Lydia Gingerich

A�

A celebration of life for Lydia F. Gingerich, 91, of Kalona will be held Saturday, April 23, 2011, at 10:00AM at the Upper Deer Creek Mennonite Church in rural Wellman with Pastor Elmer Miller officiating. Burial will follow at the East Union Cemetery in rural Kalona.  Visitation will be held Friday, April 22, at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona from 1-4 and 6-8PM.  A memorial fund for Iowa Mennonite School and Pleasantview Home has been established.  Lydia Gingerich died Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at the Pleasantview Home following a lingering illness.

Lydia Ferne (Ropp) Gingerich was born November 24, 1919, in Kalona, IA.   She was the daughter of Lewis C. and Magdalena (Hershberger) Ropp.  She attended Pleasant Hill rural school.  Lydia spent a year in voluntary service in Flint, MI.  On April 9, 1944, she was united in marriage to Alvin R. Gingerich at the Fairview Conservative Mennonite Church in Kalona.  Lydia and Alvin served in the Civilian Public Service in Pennsylvania. Throughout her life she was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker. The couple also volunteered for many years at the Crowded Closet. Lydia was a member of the Upper Deer Creek Mennonite Church where she was active in the Ladies Sewing Circle and served as a Sunday school teacher.  She enjoyed gardening and canning, tending to her flowers and plants, quilting and sewing, cooking, traveling, and playing games like Scrabble and Skip-Bo.  Lydia had a heart for hospitality and giving to others.

Survivors include her children, Daniel (Myra) Gingerich of Sarasota, FL, James (Lois) Gingerich of Kalona, Donald (Cindy) Gingerich of Kalona, Ella Mae Gingerich of Des Moines, IA, Celeste (Harry) Miller of San Antonio, TX, Dwight (Mo) Gingerich of Kalona, IA, Cathy Gingerich of Coralville, IA, Jewel (Fred) Gingerich Longenecker of South Bend, IN, 18 grandchildren, Rosalynn Gingerich (Kurt Frymire), Aaron, Micah and Ethan Gingerich, Jeffrey (Myrissa) Gingerich, Jennifer (TJ) Voss, Jeremy (Rebecca) Miller, Jessica (Channing) Ward, Rachael (Sean) Fletcher, Ben Miller, Michaela, Eli and Caleb Gingerich, Nathan, Matthew and Hannah Gingerich, Jenae and Jace Longenecker, four great-grandchildren, Saylee and Caeson Gingerich, Greta Voss, Jude Alvin Miller, four sisters, Ada Gingerich of Colorado Springs, CO, Edith Helmuth of Kalona, Martha Bender of Kalona, Verda Swartzendruber of Kalona, one brother, Vernon Ropp of Kalona.

A�

Preceding Lydia in death were her parents, husband Alvin on March 31, 2010, one son, Kenneth Gingerich, one granddaughter, Angela, and one grandson, Andrew, six siblings, Esther Ropp, Ernest Ropp, Omar Ropp, Ella Mae Ropp, infant Mary Jane Ropp, and Effie Baer.