Marcile Suter, 97, of Bluffton died at 6:40 a.m. Jan. 1, 2012, at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born Sept. 5, 1914, in Bucyrus, to Robert and Ida Auch Rindfuss. On June 30, 1940, she married Winford Suter and he preceded her in death on Feb. 18, 1997.
Marcile and Winford met at Bluffton College. Winford's entire career was with Nationwide Insurance, formerly known as Farm Bureau Insurance and so the family over the years made their home in six or seven different communities such as Brooklyn, Conn., Canfield, Ohio, and finally Dover, Ohio.
Marclie and Winford lived in Dover, during the final years of employment and most of their retirements. She was a home economics teacher for 17 years, but as the children were growing up, Marcile worked at home as a seamstress for select clients such as Vogue Patterns. She was a 4-H advisor for many years.
Marcile moved to Bluffton, to be closer to two of her three children when she finally found it necessary to give up her home in Dover.
She was a gifted organizer/leader and a reliable fund-raiser for numerous causes, especially academic scholarships for local women and church educational missions.
Survivors include two sons, Robert W. (Linda) Suter and William A. (Mary Ann) Suter, both of Bluffton, a daughter, Kathlene (Errol) Suter Miller of Jeromesville, six grandchildren, Beth, Peter, Kari, Emily, Kalina, Tori and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Arnulf and Darl Rindfuss.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Mennonite Church, Bluffton. Revs. Steven J. Yoder and Louise Wideman will officiate. Burial of the cremated remains will be in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pandora.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and also Friday evening from 6:30 - 8 p.m. in the fellowship hall at First Mennonite Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bluffton University. Online condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
Arrangements are by Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services, Bluffton.
