Eli Stoltzfus

Eli Stoltzfus, 96, of Goshen died Monday, September 4, 2023 at Greencroft Healthcare.

He was born April 23, 1927 in Middlebury to Jacob and Lydia (Bontreger) Stoltzfus.

On May 10, 1951, he married Paula F. Handrich. She died July 25, 2023.

Survivors include a son, Eric (Ruth) Stoltzfus of Goshen; a daughter, Robin Beachy of Thame, England; six grandchildren, Heidi (Michael) Stoltzfus McHugh, Gretchen (Jon) Stoltzfus Paulovich, and Eliya, Nicolas, Yosef and Alex Beachy; five great grandchildren; a brother, Lee (Walda) Stoltzfus of Muskegon, Michigan; and two sisters, Katie Burkholder of Kentucky, and Betsy Oaks of Fairview, Michigan.

Along with his parents and wife, he was also preceded in death by a daughter, Bethany Stoltzfus.

Eli was a registered nurse spending most of his working career in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Service was important to Eli and Paula. They spent much of their adult life in lay ministry in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After Eli’s retirement, they served at various locations and times all over the U.S. They volunteered with Mennonite Disaster Service many times, and Eli specifically served with MDS in St. Croix after hurricane Hugo. They were the first volunteers for the SOOP program (Service Opportunities with Our Partners) with Mennonite Mission Network. Eli also volunteered in the county court system as an advocate.

A memorial service will be held in the Koinonia Room at College Mennonite Church at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, September 30, 2023 followed by a time of fellowship.  Burial will be in Fairview, Michigan at a later date.

Memorial gifts in Eli’s honor may be directed to Goshen Home Care and Hospice, 1147 Professional Dr., Goshen, IN 46526; https://goshenhealth.com .

Yoder-Culp Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.