Leinbach, Etril (1910-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Dec 18 p. 11

Birth date: 1910 Feb 8

text of obituary:

ETRIL LEINBACH

Etril J. Leinbach, 96, of Goshen, Ind., died Nov. 14, 2006, at Goshen General Hospital. He was born Feb. 8, 1910, to Leander Garber and L. Anna Leinbach in Nappanee.

He married Wilma Pearl Pletcher on Oct. 7, 1933, in Middlebury.

He attended New Paris High School, audited at Goshen College and took classes at Goshen Biblical Seminary. He was a member of Clinton Frame Mennonite Church.

He served on almost every committee of Indiana-Michigan Conference and attended six Mennonite World Conference assemblies. He visited 47 states in the United States and 17 foreign countries.

He worked at Western Rubber in Goshen from 1930 to 1939 and had a bread route in Millersburg, Benton, Syracuse and North Webster. In 1939 he purchased half interest in Pletcher Dairy in Middlebury. As a pastor he worked part time wallpapering and painting and drove a mail truck from White Pigeon to Kalamazoo, Mich. He also drove a school bus for 15 years and worked in a cabinet shop for eight years.

He became an ordained minister in 1948 and served a total of 40 years. He served 20 of those years at Moore Park Mennonite Church in Michigan, eight years at Valparaiso Mennonite Church and retired in 1976. He was an interim pastor for three years at Benton Mennonite Church and six-and-a-half years at Emma Mennonite Church.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Wilma; two sons, Keith Leinbach and his wife, Vi, of Haven, Kan., and Dale Leinbach and his wife, Edie, of Toccoa, Ga.; three half-sisters, Dorcas Snyder, Violet Kaufman and Cora Askrin, all of Goshen; two half-brothers, Verlin Garber of Boston and Keith Anglemyer of Wakarusa; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by three half-sisters, Myrtle Shaum, Lovina Hershberger and Hazel Toney; and a half-brother, Leroy Garber.

Memorial services took place at Clinton Frame Mennonite Church. Burial was in Clinton Union Cemetery in Goshen.