Remembering Mom

   We had our family dinner on Christmas Day. Our children and spouses took time out to go visit Grandma Stauffer. She was sitting in her chair as usual and they had a nice visit with her. No one guessed how near she was to the end of her life. From that point on things went rapidly downhill.

    On January 2 the Home where she lived put Mom in a hospital bed. She was very weak and not eating or drinking more than a few sips or bites. She grew too weak to speak clearly but once in awhile we could understand a few words or a sentence. From January 5 -10 we went to the Home and sat with her (and whoever of Leroy's sisters were there) all afternoon. 

   On January 8 Mom had what they call rallying. She was awake most of the day and talking clearly a lot. I sat on a chair beside her bed. When she heard my voice she looked at me and said, "Romaine, it's good to see you again." That was the last thing I remember her saying to me personally. Her mind was clear. When the nurse told her it was snowing she said, "Oh schmatza!" She had told us repeatedly she wanted to go before it is icy cold. She didn't want us to be cold at her burial.

   The next day was a different story. She only said a few mumbled words and slept most of the day. The day after that she was totally unresponsive. At 3:10 a.m. January 11, she left us for her eternal Home. She lived on earth 101 years 4 months and 10 days. She outlived all of her immediate family.

   A viewing was held on January 15 at our church where she was also a member. Her ten children were all there.

   One of the many quilts she made and other things she used or liked were on the memory table.

    She wanted to be buried in white. A pink quilt she made was used as a cover.

   One of her grandsons led the singing and another delivered a powerful message to the living. Six more grandsons served at pall bearers. Our church is in town and has no cemetery so the burial was at the Mennonite church on the other side of town. It was snowing when the service ended. We were very thankful arrangements had been made for a tent that was large enough for everyone to be inside.

   A mother-in-law is never exactly the same as your own mother, but mine came pretty close to it. I'm sure I did some things she would have done differently but she never said an unkind or critical word to me. She lived a consistent Christian life and had a great concern for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When she was in her nineties she said with tears to some of her grandchildren, "Walk with the Lord, children. It's a dangerous world out there." Her life was an example to all of us, showing us how to live and endure faithfully to the end.

Photo on her 101st birthday

Sarah S. Stauffer, 101, left time for eternity with her Lord on January 11, 2025, at the Richland Christian Home, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Born September 1, 1923, in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Amos R. and Amanda (Shaub) Wenger. She was the last of her immediate family.

Sarah was the widow of Phares B. Stauffer who died July 12, 2004. They shared 61 years of marriage. She was a member of the Fairhaven Mennonite Church in Myerstown since its founding in 1973.

She was a dedicated dairy farmer’s wife and mother of their ten children. She enjoyed quilting and gave many quilts to her children and grandchildren. The greatest legacy for her descendants was her example and consistent faith in God.  She was active in the Sewing Circle at the church and in her later years volunteered at Jubilee Ministries. The story of her early life was written in the book A Home for Sarah.

She is survived by her children: Leroy (husband of Romaine), Bernville; Kathryn, West Willow; Edwin, (widower of Carol), East Earl; Sallie Martin (widow of Luke Martin), Greencastle; Irene, Myerstown; Jane Martin (wife of Clifford), Ephrata; Rose Boll (wife of Randy), Manheim; Bonnie Hurst (wife of John), Newmanstown; Nelson (husband of Teresa), Elverson; and Gloria Hurst (wife of Paul), Myerstown. She is also survived by 26 grandchildren, 74 great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by four grandchildren, Beverly, Benjamin and Steven Stauffer, and Ryan Boll.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, January 15, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Fairhaven Mennonite Church, 801 S. Railroad St., Myerstown. The funeral will be at the church on January 16 at 10 a.m. with a viewing one hour before the service. Interment will follow in the Myerstown Mennonite Cemetery.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Fairhaven Mennonite Church or Richland Christian Home.