Mary L. Bender

Mary L. Bender
April 23, 1903 - December 26, 2004
Wellman, Iowa
Visitation: 2-8 p.m. December 28, 2004 at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home, Kalona
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. December 29, 2004 at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church
Interment: , at Lower Deer Creek Cemetery
Mary Lavanda Bender was born April 23, 1909 near Parnell, Iowa the daughter of Christian and Magdalena (Kauffman) Birky. On February 19, 1933 she was united in marriage to Edwin C. Bender in Cedar Rapids. They made their home in the Wellman and Kalona communities. Mary was a homemaker and she worked in the office at the Kalona Sale Barn for 27 years. She was a member of the Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church, where she taught Sunday School for many years and was active in the sewing circle. Her hobbies were sewing, quilting, crocheting, gardening and reading. Mary went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 26, 2004 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City following a sudden illness at the age of 95 years. Mary is survived by 2 daughters - Shirley Yoder and husband Daniel Keith of Wellman; Karen Leidig and husband Wilbur of Lansdale, Pennsylvania; 8 grandchildren; and 20 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a daughter Janice; 5 brothers - Harry, Eli, Walter, Francis, William; and 3 sisters - Ida Fosbeck, Blanche Williams and Catherine Nissen.
A Memorial fund has been established for Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church, Iowa Mennonite School and the Pleasantview Home.