Mary Lou Vercler, 87, died Oct. 27, 2015, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton after a short illness.
She was born May 12, 1928, on a farm near Kouts, Ind., to the late Alpha and Martha (Zook) Baughman. After graduating from Kouts High School, she attended Ball State University for one year then graduated from Bethel College, Kansas, in 1950 with a degree in English and History.
She then moved to Bloomington/Normal, Ill., where she was a high school teacher. It was there she met and subsequently married J. Norman Vercler, a hospital medical technician on Dec. 26, 1951.
In 1956, the family moved to Bluffton, where Norman was hired to expand the technology department at Bluffton Community Hospital. Mary Lou taught for a brief time at Harrod Schools, but then became a full -time mother for their three young daughters. She back into the work force in 1974, working as a librarian with the Bluffton Public Library. Other part-time jobs included work at Bluffton Hospital and Bluffton Community Nursery School.
In 1978, Norm and Mary Lou opened an electronics repair shop in Bluffton with Mary Lou serving as receptionist and billing accountant. She continued with volunteer work serving First Mennonite Church as librarian for 20 years, teaching Sunday School and serving on various committees. She also enjoyed tutoring individuals in English as a second language.
After the Verclers retired in 2007, Mary Lou threw her energies into volunteering at Mennonite Memorial Home where she revamped the library, visited residents and found creative ways to make life more enjoyable for those around her. She also cared for her husband as he struggled with Parkinson's disease before his death in March, 2015.
Survivors include three daughters, Martha (Barry) Dyck of Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, Carol (Seth) Bixel of Bluffton, Lisa (Jared) Diller of Archbold; nine grandchildren, Bethany (Martin) Rose, Gregory (Kim) Dyck, Anna Vast, Alyssa (Jacob) Rowland, Alaina Bixel, Grace Diller, Carissa Diller, Bradley Diller, Stephen Diller; four great-grandchildren, Freya and Isla Rose, Hannah and Aaron Dyck; and a sister Ruth (Robert Flick) Unrau.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at First Mennonite Church, Bluffton. William Herr and Rev. Steven Yoder officiating. Private burial will take place at Maple Grove Cemetery, Bluffton.
Visitation will be Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, Bluffton.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mennonite Central Committee.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
