Landis, Raymond Earle (1913-2002)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Feb 3 p. 11

Birth date: 1913 Feb 18

text of obituary:

RAYMOND E. LANDIS

Raymond Earle Landis, 89, of Lititz, Pa., died June 3, 2002, at Landis Homes Retirement Community. He was born Feb. 18, 1913, to Samuel A. and Barbara R. Weaver Landis in Fentress, Va. He graduated from East Cocalico Vocational School in 1930. He married Esther May Forry on June 18, 1938.

He worked for 37 years at Ivan Martin Inc. at both the Limestone Quarry and New Holland Concrete Plant. He retired in 1978. After retirement he was a manufacturer's representative for Holmes and Murray locks and Anderson Windows.

He was a charter member of Ephrata Mennonite Church and served in the cabinet there for many years. He also taught the junior boys Sunday school class. He served on the board of Ephrata Mennonite Christian Day School for 24 years, including 19 years as board chair. He was secretary for the board of Lancaster Mennonite School and helped form the Association of Mennonite Elementary Schools.

He learned to play organ, piano, mandolin, banjo, guitar, harmonica and accordian. He served as chorister and later played the church organ for Sunday services. He also enjoyed accompanying male ensembles and singing gospel songs.

He enjoyed hiking, bird watching, gardening, hunting, horses, traveling and visiting. He and his wife, Esther, traveled to Africa in 1967 to visit their daughter serving with Mennonite Central Committee and also visited Israel and Greece.

Survivors include his wife, Esther May; two sons, Dean Edward and his wife, Deborah Wenger Landis, of York, and John Ray of Lancaster; two daughters, Esther Mae Kurtz and her husband, Calvin, of Elverson, and Lois Elaine Shenk and her husband, John Barge Shenk, of Stevens; a sister, Marian Eby of Sarasota, Fla., 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Clarence, Harry and Roy; and three sisters, Elva Snader, Anna Espenshade and Martha Weinhold.

Services were held at Ephrata Mennonite Church. Burial was in Metzler's Mennonite Cemetery in West Earl Township.