Naomi Hertzler Bender

Live stream service at 11:00 am, Saturday, November 21

https://boxcast.tv/channel/n12gpk18euckrb3gcgs4

Family Zoom reception beginning at Noon, Saturday, November 21.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83816130076?pwd=STUxSytMYkZndmFBVk5wM2FNV25RQT09

Meeting ID: 838 1613 0076
Passcode: 221166

Naomi Hertzler Bender died on November 13, 2020 at the home of her daughter Jan and surrounded by her husband and children Linda, Jan and Jon. She lived at Waterford Crossing in Goshen since 2010 and is survived by her husband of 67 years, John, who cared for her until her death.

Naomi was born on September 8, 1929 to Aldus and Ellen (Kratz) Hertzler in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the sixth child of seven [Emanuel (Myrtle Schnell), Sara, Aldus (Ruth Alderfer), Paul (Carolyn Weaver), Elam (Lois Shank), Naomi, Ruth (Galen Swope)]. They moved to the city to be part of the Norristown Mennonite mission church and her father worked in a delicatessen. Naomi trained and worked as a secretary after graduating from Norristown High School and made her way to Goshen College through her own initiative and determination where she graduated in 1953 with a BA in Elementary Education.

She met John Bender in college and they were married soon after graduation.  They moved to Philadelphia for John’s medical school and she taught kindergarten for a while before having children (Linda in 1955 and Jan in 1956) and moved again for residency and work in York, PA and Snow Hill, MD. From 1958-60 they volunteered with Mennonite Central Committee in Haiti to help start a hospital in Grande Riviere du Nord.  Naomi kept the unit house of volunteers going with meals, beds and care as well as raising her young girls. This was a big learning experience and launched them on a lifetime of travel and service around the world.

They returned to the US to settle in Goshen, Indiana, where John joined High Park Physicians and Naomi dedicated herself to teaching, raising children, with Jon born in 1962, church and social involvements. They were members and served in various ways at College Mennonite Church. During their years in Goshen they took a sabbatical year in San Francisco in 1967-68 where Naomi enjoyed taking her children to explore the beaches, museums, parks and city sites as well as taking classes in Chinese cooking and home decorating. Again in 1973 they took another year in Salt Lake City and ended up moving to Ogden, Utah.

During the years in Utah, Naomi and John enjoyed hiking, backpacking, camping and skiing to explore the mountains and canyons. Naomi was always an avid sewer and knitter and during these years took classes in weaving, joined weaving and knitting groups and produced a huge range of sweaters, blankets and wall hangings for her family and friends. They joined the Presbyterian Church where Naomi served on various committees.  She also did volunteer work to welcome Hmong refugees coming through church sponsorship, taught adult literacy and served as President of SHARE, an organization that distributed food to those in need.

They moved to Ogden Canyon in 1980 where Naomi oversaw a home and visits from family in a beautiful natural setting. During these years they also did short term volunteer work with Mennonite and Presbyterian medical organizations and did other travel in Vietnam, Nepal, Ethiopia, Thailand, Kenya, India, Cambodia and the Philippines. On these trips Naomi often taught English to national staff or advised arts and crafts programs that provided income for handicapped patients. They also traveled to visit Linda’s family in Ireland, Jan’s family in Ethiopia and Tanzania, and Jon’s family in Alaska and California.

In 1999 they moved to Dolores, Colorado to be near Jan’s family and built a straw-bale house overlooking a reservoir and the San Juan Mountains where they enjoyed a peaceful retreat, good neighbors and service on the Native American reservations and with archeological preservation. Naomi continued her love of beauty by home decorating, weaving and knitting. They lived there until returning to Goshen in 2010 to be nearer to family and moved to Waterford Crossing.

Naomi is survived by her husband John M. Bender, her three children Linda Liechty (Joe), Jan Shetler (Peter), Jon Bender (Shirley Soulouman); seven grandchildren Anna Liechty Sawatzky (Joe), Jacob Liechty Curtis (Michelle), Aaron Liechty (Kelli Kol), Dan Shetler (Maytal Saltiel), Paul Shetler Fast (Rebecca Fast), Delilah Bender, Mathia Bender; ten great grandchildren Isaac Sawatzky, Moses Sawatzky, Levi Sawatzky, Jesse Sawatzky, Fionn Liechty, Aislinn Liechty, Ari Shetler, Lena Shetler, Madeline Shetler Fast, Gideon Shetler Fast; one brother Elam Hertzler (Janet Hyman), and four in-laws Ruth Hertzler, Carolyn Hertzler, Galen Swope (Miriam Nauman) and Jan Bender (Weldon).

Naomi’s memorial service will be livestreamed from College Mennonite Church at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 21, 2020 with a Zoom reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Mennonite Central Committee, https://mcc.org ,  where John and Naomi volunteered several times.