Edna Viola Zimmerly

SMITHVILLE Edna (Zimmerly) Beyeler, 101, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2005, at her home. Services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Crown Hill Mennonite Church, Rittman, with Pastor Gordon Miller officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 6-9 p.m. at Gresser Funeral Home in Orrville, or one hour prior to the services at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Crown Hill Mennonite Church Memorial Fund, 9693 Benner Road, Rittman 44270; or to Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County, 2525 Back Orrville Road, Wooster 44691. She was born June 1, 1903, near Orrville to John and Sarah (Steiner) Zimmerly and married Lester A. Beyeler on Aug. 20, 1925. In 1984, they moved from their farm near Wooster to Smithville. They had been married almost 68 years when he died in 1993. Edna graduated from Orrville High School in 1922 and attended Kent State University, where she received her teacher education training. She taught school in Chippewa Township No. 4 near Doylestown and at Green Township School No. 7 near Orrville. She was a life member of Crown Hill Mennonite Church near Rittman. Surviving are children, Esther (Larry) Gray of San Diego, Calif., Elizabeth (Merle) Jacobs of Smithville, Eunice (Merle) Brenneman of Arvada, Colo., Eloise (Robert) Hostetler of Erie, Pa., Elaine (Wayne) Hershberger of Tyrone, Pa., Glenard (Rita) Beyeler of Phoenix, Ariz., Lowell (Shirley) Beyeler of Polk, Milton (Jeanette) Beyeler of Wooster, Robert (Julia) Beyeler and Marion (Jane) Beyeler, both of Orrville, Ivan (Ramona) Beyeler of Leo, Ind., and Lester (Delores) Beyeler of Navarre; 29 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, an infant son, James, died in 1932. Her parents and all her siblings, Alvin, Galen, Esther, Clarence and Orpha Zimmerly, died previously.