett of Bakersfield, Calif.; six grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marvel, on May 17, 1998.
Funeral services were held at Evening Shade Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Fristoe Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review
Aug. 11, 2003
81st Year, No. 32
p. 8

Dorothy Banman
Dorothy T. Banman, 75, died June 27, 2003, at Bethesda Nursing Home in Goessel, Kan. She was born Sept. 19, 1927, to Theodore and Martha (Schroeder) Dirksen on their farm in McPherson County.
She was baptized in Goessel Mennonite Church on May 28, 1944, and was a member until her death.
She graduated from Goessel High School and from Bethel College in North Newton, where she received her teaching certificate. She taught several years in Harvey and McPherson counties.
On June 10, 1948, she married Marvin J. Banman and they lived on their rural Canton farm for 45 years. Besides the busy life of a farm wife and mother, she also worked as a clinic receptionist for 12 years and then as secretary at a children's residential agency for 15 years.
In June 1993, they retired from farming and moved to Goessel. In May, she moved into a Bethesda duplex and after becoming ill, into Bethesda Nursing Home.
She enjoyed flowers and was a member of the Goessel Garden Club. She also enjoyed traveling with her family, and was a member of the women's group in her church.
Survivors include two sons, Keith of rural Canton and Nelson of Topeka; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter; and an uncle, Roland Dirksen of Moundridge.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin, in 1996; an infant son, Courtney; a sister, Julie Flynn; and a brother, Robert Dirksen.
Memorial services were held at Goessel Mennonite Church. Burial was in Goessel Mennonite Church Cemetery.

Lewis Bender Miller
Lewis Bender Miller, 74, of Rome City, Ind., died May 26, 2003, in an equipment accident at his home. He was born to Ina S. and Fannie Mae Bender Miller.
He attended country school through ninth grade in Elkhart County. Later, he graduated from Goshen College and the University of Chicago.
He was baptized and joined Benton Mennonite Church as a young man.
On Nov. 23, 1950, he married Lois Mary Hartman of Goshen.
He was pastor at Elmwood Mennonite Church of Kendallville from 1953 to 1970. He later became pastor of Lake Bethel Mennonite Church in LaGrange from 1986 to 2000.
He retired in 2000 after 27 years as a social worker at Northeastern Center, but he continued to serve as a counselor at Westview School Corp. in Topeka and to work with children with disabilities at ARC Opportunities in LaGrange County.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Lois; two children, Phil and his wife, Jenny, of Moline, Ill., and Jolene Pettigrew and her husband, J. David, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and five grandchildren.
Services were held at Shore Mennonite Church in Shipshewana.

Mennonite Weekly Review
August 18, 2003
81st Year, No. 33
p. 8

Elmer Victor Adrian
Elmer Adrian, 79, of Buhler, Kan., died July 16, 2003. He was born Oct. 18, 1923, to Jacob L. Adrian and Mary Neufeld Adrian on a farm southeast of Buhler in Reno County.
He attended Lily Dale Grade School and graduated from Buhler High School.
When he was 17 years old, he had to shoulder much of the responsibility of the family farm because his father had died and his older siblings moved away. On their farm they raised watermelons and grain.
He was baptized at an early age, confirming his faith in Jesus Christ and his membership into Buhler Mennonite Brethren Church. He enjoyed singing in a quartet, the church choir and the male chorus. He was active in Kiwanis Club.
On Oct. 3, 1947, he married Lovella Siemens. They lived on the farm until 1949, when he began a 33-year career as a custom harvester, partnering with Ike Pauls. He approached his livelihood as a worthwhile endeavor because he felt he was helping to feed the world. His mission was to cut each field and deliver the grain as if he was the one that owned the land. His success was evident in that he cut many of the same fields for the same farmers from Texas to Montana, some for as many as 25 years.
During the winters he worked at jobs that included construction of the Hutchinson elevator, bus driving and electrician's helper. He was active as a Boy Scout leader.
In 1983, he retired from custom harvesting, and he and his wife traveled to South America, Europe and throughout North America. He enjoyed gardening and pool tournament competitions. He was devoted to helping others, often mowing a yard or clearing snow from others' driveways.
Survivors include his wife, Lovella; two children, Darrell and his wife, Holly Adrian, and Jean Olsen; a brother, Norman; a sister, Ruth Friesen; a sister-in-law, Helen Adrian; four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Services were held at Buhler Mennonite Brethren Church. Burial was in Buhler Cemetery.

