Weaver, Iona Kraybill Souder (1918-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Feb 1 p. 13

Birth date: 1918 Jan 6

text of obituary:

IONA WEAVER

Iona Kraybill Souder Weaver, 92, of Collegeville, Pa., and more recently of Lansdale, died Jan. 19, 2010, in Lancaster. She was born Jan. 6, 1918, to Edwin Allebach Souder and Ruth (Longenecker Kraybill) Souder in Sellersville.

She married Harold Kolb Weaver on Oct. 4, 1939, at Rockhill Mennon-ite Meetinghouse in Telford. They lived in Harleysville from 1940 to 1943, Collegeville from 1943 to 1989 and Lansdale from 1989 to 2008.

She worked as a seamstress, homemaker, nursing assistant and as a community volunteer for Meals-on-Wheels, the Montgomery County Geriatric Center, Crossroads Gift and Thrift Shop in Norristown, the Dock Woods Retirement Community and the Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania. After their children left home, she and Harold took in boarders, providing a home for college students and others.

She attended First Mennonite Church of Norristown, now known as Norristown New Life Mennonite Church, where she was active in women’s service activities and the Sunday school, in addition to serving 40 years of partnership with her deacon husband. She enjoyed gardening, reading, writing, music, handwork, Scrabble and visiting. She and Harold toured the U.S., including Alaska, as well as Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, on July 6, 2006; and by six of her nine siblings: Grace Kolb, Elizabeth Allebach, Gladys Kolb, Mahlon Souder, L. Kraybill Souder and Norman Souder.

Survivors include nine children, Harold L. Weaver of Baker City, Ore., Richard E. Weaver of Bernville, Mary Lou Weaver Houser of Lancaster, James L. Weaver of Wilderville, Ore., Donald E. Weaver of Trappe, Marjorie A. Nafziger of Broadway, Va., Sylvia J. Weaver of Lancaster, Lucille J. Martin of Middlebury, Ind., Stephen S. Weaver of Willow Street, plus “daughter” Pearl P. Schrack; three siblings, Irene Bechtel of Souderton, Eugene K. Souder of Grottoes, Va., and Stanley K. Souder of Morwood; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at Strasburg Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Vincent Mennonite Church cemetery in Spring City.