Verling L. Etter

Verling Levere Etter, age 86 of Garden Spot Retirement Village, New Holland, went to be with his Lord and Savior, surrounded by his family on Monday February 15. He was the loving husband of Thelma Ruth Shillingford to whom he was married for 64 years.

Born in Hershey, he later lived in Newtown Square and Manheim, before moving to New Holland after retirement.

He was a member of Salem United Methodist Church in Manheim, Christian Fellowship Church in New Holland and most recently Community Church at Garden Spot Village.

After graduating from Hershey High School, he attended Hershey Community College and Shippensburg State Teachers College receiving a B.S. in Elementary Ed. and earned his M.S. in Elementary Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Verl served in the US Army during the Korean Conflict. He taught in Upper Darby School District and held administrative assignments in Conshohocken, Willistown Township as an elementary school principal and Manheim Central School District as Supervisor of Elementary Education. He was a past president and member of the Manheim Rotary Club, served on various church and civic associations in Manheim and Newtown Square before retiring after 35 years of elementary education service.

Survived by, in addition to his wife, are three children; Daniel married to Mindy (Perry) of Lititz, parents of Ethan T. and Laurel; Ronald, married to Debbie (Annin) of Medford Lakes, NJ, parents of Timothy and Thomas Annin; and Gwen Etter Schilthuis married to James Schilthuis of Kennett Square, PA, the parents of Kate Boggs and Leigh Boggs. Also surviving is his sister Jean A. Grosnick, Masonic Homes, Elizabethtown, PA. and his sister-in-law Carol Shillingford (Keyes) of West Chester, PA. whose husband Gary Shillingford preceded her in death.

Verl loved his family and spent many years camping and traveling with them. He also enjoyed reading, volunteering at Garden Spot Village and a variety of sports both as a participant and a spectator, especially as a Hershey Bears and later Philadelphia Flyers fan for whom he instilled a life long interest in ice hockey by his family.

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday February 20, 2016 at 11:00AM, visitation at 10:00AM, at the Garden Spot Village Chapel, 433 S Kinzer Ave, New Holland, PA 17557 with Pastor Jack Estep officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations in Verl's honor can be made to the Garden Spot Village Benevolent Fund, address above. Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences maybe posted at www.groffeckenroth.com