Bender, Dorothy Lucille (1914-2007)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2007 Jan 15 p. 9

Birth date: 1914 Jun 16

text of obituary:

DOROTHY L. BENDER

Dorothy Lucille Bender, 92, of Milford, Neb., died Jan. 2, 2007, at Crestview Care Center. She was born June 16, 1914, to David and Elizabeth (Rediger) Bender on a farm near East Fairview Mennonite Church.

As a young girl, she attended school district number 47. Many missionaries and church workers were welcomed into their home. She was called at an early age by the Lord for a special work and accepted Christ as her Savior in 1928.

In 1948 she entered Hesston (Kan.) College in the second semester, without high school, and earned her associate’s degree. She began a teaching career in 1950 that spanned 34 years. She taught in Nampa, Idaho, and Stapelhurst and Milford public schools in Nebraska. She also taught as a missionary in Nairobi, Kenya. She continued her education by receiving a bachelor’s degree from Goshen (Ind.) College and her master’s degree from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Her philosophy was “a teacher is a human engineer working with the most priceless undeveloped material in all God’s creation — the child.” Her life was enriched by students from Nebraska, Idaho, Africa and Puerto Rico, and by co-workers, dedicated faculty, members of her church and family.

She was a long and faithful member of East Fairview Mennonite Church and served for many years as a Sunday school teacher. She was a former member of District WMSC, MARP and the Seward County Historical Society. She served on the board of directors for the Et Cetera Gift and Thrift Shop in Seward and as a member of the Hesston College Alumni Board. In her spare time she loved to read, crochet, knit, quilt and enjoyed the outdoors.

Survivors include a brother, Merle Bender of Hesston; and a sister, Barbara Reber of Goshen.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Merton.

Funeral services were held at East Fairview Mennonite Church. Burial was in East Fairview Cemetery of rural Milford.