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Shenk, Margaret M. (1919-2007)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2007 Aug 27 p. 12
Birth date: 1919 Feb 15
By Eastern Mennonite University
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Mararet M. Shenk, 88, librarian emerita at Eastern Mennonite University, died Aug. 11 at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.
Shenk served in a variety of roles at EMU's Hartzler Library from 1950 until her retirement in 1984, including catalog librarian and assistant librarian. She was head librarian from 1961 to 1973. She served as librarian for a girls' school in Izmir, Turkey, during a sabbatical year.
"Margaret was a hard worker and got a lot done — and done well," said Lois B. Bowman, librarian in EMU's Menno Simons Historical Library. "She was careful about details. Students she trained were well trained.
"Margaret liked to travel and enjoyed driving. I remember a trip to a conference in Atlanta with Margaret gladly taxiing a car full of librarians."
A 1949 EMU graduate, Shenk did graduate work at the former Madison College and at Goshen (Ind.) College and earned a master's degree in library science from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tenn.
Shenk was born Feb. 15, 1919, in Elida, Ohio, and moved to Newport News at an early age.
She is survived by four sisters, including Mary Florence Shenk, a former longtime assistant to the dean at EMU; a brother, John M. Shenk, a former member of EMU's physical plant department; and many nieces and nephews, including niece Gloria Shenk Kniss, an administrative assistant at EMU at Lancaster, Pa.
A memorial service was held Aug. 17 at Park View Mennonite Church, where she was a member.
