Shirley Elizabeth Gingerich

Shirley Elizabeth (Erb) Gingerich, 97, of Goshen, was born to Jacob and Erma (Miller) Erb on December 4, 1919 in rural Johnson County, Iowa.  She was the eldest of four children.

She graduated from Center High School and attended Goshen College where she earned a teaching certificate.  She was a teacher in a one-room school in Iowa, and she taught one year at Parkside School in Goshen.

At Goshen College, she met Roman Gingerich, and they were married in 1941.  Roman died in 1989.  Their five children are Sara Wengerd, Jim Gingerich, June (Fred) Yoder, Carolyn (John) Johns and Charlotte (Burdette) Gunden.  Grandchildren are Heidi Wengerd, Kristin (Jon) Friesen, Jessica (Phil) Yoder Smucker, Megan (Isaac) Brody, Christopher (Jessica Martin) Gingerich, Elizabeth (Kurt) Neufeld and Joseph Gunden. There are five great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, Shirley was preceded in death by her siblings Lois (Don) Liechty, Carley June (Galen) Miller and Lowell (Lola Faye) Erb.  John Wengerd, a son-in-law, died in 1991, and Molly Gingerich, a daughter-in-law, died in 2011.

As well as teaching school, Shirley worked as a unit secretary at Goshen Hospital and in the dietary department at Greencroft.  She lived in Thailand, Costa Rica and Nicaragua with overseas programs through Goshen College.  She also participated in the SOOP Program (Service Opportunities for Older Persons), working in San Antonio and Albuquerque, volunteered with Meals on Wheels and visited her friends at Greencroft Healthcare.

She was a member of Goshen College Mennonite Church.

Visitation will be Friday, April 14, 2017 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Koinonia Room at College Mennonite Church.  An 11 a.m. memorial service at College Mennonite Church will be on Saturday, April 15.

Preferred memorials are the Roman and Shirley Erb Gingerich Athletic Scholarship Fund at Goshen College or the Encircling Fund at College Mennonite Church.

We extend a special thank you to Bob and Carolyn Zook and their staff at Cottage Garden for their loving care.