Obituaries

Dec 31, 2024

Margaret J. Gress, 90, of Garden Spot Village, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family, on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. She was born in Brecknock Township, to her late parents, Frank L. and Anna Mary (Keifer) Kring. Her husband of 69 years, James E. Gress, survives at home.

Margaret graduated from Mohnton High School in 1952. Following...

Dec 29, 2024

William L. Martin, 83, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 29, 2024. He was a resident at Fairmont Homes, Ephrata, PA.

Born in Caernarvon Twp., Lancaster County, he was a son of the late William G. and Anna S. (Lichty) Martin.

He was the loving husband of Ruth Ann (Martin) Martin...

Dec 28, 2024

Andrea "Cookie" Gilliland, 77, of Myerstown, passed away on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Lancaster General Hospital after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Shenandoah, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Anna (née Litwinchuk) Andrews. Cookie graduated from Garden Spot High School, class of 1965, and later went into the service...

Dec 27, 2024

Dean David Stoltzfus, 53, died unexpectedly on Friday, December 27, 2024, in Scranton where he currently resided.

Born in Ephrata, he was the son of Clifford E. Stoltzfus, Stevens, and the late Doris A. (Beam) Stoltzfus.

Dean was a past mechanic, graduating from Vo-Tech and employed for many years at the...

Dec 26, 2024

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Phung Kim Vu, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, son, cousin, and friend, who passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 72.

Born in Saigon, Phung immigrated to the United States with a vision of building a better future for himself and...

Dec 24, 2024

Susan G. (Gallup) Hill, 92, passed away on December 24, 2024 as a resident of Garden Spot

Village.

Born in Mt. Vernon, NY, she was the daughter of the late Frederick H. Gallup and Alice Margaret

Hill.

She was the wife of the late Richard Hill, who passed on May 18,...

Dec 22, 2024

Arlene (Oberholtzer) Zimmerman, 69, of Narvon, PA, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Arlene was born in East Earl, PA, to her late parents, Paul H. and Lizzie W. (Oberholtzer) Shirk. She was the wife of Harvey R. Zimmerman, who survives at home.

Arlene was a member of Bowmansville Mennonite Church (Groffdale Conference)...

Dec 22, 2024

James Lee Newswanger, 81, of Ephrata, passed away at home on Sunday, December 22, 2024, following a brief illness.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Clara Z. (Seibel) Newswanger. Born in Blue Ball, he was the son of the late George and Edna Z. (Weaver) Newswanger.

James was an owner-operator truck driver...

Dec 20, 2024

Mary Ellen Yoder, 100, of Tel Hai Retirement Community went to be with the Lord on December 20, 2024, following a sudden decline.

Mary Ellen was born in Elverson, PA, to her late parents, John H. and Anna (Stoltzfus) Yoder.

Following high school, she enrolled in Goshen College, graduating with an...

Dec 20, 2024

Thelma J. Sensenig, 85, of New Holland, died Friday, December 20, 2024, at Hospice & Community Care, Mt. Joy. Her husband, Lloyd S. Sensenig, Jr., survives.

Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Edward Brunken and Pearl (Herr) Buckwalter.

A homemaker, she was also a long-time member of...

Dec 19, 2024

Ralph D. Stoltzfus, 90, of Ephrata, passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at his residence.

Born in Elverson, he was the son of the late David and Mattie (Smoker) Stoltzfus. He was the husband of Carol (Weaver) Stoltzfus. They would have been married 67 years on December 28.

Ralph was...

Dec 18, 2024

Martha Hoover Martin, 79, of New Holland, passed away on December 18, 2024 in her residence following a brief illness.

Born in East Earl, she was the daughter of the late Noah S. and Emma W. (Hoover) Garman.

She was the wife of Amos M. Martin, with whom she married on January 3, 1967 and...

Dec 18, 2024

Melvin W. Weaver, 88, of Denver, passed away at home on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

He was the husband of Anna H. Hackert Weaver. Born in New Holland, he was the son of the late Aaron M. and Emma M. Weaver Weaver.

Melvin was a retired farmer and a member of the Martindale Mennonite Church,...

Dec 17, 2024

Mary E. Martin, 99, a resident of Luther Acres, Lititz, passed away at the home on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

She was the wife of the late Irvin L. Martin who died in 2016. Born in Caernarvon Twp., she was the daughter of the late Charles and Minnie Leininger Haas.

Mary was a homemaker and...

Dec 16, 2024

Jon Roland Sommer, 72, died peacefully and surrounded by close family on December 16, at Garden Spot Village in New Holland, PA.

Born in Orrville, OH, Jon lived a life immersed in languages, history and music.

As a young child, Jon was influenced by his parents’ musicianship in the church and...

Dec 15, 2024

Harvey R. Zimmerman, 80, of Ephrata, went to be with the Lord on December 15, 2024, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in East Earl, he was the son of late Harvey B. and Alice H. (Good) Zimmerman.

He was the loving husband of Mary Jane (Groff) Zimmerman, with whom he shared 60 years of...

Dec 14, 2024

Judith “Judi” L. (Neis) Hess, 72, of East Earl, passed away on December 14, 2024.

Born in Ephrata, she was the daughter of the late Fred L. and Merla (Carvell) Neis.

She was the loving wife of Veryl R. Hess, with whom she shared 37 years of marriage.

In previous years, Judi worked...

Dec 11, 2024

Following six years of dialysis for kidney failure and declining health, Janie Zimmerman, of Leola, passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning, December 11, 2024, at LGH. She was 65 years old.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Frank Zimmerman; her daughter, Mary Lynn, married to Delmar Horning; her two sons, Ashley G. Miller, married to Laura,...

Dec 9, 2024

Neal G. Overly, 67, of New Holland, passed away at Lancaster General Hospital after a valiant fight with leukemia, on Monday, December 9, 2024. He was the son of Glenn Marvin Overly and the late Patricia Yvonne (Kurtz) Mummaw. His loving wife, Pamela J. (Jones) Overly, survives him at home.

Neal was an adventurous man who enjoyed...

Dec 9, 2024

Linda M. Powers, 74, of New Holland, passed away at home on Monday, December 9, 2024.

She was the wife of the late Lawrence B. “Larry” Powers who died in 2010. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Kenneth and Elizabeth Wagner Bowman.

Linda was a graduate of Garden Spot High School....