Kennel, Mae Etta Hershberger (1928-2009)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2009 May 4 p. 13

Birth date: 1928 Feb 22

text of obituary:

MAE ETTA KENNEL

Mae Etta (Hershberger) Kennel, 81, of Albany, Ore., died April 10, 2009, after a long battle with cancer. She was born Feb. 22, 1928, to Allen and Katie Hershberger in Milford, Neb.

She taught school for one year in Beaver Crossing, Neb. In 1946, the Hershberger family sold their farm in Milford and moved to a farm near Albany. She taught at Fry Station Grade School in Albany for two years. On June 18, 1947, she married Willard Kennel, and they began married life on a small farm near Scio.

They were members of Albany Mennonite Church and remained lifelong members of the Mennonite church. A talented musician, artist and teacher, she served the church for more than 50 years leading music, singing, playing piano and teaching Sunday school. She was especially known for her clear soprano voice as she led singing in church worship services and other special music. Her yodeling presentations delighted her audiences. She led Bible studies, helped with summer camps, led and participated in women’s ministries and other church-based volunteer projects.

In 1956, they moved from Albany to Siletz to help with newly established Logsden Mennonite Church. From 1966 to 2006, they served at Western Mennonite School outside of Salem. In addition to administrative assistant work in the WMS office, she taught typing, painting, drawing and calligraphy classes until retiring in 1988. She made and helped with countless quilts for Mennonite church and WMS fundraisers. She was well known for her generous hospitality.

Survivors include her husband, Willard; five children, Russel Kennel and his wife, Maribeth, of Salem, Rachel Hickman and her husband, Wayne, of Maryville, Tenn., Julia Miller and her husband, Wayne, of Salem, Janine Rands and her husband, Barry, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Lori Jamison and her husband, Francis, of Philadelphia, Pa.; four sisters, Verle Vogt of Hesston, Kan., Edith Roth of Nampa, Idaho, Clara Miller of Albany and Wilma Kennel of Molalla; two brothers, Del Hershberger of Sun City, Ariz., and Ivan Hershberger of Vale; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a grandchild.