GREENWOOD - Virginia (Ginny) Mae Riehl Bender, beloved wife, mother, sister and aunt, grand and great-grandmother, and friend too many, died Jun. 20, 2017, at her home in Greenwood surrounded by her family, as she wished.
Born Dec. 21, 1928, at Spring Garden, Pa. to Ada (Stolzfus) Riehl and Isaac Riehl, Ginny was married for 65 joy and love-filled years to Paul Lester Bender of Greenwood.
Of her many accomplishments, Ginny's greatest source of joy was her family. She is survived by her husband, Paul Lester Bender of Greenwood; her son, Paul Bender and wife Doreen (Alderfer) Bender of Slaughter Beach; daughter, Ann Bender Moyer and husband, Bradley Moyer of San Diego, Calif.; daughter, Jean Bender Bontrager of Bridgewater, Vt.; daughter, Joan Bender of Richmond Va.; grandchildren, Kaili Moyer (and Cole) of Oakland, Calif., Isaac Moyer (and Chelsea) of Santa Rosa, Calif., Molly Moyer (and Ariel Howard) of Oakland, Calif., Jessica Bender of Sacramento, Calif., Leigh Bender of Milton, Bailey Bontrager of Warrenton, Va., Andrew Bontrager of Montpelier, Vt.; and great-grandchildren, Otto Helmar and Roscoe Bender of Sacramento, Calif.
Soon after her marriage, Ginny was credentialed as an elementary education teacher, eventually earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. She taught kindergarten and first grade and particularly loved teaching children to read.
At the age of 50, she returned to school to satisfy a lifelong dream of becoming a registered nurse. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1980 with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. She was a psychiatric and hospice nurse before she returned to her first love-teaching.
In later years her greatest joys were spending time with her family, her garden, knitting, and travels across the United States and to Baja, California with husband Paul and their adored puppy, Chico.
Ginny had many avid interests throughout her life, among them gardening, cooking, sewing, handicrafts, entertaining and home making. She cared deeply about the natural world and those in pain and without an advocate.
She and her husband found their spiritual home and were members of Camden Friends Meeting in Camden for many years. They are supported by F/friends too numerous to mention. She will be missed so much by so many!
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the causes Ginny supported - Southern Poverty Law Center and Delaware Mennonite Historical Society.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Jun. 23, 2017, at 5:30 p.m. at Greenwood Mennonite School in Greenwood.
Letters of condolences may be sent and guestbook signed at www.torbertfuneral.com