Vivian Marie Beachy, 80 GREENWOOD - Vivian Marie Beachy passed away Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, at the Country Rest Home in Greenwood. Born Jan. 20, 1930, she had just celebrated her 80th birthday. Vivian was the eldest of eight children born to Alvin and Pauline Bender Beachy. She began her 45 year teaching career after graduating from Lancaster Mennonite School in Pennsylvania, teaching at Greenwood Mennonite Elementary School until 1953. She received her B.A in English from Eastern Mennonite College and her Master's degree from James Madison University, both in Harrisonburg, Va. She taught English at Eastern Mennonite High School for 40 years until retiring in 1995. During her tenure at EMHS, she lived in Ethiopia for two years and Honduras for one year, where she taught English as a second language in mission schools. She traveled often, visiting siblings, cousins, former students, and friends in Europe, Africa, Central America and Alaska. She was a wonderful letter writer and practiced the art of remembering special days with a hand-written message. In her retirement years Vivian was active in her church and community. She received training and served as Chaplain in the ICU at Rockingham Memorial Hospital and served as Deaconess at Trissels Mennonite Church in Virginia. When she moved back to Delaware in 2003 she once again became a member of the Greenwood Mennonite Church which she had attended throughout childhood. After years in the classroom, Vivian delighted in making her modest home a welcoming place for a cup of tea and created more than 140 beautiful baby blankets for relief programs in Honduras and for Mennonite Central Committee. She was a regular at Sewing Circle and church gatherings, quietly serving as a mentor for younger folks. Vivian had the gift of cultivating strong and lasting friendships. She is survived by many who called her teacher or friend, as well as by her seven siblings and their spouses, Nevin and Anna Marie Beachy of Jonesboro, Ark., Willard and Edna Beachy of Millersville, Ohio, Grace and Harvey Mast and Lester and Mary Beachy of Greenwood, Leonard and Carolyn Beachy of Cincinnati, Ohio, Beatrice and Leonard Stutzman of Greenwood, and Donna and Wayne Burkhart of Monterey, Mass.; and three generations of nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13, at Greenwood Mennonite Church, Greenwood. The family will be available for visitation at the church two hours prior to the service. Interment will follow in the adjoining church cemetery. Arrangements by Fleischauer Funeral Home in Greenwood.