Vivian Brubaker

Vivian Brubaker, 89, of Goshen, passed away April 7, 2018, at The Haven, Greencroft Skilled Nursing Care, where she had been a resident for more than ten years.

She was born December 30, 1928 in Dayton, Ohio, to Emmert and Helen (Gnagey) Bowman.  Vivian attended Manchester College, North Manchester and afterward was employed as a secretary in the Estelle Peabody Memorial Home in that city.  On August 13, 1949 she married Dean M. Brubaker who survives.  After her marriage and while her husband was a student at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, Vivian was employed as a secretary at Fletcher Trust Company in Indianapolis.  In 1959, the couple moved to Shipshewana where Dean established a dental practice.  Vivian was involved as a homemaker, and with others, and the local school when kindergarten was first started.  She also served as a church secretary in the Plato Mennonite Church when her husband became a part-time pastor there.

When she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1960, Vivian courageously became a patient in a MS research project in Boston, Massachusetts.  The project was researching the possible value of some pharmaceutical products not approved by the medical community for the treatment of MS.  The kindness of church friends and neighbors in caring for her young children, and the attentive care of her husband, made several lengthy hospital stays in Boston possible.  The treatment received in the research project extended Vivian’s life far beyond expectancy at the time of her diagnosis.  The drug being researched at the time is now recognized as an effective therapy and is frequently used in acute cases of MS.

In 1972, Dean and Vivian moved to a home on Perrin Lake near Sturgis, Michigan.  While there Vivian served as the church secretary for Locust Grove Mennonite Church, Burr Oak, Michigan, for many years.  She maintained an extensive correspondence list, remembering many friends with birthday, anniversary and Christmas greetings.  A church cookbook dedicated to her in 1983 honors Vivian as “a very gracious woman…who blesses others with her dedication, unselfishness, cheerfulness, patience and understanding.”  Vivian and Dean moved to Greencroft Manor IV, Goshen in 1989 and became members of Clinton Frame Church.  For many years she served as the recording secretary for the Manor IV Resident Council.

Along with her husband, survivors include a son, Cliff (Marilyn) Brubaker of Hillsdale, Michigan; a daughter, Joyce (Tom) Hartman of Sturgis, Michigan; a son-in-law, Roy Bergey (Barbara Eichorn) of Goshen; four grandchildren, Lisa (Welby) Lehman of Harrisonburg, Virginia, Krista Bergey of Atlanta, Georgia, and Josh (Celeste) Brubaker and Katie Brubaker (Chris) Sanford, both of Harrisonburg, Virginia; and two great-grandsons, Grant Lehman and Dean Brubaker.  Vivian is survived by her brother, Don (Kitty) Bowman of Union, Ohio and by nephews and nieces.  Residents and caregivers at The Have, Greencroft, have been an important part of Vivian’s family circle, as well as Cathy Peachy and Mary Anne Hartzler (who regularly visited for many years), and we offer them our deepest thanks.

Vivian was preceded in death by her parents and a daughter, Linda Brubaker Bergey in 1995.

Friends may call Wednesday, April 11, 2018, from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.  Additional visitation will be an hour prior to the 10 a.m., memorial service honoring Vivian’s life and faith on Thursday, April 12, at Clinton Frame Church with Rev. Ken Bontreger officiating.  A time of fellowship will follow the service.

Memorial contributions may be given to The Good Samaritan Fund, Greencroft Goshen Foundation.