Margie Swartzendruber

Margie Lu Hostetler Swartzendruber, 85, died February 20 at Newton Medical Center in Newton, Kansas, of pneumonia. Margie dedicated much of her life to caring for children. She was a founder of the Hesston Community Child Care and served as a teacher and director. After retirement, she took responsibility for laundry and dining duties part time, and when she could no longer do that due to Alzheimer’s, she faithfully walked from home to the child care to feed the bunnies. Margie was born Jan. 8, 1931, at the home of her parents, Clara Burkey Hostetler and Elbert Nathaniel Hostetler, near Beaver Crossing, Nebraska. She grew up on this farm, the middle of five sisters, with one older brother. She attended a oneroom school, District 80 in Seward County, through the eighth grade, then Hesston Preparatory School in 1946 and 1947, where she met Wayne Swartzendruber, of St. John, Michigan. After graduation, and a summer class in Seward, Nebraska, she was the teacher for one year at a rural school not far from her parents home. She and Wayne married on May 27, 1950, at the West Fairview Mennonite Church. Soon after their marriage the couple moved to Aibonito, Puerto Rico, to join the VS unit there,and Margie taught kindergarten children in La Plata for two years. In 1952 they moved to Hesston where the the first of their three children, Elbert Wayne was born. Jan Eileen followed in 1953 and Karl Dale in 1958. As a homemaker, Margie encouraged her children's imaginative play with the Baby Boom kids on North Weaver Street in group enterprises. Margie enjoyed picnics and creek splashing at “Spangler’s Grove,” and Harvey County Park West, drives in the country, sometimes to the Flint Hills, and swimming at Pete’s Puddle. Throughout their lives, Margie and Wayne were friends and sponsors to Spanish speaking persons. Margie taught English to several of them and she was a persuasive advocate for people in need. They became foster parents to Nai Nyan, a young Laotian boy, for several years. In 1983, Wayne and Margie moved from North Weaver in Hesston to the “Truck and Duck Farm” east of town on 96th, where they enjoyed gardening and hosting family and friends for 16 years. In 1997 they moved from their country home to South Weaver Street and became part of that neighborhood. In 2013 Margie moved to Schowalter Villa where she continued to be a part of the community until her final illness. Margie was baptized at the rural West Fairview Mennonite Church as a teenager. In Kansas, she attended the Pennsylvania Mennonite Church, at the present site of Eastlawn Cemetery, later Whitestone, and she remained a faithful member until her death. She participated in the Autumn Heirs Sunday school class and served as Sunday School superintendent. She was a devoted teacher to small children in Sunday School for years. She helped organize and support an Hispanic congregation that met at Whitestone in the 1980s and 1990s. Margie dedicated much of her life to caring for children. She was a founder of the Hesston Community Child Care and served as a teacher and director. After retirement, she took responsibility for laundry and dining duties part time, and when she could no longer do that due to Alzheimer’s, she faithfully walked from home to the child care to feed the rabbits. Margie started a preschool in her home in 1967 that became one of the roots of the Hesston Community Child Care. She graduated from Hesston College in 1973, then completed a bachelor of science degree in elementary education at Bethel College in 1976. From 1975 1977 she was codirector and teacher at Community Play School in North Newton. She remained focused on small children throughout her life. Even in her last months she was alert to small children and they responded to her. Margie was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, in 2008 ; her brother Eldon Hostetler, and sisters Edith Reed and Leila DeVoe, brothers in law Bob Swartzendruber, Levi Troyer and Robert Phelps, soninlaw, David Leo Ledgere; nephews, Randy Craig, George Swartzendruber and Benton Reed. She is survived by her sons, Elbert, of Halstead and Karl, of Sterling Heights, Mich.; and;her daughter Jan Swartzendruber and husband, Floyd Saunders of Newton; sisters Wilma Phelps,Hesston, and Vada Clemens, Elizabethtown, PA; granddaughter, Sibyl Beaudry, Centreville,Va.; grandson Mauricio Swartzendruber, Kalamazoo, MI.; InLaws Gene and Velma Swartzendruber, Hesston, Richard and Naomi Swartzendruber, Valley Center, Larry and Rozella Swartzendruber, Henderson, Nebraska, Evie Troyer and Virginia Swartzendruber, Hesston. She also had 27 nieces and nephews, or niblings, 7 grandchildren by marriage; and one great grandson, Ethan Beaudry. There are 2 more great ones on the way! Following a graveside service for the family at Eastlawn Cemetery on March 19, a memorial service will be held at Whitestone Mennonite Church at 11:00 a.m., with luncheon provided after the service. There is a memorial “Margie Fund” for the Hesston Child Care. Contributions may be mailed to 441 Nuefeld Drive, Hesston, 67062 or received at the memorial service. The family expresses deep gratitude to everyone at Schowalter Villa for caring for Margie in her last 3 years, to the staff at Newton Medical Center for their care in her last 3 days, to the people of Whitestone for caring about her for many years and making her memorial possible, and to all of you who remember her with your words, cards and in your thoughts and prayers.

Margie Swartzendruber

January 8, 1931 - February 20, 2016