Alvin L. Bontrager

Alvin Bontrager, 89, of Goshen, died Monday, April 6, 2015 at 5:35 p.m. at his residence. He was born August 28, 1925 in Mylo, North Dakota to Levi D. and Lizzie (Graber) Bontrager. On December 23, 1950, he married Mary Louise Yoder in Topeka, Indiana. She survives along with five daughters, Debra (Robert) Kauffman, Rebecca (Kenneth) Horst, Patricia (Dale) Shenk, all of Goshen, Joyce (Jonathan) Yoder of Salem, Oregon, Virginia (Ray) Miller of Greencastle, Pennsylvania; and one son, Thomas, of Bremen; 13 grandchildren, Amy (Neil Dufallo) Kauffman, Rachel Kauffman, Anne (Rod) Hanby, Daniel (Jessica Brubaker) Horst, David (Rachel) Horst Lehman, Mary (Rob Anderson) Yoder, Nathan (Allison) Yoder, Leah Yoder, Kelly (Peter) Shenk Koontz, Aaron Shenk, Andrew Shenk, James Miller, Monica Miller; four great-grandchildren, Leah and Ian Dufallo, Clara and Martha Hanby; and two sisters, Agnes (Laban) Hochstetler and Lucille (Paul) Shrock. He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, Gladys Gingerich, Mary Slabaugh and Viola Bontrager. Al farmed for many years in the Millersburg area. After moving to Topeka, he became a partner in and worked at Honeyville Metal. He served as a volunteer prison chaplain for a year in Atmore, Ala. and for five winters as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Immokalee, Fla. He volunteered countless hours as a carpenter and woodworker, and following retirement to Goshen became known for the wooden model cars and tractors he designed and made for charity auctions. Al was an avid reader and enjoyed music and fishing. Until his recent illness, he was an active volunteer at Menno-Hof, Ten Thousand Villages and at College Mennonite Church, of which he was a member. Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2015 at Yoder Culp Funeral Home, Goshen. A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015 at College Mennonite Church. A private family graveside service will be held at Maple Grove Cemetery, Topeka. Memorial contributions may be directed to Bethany Christian High School for "Sing the Journey" books or to Goshen College for the Bontrager Music Together Endowment Fund, or to College Mennonite Church.