Mennonite Weekly Review, October 3, 2005, 83rd Year, No. 40, p. 8

Jeremiah "Jerry" Gingerich, 94, of Bruneau, Idaho, died Sept. 3, 2005. He was born April 23, 1911, to Christian and Mary (Zehr) Gingerich in Parnell, Iowa.
He met his life companion, Letha Slatter, at Hesston (Kan.) College, and they were married May 2, 1937.
He taught in country schools in Kansas and Iowa from 1938 to 1943. In 1943, when his father-in-law was near retirement, they moved to Filer, Idaho, to take over the family farm. In 1963 they moved to Bruneau to farm and ranch.
He had a lifelong interest in farming, even during the last days of his life. Other than farming, his great interest was doing voluntary service for numerous charitable organizations. Letha was his constant companion on these humanitarian trips, which took them to diverse locations across the United States and abroad. He always encouraged others and helped the down and out. He was never too busy to visit with anyone. He was frugal in living but generous in giving.
He was a charter member and active member of Bruneau Community Church until his final days.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Letha; four sons, Verlin and his wife, Ella, and Rudy and his wife, Colleen, all of Bruneau, Donell and his wife, Frances, of Nampa, and Kermit and his wife, Clydene, of Seoul, South Korea; two daughters, Dolores Brubaker and her husband, Ervin, of Pocatello, and Mary Beth King and her husband, Loren, of Suffolk, Va.; a sister, Ruth Miller; 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a sister and two brothers.

Mennonite Weekly Review, October 10, 2005, 83rd Year, No. 41, P. 8

Lois Gunden Clemens, 90, of Towamencin, Pa., died Aug. 27, 2005. She was born Feb. 25, 1915, to Christian and Agnes (Albrecht) Gunden in Flanagan, Ill.
In 1958 she married Ernest Rittenhouse Clemens. They resided in Lansdale until moving in 1991. He preceded her in death in 1997.
She graduated from Goshen (Ind.) College in 1936 and received her master's degree from Peabody College in 1939 and her doctorate from Indiana University in 1958.
She taught at Goshen College from 1939 to 1958, Temple University from 1965 to 1975, and at North Penn High School in Lansdale.
She traveled to southern France in 1941 for Mennonite Central Committee to administer a refugee children's home and was interned in 1943 in Germany before being repatriated in 1944.
She served as the first president of the local chapter of the American Association of University Women and was active in the American Bible Society, where she served on its advisory council.
She was a leader in youth and women's activities as a Sunday school teacher and elder. She served Franconia Mennonite Conference in a number of positions, including as chair of the International Friendship Committee, and opened her home for English lessons.
She served on the Mennonite Church General Committee, Mennonite Board of Education and the board of overseers for Goshen College. She was editor of The Voice, the national publication of the Women's Missionary and Service Auxiliary of Mennonite Board of Missions and authored the book Women Liberated.
Survivors include a stepdaughter, Pauline Fisher and her husband, John, of Goshen; two brothers, Elton Gunden of Naples, Fla., and Donald Gunden of Myerstown, Pa.; two sisters, Doris Metzler and Ruth E., both of Goshen; two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest; a sister, Elva Huneryager; and three brothers, Orville, Ralph and Cleland Gunden.
Funeral services were held at Dock Woods Community Chapel of Lansdale. Burial was in Plains Mennonite Cemetery.

