Miriam S. Eberly

Miriam (Mim) Eberly, 85, of Landis Homes, Lititz, left this world and entered her eternal home on February 2, 2022 as a result of a fall on ice. She entered this world on August 23, 1936 to the late Leroy and Grace (Sauder) Eberly. She was later joined by 5 siblings: Ruth (Don) Harnish, Naomi (Bob) Gochenaur, Mary (Bob) Matthews, Robert (Nancy Yost) Eberly, and Linda (Dave) Miller. She is also survived by 12 nieces and nephews and spouses as well as 24 great nieces and nephews and 15 great-greats.

Mim graduated from LMS in 1955, graduated from LGH nursing school, briefly working in ICU before joining a doctor’s office in Strasburg for several years until she had a calling to go to Belize (formerly British Honduras). In Belize she learned midwifery and worked at the Orange Walk Hospital delivering babies for 3 years. She returned to the States, spent a summer at the Belleview City Hospital in New York City to earn money for college. At EMU in Virginia she graduated with a degree in Bible. While at EMU she learned about a program for nurse practitioner training at Frontier Nursing in Hyden, Kentucky which she took before returning to Belize for another 3 year term - this time giving medical care in San Felipe among the Maya Indian community and also did weekly mobile clinics in the surrounding Old Colony Mennonite communities. In her time in Belize, she delivered over 200 babies. She grew to love the people there and made her last trip there in 2017. A year prior, she returned again to Belize and took her siblings and their spouses with her to see and appreciate Belize and its peoples’. Because of her love for the peoples’ there, she set up a scholarship fund for Belizean teens to have an opportunity to attend high school.

Mim returned to the US in 1976 and was employed at the Eastbrook Medical Center, and later the General Internal Medicine group as a Certified Nurse Practitioner until 2003 when she retired. Her life was kept busy by her zest for life. She spent many hours in her flower garden, enjoyed growing tomatoes, rhubarb, and heirloom beans near her back porch, crocheting baby blankets for the babies of her great nieces and nephews wives. She has made 15 and was working on another. She also enjoyed going out to lunch with her many friends from the nursing world or friends made through her time in Belize.

She was active in the life of Witmer Heights Church – had helped to teach Sunday School and previously had been on the leadership team. She memorized the book of Philippians and gave it by memory one Sunday morning.

Mim had a heart for the underprivileged – giving scholarship money for Belize, delivered Panera bread to the homeless in Lancaster, made humanitarian trips to Haiti, Moldova and Romania. She was also a world traveler – visiting 80 plus countries which led to broader understandings and expanded her horizons. She climbed the High Tatras in Slovakia but admits that she brought up the tail every day!! She was a voracious reader, especially books on faith. She had a penchant for capturing nature photos and photography in general; was fond of classical music and lived a full satisfied life.

A memorial service will take place at Groffdale Mennonite Church, 168 North Groffdale Road, Leola, PA on Saturday, February 12 at 2:00 PM. with a visitation at 1:00 until time of service. Interment in the Groffdale Church cemetery will be private and held at the convenience of the family. We ask you to kindly consider wearing a mask as a gesture of goodwill and compassion for all who attend. The service will be live streamed for those who are unable to attend in person. For the link, go to Groffdale.com/events. Contributions in Mim’s memory may be made to the Belize Scholarship Fund, EMM, Box 8617, Lancaster, PA 17604 and earmarked for the Belize Fund. To send an online condolence to the family, visit www.GroffEckenroth.com. Arrangements by the Groff High Funeral Home, New Holland, PA