Kuhns, Joyce Eberly (1938-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 Nov 15 p. 12

Birth date: 1938

text of obituary:

JOYCE E. KUHNS

Joyce E. Kuhns, 66, of Souderton, Pa., and most recently of Wayland, Iowa, died Nov. 3, 2004. She was born to Park N. and Mary (Detweiler) Eberly in Mount Joy, Pa.

During high school, she was a summer staff member at Laurelville Mennonite Camp. She graduated from Donegal High School in Mount Joy, and from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. After graduation from EMU, she taught in the Donegal school district for three years. She then served in Araguacena, Brazil, as a missionary school teacher, where she met her husband, Dennis Kuhns.

After their marriage in 1970, the pastoral couple served in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and Iowa churches. Her ministries included being a Sunday school teacher, youth pastor, Bible study leader and song leader. In recent years she was involved in prison ministries through Gospel Echoes, as well as leading Bible studies in a women's prison. Her hobbies were birdwatching, gardening and the woodcarving of birds. But she most of all enjoyed being a grandmother. Survivors include her husband of 34 years, Dennis; two daughters, Jennifer K. Hershberger and her husband, Marc, of Lansdale, and Kris Anne Swartley and her husband, Jon, of Souderton; four siblings, Jean Eberly of Lititz, James Eberly of East Petersburg, Jay M. Eberly of Mount Joy and Donna Lambert of Hampton, Va.; and three grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Galen, Ronald and LeRoy Eberly.

Memorial services were held at Souderton Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.