Barbara Maust Esch, 100, died Sept. 24, 2005, at Glencroft Retirement Community, Glendale, Ariz. She was born Sept. 9, 1905, to Joseph and Lydia (Hochstetler) Maust near Springs, Pa.
As an infant she moved with her family to Pigeon, Mich., where she grew to maturity with her parents and 11 siblings. She was a baptized member of Pigeon River Mennonite Church.
In 1924, she married Henry D. Esch, a chiropractor in the Pigeon community. They had four children, who accompanied them when they moved to Phoenix in 1947. She, her husband and children were active members of Sunnyslope Mennonite Church. Later, Henry was one of the founders of Glencroft Retirement Community, and together they moved to Glencroft in 1978 and resided there until their deaths.
She was known as a loving and caring wife, mother and grandmother. She was considered an excellent quiltmaker. Her quilts were prize-winning and highly sought after at the Glencroft benefit sales. She was also a recreational oil painter. She enjoyed painting, along with her quiltmaking, during her retirement years.
Survivors include a brother, Joe Maust of Pigeon, Mich.; four children, Lelia Esch Schlabach of Phoenix, Victor Esch of Arvada, Colo., Boots (Beulah) Esch Raber and her husband, Merrill Raber, of Newton, Kan., and Myrna Esch Schmidt and her husband, Howard Schmidt, of Wolcott, Colo; eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry, in December 1996; a son in law, Abe Schlabach; a daughter-in-law, Carolyn Weaver Esch; and a grandson, John Schlabach.
A family graveside service was held at Resthaven Park Cemetery in Glendale. A memorial service will be held at Sunnyslope Mennonite Church of Phoenix in November.

Mennonite Weekly Review, October 24, 2005, 83rd Year, No. 43, p. 8

Ruth G. Hartman, 68, of Brutus, Mich., died Aug. 29, 2005. She was born May 15, 1937, to Menno and Mary (Gregory) Burkhart in Petoskey, Mich.
She attended Woodland School in Brutus, Pellston High School, Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va., and received her masters in education from Western Michigan College in Kalamazoo.
On July 7, 1962, she married Don Hartman in Brutus. They made their home in various parts of the country.
She taught school for about 31 years in Alanson, Kalamazoo and Indian River elementary schools and in Goshen, Ind. She was active in service to her church and community, and was a lifetime member of Maple River Mennonite School. They owned and operated Hartwood Orchards for a number of years, with pick-your-own strawberries and a cider press. She was a member of the Peace League and the Emmet County Farm Bureau. She was a volunteer aide, after her retirement from teaching, at Pellston Elementary School and Bortz Health Care of Petoskey.
Survivors include her husband, Don; mother, Mary Burkhart of Brutus; four sisters, Naomi Bontrager and her husband, Merle, and Marie Burkhart of Brutus, Linda Boyer and her husband, Tom, and Nancy Behan of Petoskey; two brothers, Wayne Burkhart and his wife, Donna, of Monterey, Mass., and Arnold Burkhart and his wife, Kay, of Brutus; a mother-in-law, Irene Hartman of Goshen, Ind.; and a brother-in-law, Dennis Hartman and his wife, Linda.
A memorial service was held at Maple River Mennonite Church.

Charles Neff, 89, of Lebanon, Pa., died Sept. 17, 2005, in the Select Care unit of Lancaster General Hospital after a five-month struggle with leukemia. He was born June 25, 1916, to Amos L. and Mary Ellen (Reisner) Neff in Chicago.
He spent his childhood with the street cars and the hustle and bustle of the grand old city as his parents were actively involved in the work of an inner-city mission.
He early felt the call to medicine, and it framed a lifelong pilgrimage. His college-level work was done at Goshen (Ind.) College, Chicago University and Northwestern, and he completed his medical training at the University of Maryland. He practiced for 13 years as a country physician in Hartford County, Md. He received psychiatric training in a residency program in California and spent 15 years in the California State Hospital System at Porterville, Patton and Pacific State Hospitals. He also taught at Loma Linda University in the psychiatry program.
In 1972, he was asked to come to Philhaven Hospital as medical director, where he worked for 12 years and where he continued to work in retirement.
He was active in local and national medical societies. His long ministry in the healing community as a servant of the Great Physician was inseparably linked to his devotion to the fellowship of faith. He was an active member of Gingrichs Mennonite Church.
In August 2005, he celebrated his 64th wedding anniversary with his wife, Elizabeth (Royer) Neff.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth; a daughter, Christina Neff Okamoto and her husband, Jeff Okamoto; and a grandson.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, John Timothy; and his only sister, Ethel G. Yoder.
Services were held at Bible Fellowship Church southwest of Lebanon. A graveside service was held at Gingrichs Church Cemetery.

There were no obituaries in the Oct. 31, 2005 issue of Mennonite Weekly Review.