Hershberger, Miriam Lois (1954-2005)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Jun 27 p. 8

Birth date: 1954 Jul 19

text of obituary:

MIRIAM HERSHBERGER

Miriam Lois Hershberger, 50, of Philadelphia, Pa., died March 10, 2005, when she was struck and killed in a tragic accident. She was born July 19, 1954, to James Calvin Hershberger and Gladys June Hershberger in Kansas City, Kan.

She grew up in Hesston, Kan. For three years she lived in Mountain Home, Ark., as her parents ministered in a small rural mission church in the Ozarks. She accepted the call to follow Jesus in her life and was baptized into membership at Spring Valley Mennonite Church in Canton, Kan.

She graduated from Hesston High School in 1972. She graduated from Hesston College in 1974 and from Tabor College in Hillsboro in 1976 with a degree in secondary English education. She went on to graduate with distinction from Temple University with a master's degree in education. Last year she became certified in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in TESOL. She received a posthumous citation from the Philadelphia School District for this honor.

She had a rich and diverse cross-cultural experience as an educator, which began with student teaching in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She taught English as a Second Language at the Adult Enrichment Center in Lancaster, Pa., during the first of three assignments with Mennonite Central Committee. Her second assignment was at Srithammarat Suksa School in Thailand from 1982-85. In 1989-90 she served at Hanoi Foreign Language College in Vietnam. For 17 years, she was an instructor at Southwark Elementary School in Philadelphia. Friends from all over the world became part of her family.

She was a member of West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship for 20 years and was fervent in her support of the congregation.

Survivors include her mother, Gladys; two brothers, Paul Hershberger and his wife, Lorie, and Delvin Hershberger and his wife, Michele.

She was preceded in death by her father, James, and a stillborn brother, Kenneth James.