Wanda June (Suter) Pannabecker died at 2 p.m. Feb. 28, 2016, at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. She was born June 18, 1922, in Leipsic to Harvey and Sylvia (Lugibihl) Suter. On June 16, 1945, she married Richard F. Pannabecker, who died Oct. 24, 1997.
She was a graduate of Columbus Grove High School and graduated from Bluffton College in 1944 with a major in English and minor in music. She taught at Middle Point High School from 1944-45, and taught private piano and guitar lessons for more than 50 years.
She also taught music at Cory-Rawson Schools and sold real estate for Boehr Realty, Bluffton. She was a longtime member of Ohio Music Teacher’s Association; an active member of First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, where she had sung in the chancel choir and had directed a children’s choir; sang in many performances of Handel’s Messiah in Bluffton; volunteered at Et Cetera Shop and Ten Thousand Villages; and was a member of Bluffton Women’s Garden Club.
Her five children survive her: Philip (Jan), Tucson, Ariz.; John (Rachel), North Newton, Kan.; James (Karen), Natural Bridge, Va.; Thomas (Helen), Tucson, Ariz.; and Mary (Fred) Pannabecker Steiner, Bluffton.
She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Virginia (Chris Miller) Pannabecker, Radford, Va.; Leona Pannabecker, Tucson; Kate (Brittany Cortinas) Pannabecker, Tucson; Lindsay (Ken Shonk) Steiner, LaCrosse, Wisc.; Anne (Ronson Slagle) Steiner, Cincinnati; Adam (Melissa Anderson) Pannabecker, Buena Vista, Va., and Kendra Pannabecker, Tucson.
Her great-grandchildren include Piay Mayalorca and Odessa Mayalorca, Radford, Va.; and Lachlan Schreiber, Tucson. She is also survived by a sister, LaDonna (Lloyd) Shook, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and two sisters-in-law, Helen Suter, Bluffton, and Alice Ruth (Robert) Ramseyer, Bluffton. She was preceded in death by a brother, Dale Suter, and sister, Kathryn Luginbill.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at First Mennonite Church, Bluffton. Visitation will be from 1-2:45 p.m. Saturday at the church. A private burial is planned.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Richard and Wanda Pannabecker Endowed Scholarship at Bluffton University or to First Mennonite Church, Bluffton.
