Richard, Eunice Marie Amstutz (1926-2009)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2009 Apr 20 p. 9

Birth date: 1926 Dec 30

text of obituary:

EUNICE M. RICHARD

unice Marie (Amstutz) Richard, 82, of Sterling, Ohio, died March 24, 2009. She born Dec. 30, 1926, on a farm near Dalton, to Elmer J. and Etta M. (Steiner) Amstutz.

She accepted the Lord as her Savior and joined Martins Mennonite Church of Orrville in 1938.

After graduating from Dalton High School in 1945, she worked at Dalton Pottery and Sonnenberg Insurance Co. She attended Goshen (Ind.) College in 1947-1948. In 1948 she did summer voluntary service at Cleveland State Hospital. She spent September 1948 through February 1949 in Skillman, N.J., working under Mennonite Central Committee with epileptic children. She returned to Dalton and worked at Bergs IGA.

On March 26, 1951, she married Elmer Richard at Martins Mennonite Church. They lived on a farm near Sterling and raised four children. She was a full-time homemaker and worked hard on the family farm. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church of Sterling until it closed in 1973, and was a chorister for many years. She then joined Crown Hill Mennonite Church of Rittman. She edited the church newsletter for 12 years and was an active member of the Gideons Auxiliary.

In 1994 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she was able to defeat several times. In 2007 it was discovered that the cancer had metastasized to her bones. Through it all, she kept her deep faith in God and strong love for her family.

She is survived by her husband, Elmer; four children, Phil and his wife, Sandra, of Hesston, Kan., Sidney and his wife, Sandra, of Goshen, Kristina and her husband, Steve Gerber, of Creston, Ohio, and Kent and his wife, Rita, of Talmage, Pa.; seven grandchildren; and a brother, Arlin, of Orrville.

She was preceded in death by brothers Arthur and Cletus and an infant brother and sister, Clarence and Mary Ellen.

The memorial service and burial were held at Crown Hill Mennonite Church.