Edwin Swartzendruber
Edwin Dale Swartzendruber, 78, of Hesston, Kan., and formerly of Olds, Iowa, died June 27, 2003, at Schowalter Villa from complications of a stroke suffered in November 2002. He was born Oct. 10, 1924, to Lloyd and Ethel (Yohn) Swartzendruber near Wayland, Iowa.
He married Lucille Roth on June 6, 1948.
He lived almost his entire life in the Olds/Swedesburg area of Iowa, relocating to Lakeside Village in Hesston in February.
He enjoyed farming along with driving an 18-wheeler and over the years hauled a wide variety of loads. He also enjoyed reading and getting to know people. He was a lifelong member of Sugar Creek Mennonite Church of rural Wayland, where he served in various capacities.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille; three daughters, Connie Ganger and her husband, David, of Elkhart, Ind., Donna Swartzendruber and her husband, Richard, of Wellman, Iowa, and Debra Roth and her husband, Clark, of Hesston; a sister, Mary Widmer of Goshen, N.Y.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
He was preceded in death by twin grandchildren, Paige and Eliot Roth.
Memorial services were held at Schowalter Villa and at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Sugar Creek Cemetery.

Anna C. Schmidt
Anna C. Schmidt, 104, of Goessel, Kan., died Aug. 8, 2003, at Bethesda Home. She was born Oct. 20, 1898, to Heinrich and Susanna (Voth) Lehrman on their farm in rural Marion County.
She was baptized in Tabor Mennonite Church on May 19, 1908, and was a member until her death.
She attended Heimbaugh Elementary School and Goessel Preparatory School.
On Oct. 5, 1924, she married Albert Schmidt.
They lived on their farm near Goessel for 37 years until his death in 1961. She lived briefly in North Newton prior to building her home in Goessel, where she resided until she was 100. She then moved to Bethesda Home, where she had been employed as an aide for several years earlier.
She enjoyed quilting, reading, gardening and bird watching and was an avid Scrabble player. She was a member of the Tabor Sewing Society.
Survivors include a son, Hartzel W. of North Newton; two daughters, Arlene F. Balzer of Inman and Joan Gray of North Newton; seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; an infant son, Donald; five brothers and four sisters.
Memorial services were held at Tabor Mennonite Church. Burial was in Tabor Mennonite Church Cemetery.

Orrin Berg
Orrin Berg, 73, of Salem, Ore., died July 19, 2003. He was born Jan. 1, 1930, to Henry W. and Marie Harms Berg in Hillsboro, Kan.
He married Ruby Sawatzky on May 27, 1961.
He graduated from Tabor College. After completing his doctorate in 1966, he moved with his wife and children to Fresno, Calif., where he began the psychology department at Fresno Pacific University. He remained head of that department until he retired in 1993.
He was active in Butler Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church and Mennonite Community Church, both in Fresno, and in Salem Mennonite Church in Keizer, Ore.
After his retirement in 1993, he and his wife moved to Oregon.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Ruby; a son, Don, and his wife, Jennifer Reimer-Berg; a daughter, Jeannie Berg; a brother, Ken; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at Salem Mennonite Church.

Mennonite Weekly Review
August 25, 2003
81st Year, No. 34
p. 8

DELMAR L. STAHLY
Delmar L. Stahly, of North Newton, Kan., died July 1, 2003, of natural causes at age 92.
Stahly worked for Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Pa., for more than 25 years. After helping to establish Prairie View Health Center, a mental health facility near Newton, he served MCC as director of Mennonite Mental Health Services, Mennonite Disaster Service and Menno Housing.
During World War II, he served in several states under Civilian Public Service. Through MCC, he worked in postwar relief and reconstruction in Italy and Hungary.
Stahly graduated from Bluffton (Ohio) College in 1933 with a degree in chemistry, and from Carlock (Ill.) High School in 1928.
He served on the advisory council of the Lancaster County (Pa.) Program for the Aging, and provided volunteer income tax assistance to elderly residents. He also volunteered at the Kauffman Museum in North Newton. He was a member of Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton, and a 40-year member of Bethel Mennonite Church of Lancaster, Pa.
An avid reader, his interests included used books, word and card games, genealogy, theology and current issues affecting the church.
Stahly was born near Danvers, Ill., to Ulysses S. and Bertha Blough Stahly. In 1951, he married Luella Goering, who died in 2001.
Surviving are two sons, Gregory of Lancaster, Pa., and Jerold of Atmore, Ala.; a daughter, Yvonne Alwes of Lexington, Ky; a brother, Forrest of Bloomington, Ill.; and two granddaughters.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Eldon, Gerald and Harry; and a sister, Alma Hamilton.