Former Bluffton resident Elaine Sommers Rich, 94, died on Sept. 27, 2020, in North Manchester, Indiana. She was born Feb. 8, 1926, to Monroe and Effie (Horner) Sommers in Plevna, Indiana. The children’s novel Hannah Elizabeth is semi-autobiographical about her childhood.
She graduated from Goshen College in 1947 and received a master’s degree from Michigan State University. She married Ronald Rich on June 14, 1953. Ronald died in 2014.
Elaine was a writer, teacher, homemaker and church worker. Among her books were Hannah Elizabeth, Breaking Bread Together, Mennonite Women, Prayers for Everyday, and Pondered in her Heart.
For over 30 years, she wrote a column called “Thinking With” for the Mennonite Weekly Review. She taught at Goshen College, Bethel College in Kansas, the International Christian University in Tokyo, and Bluffton College. She was an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University, Bowling Green State University, Findlay College and Owens Community College. She was a TESOL instructor in the Ada and Bluffton public schools.
She was a member of First Mennonite Church, Bluffton. In Tokyo, Japan, she chaired Church Women United. In Bluffton, she coordinated World Day of Prayer observations and served on the Inter-Church Board. She served 12 on the Commission on Education of the General Conference Mennonite Church until its merger in 2000.
She is survived by children: Jonathan (Tai) of Union City, California; Andrew (Sally) of North Manchester, Indiana; Miriam (JB) of Blacksburg, Virginia; and Mark (Kathy) of Yellow Springs, Ohio. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Sarah, Joseph, Rebekah, Jonathan, Louisa Rich, and Hannah Brown. A memorial service will be held at Eel River Church of the Brethren, Silver Lake, Indiana, at a later date.
Arrangements are entrusted to McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, Indiana.
