Veendorp, Lena Martha Pauls (1913-2002)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2002 Aug 23 p. 2

Birth date: 1913 Sep 21

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Sep 2 p. 12

text of obituary:

LENA MARTHA VEENDORP

Lena Martha Veendorp, 88, of Newton, Kan., died Aug. 21, 2002, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita due to pancreatitis. She was born Sept. 21, 1913, to Abraham J. and Margaret Regehr Pauls in Reno County.

After she graduated from Hill Grade School, she served as a housekeeper for several families and then worked as a cook at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton. During World War II she served as the dietician at two Civilian Public Service camps in Denison, Iowa, and Camino, Calif.

She married Gary R. Veendorp on Sept. 15, 1954, at Bethel Mennonite Church in Inman. She served as a dietician at Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Chicago while he was a student there. Then they moved to West Hartford, Conn., where she served as assistant manager of Maple Hill Restaurant and as a store detective at the G. Fox & Co. department store while he was at the seminary there. When they moved to Wichita, she was a store detective at a Montgomery Ward store. They also served as houseparents for emotionally disturbed teenagers at United Methodist Youthville in Newton and Dodge City.

She was head cook at Bethel College in North Newton for six years, then was director of the Fine Arts Center at Bethel for 12 years. She enjoyed international travel, going to Europe three times.

Survivors include her husband, Gary; a sister, Tina M. Epp of Inman; and a brother, Irvin A. Pauls of Buhler.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Arthur Pauls; and two sisters, Anna and Elizabeth Pauls.

Funeral services were held at Bethel Mennonite Church in Inman. Burial was in the Buhler Cemetery.