Velma Katherine (Emmert) Kingsley, 97, died at 7 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2013, at Frieda House, Bluffton, Ohio. She was born Sept. 30, 1916, to the late John and Grace (Plank) Emmert in Topeka Ind.  On Sept. 1, 1940, she married Leonard D. Kingsley who died on June 5, 2012.

Her early teaching career was interrupted by her whole-hearted embrace of motherhood; she later home-schooled some of her eight children when the family lived in Kupang, Timor, Indonesia. 

After her retirement from formal teaching, she hosted families and school groups on “Your Day-Off Farm” at Adrian, Mich. Many international students benefitted from her volunteer service teaching English. Her dedication to service to others led her to serve as a hospice visitor, and, until she was 92, she also visited the “elderly” in nursing homes. 

Her love of world travel started with a three-year church-related assignment for Leonard and Velma and their seven (soon to be eight) children in Timor, Indonesia, in the 1950s.    Other travels took them to Africa, South and Central America, and again to Asia.

Survivors include children: Phillip (Judith) Kingsley of Bluffton, Keith (Gretchen) Kingsley of Elkhart, Ind., Karl (Karen) Kingsley of Elkhart, Ind., Sue Ellen Kingsley (Terry Kinzel) of Hancock, Mich., Mitchell (Ann) Kingsley of Bluffton, Jane Steinmetz of Bluffton, Matthew Kingsley of Lone Pine, California, and Frederick (Craig) Kingsley of Pewaukee, Wisc., and 20 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by four brothers: Roy Emmert, Howard Emmert, Arthur Emmert and Paul Emmert; and two sisters: Evelyn Eash and Vera Ulmer.

A memorial service will be held at First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, Ohio at 11 a.m. on March 8, 2014. The family will be available for visitation before the service at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org) or to First Mennonite Church, Bluffton.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.  Arrangements are by Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services, Bluffton.