Ellen (Gehman) Newswanger, 87

March 26, 2023

Ellen (Gehman) Newswanger entered into rest on March 26, 2023, in Earl Township, Lancaster County. She suffered from late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Ellen was born in Lancaster, Wednesday, March 18, 1936, on a windy, rainy day during a week of epic flooding in Pennsylvania. Her parents, Anna Eby Gehman and Allan E. Gehman brought baby Ellen home to a new home on S. Cherry Lane, Ronks, where she spent an idyllic, farmstead childhood. Cats, chickens, goats, and a pony were among young Ellen’s menagerie of pets and inspired her lifelong love for animals. By her own account, her father Allan doted on his only daughter. Ellen and her older brother Glenn were conscious that not all enjoyed life as they did, as she accompanied Allan to Lancaster city to collect rents. She recalled her father’s sense of charity, which she strove to emulate. Allan was characterized by helping his tenants with their rents, and the purchase of their first automobiles. Ellen thought this was good in the sight of God.

The Gehman family attended meeting every Sunday at Paradise Mennonite Church, which proved to be the nucleus of Ellen’s social circle. Bishop Harold Book with his many daughters lived on the neighboring farm. Ellen fostered childhood friendships that extended into this century. Before she graduated from East Lampeter High School in 1954, she noticed dashing, dark-haired Everett Newswanger peeking out to see her from behind the curtains where he was performing in the high school play. After school, Ellen, who was a prized employee in the payroll department at Educators Mutual Life Insurance company, pushed the limits of contemporary Mennonite dress, sporting her famous fur coat.

Ellen and Everett Newswanger were wed on April 27, 1957, at Paradise Mennonite Church. They began to “keep house” at a farm on Kinzer Road just south of the railroad, adjoining the farm of Paul and Elsie Ranck Newswanger, Everett’s parents. In life and vocation, Ellen was determined to live to the full in the most righteous ways possible. “C’mon! Let’s go!” was one of her frequent sayings. And “go” they did. Little Ann was born in the spring of 1958, followed by their son, tow-headed Gene, four years later. Reflecting Ellen’s flair, the children were well-dressed and surrounded by kittens and puppies, and the sundry delights of farm life.

Vocational circumstances moved the family off the farm and into one of Allan Gehman’s houses fronting the Lincoln Highway in Bridgeport. Ellen engaged in vocational pursuits that included driving school bus, delivering flowers and lawn mower parts, and perhaps most importantly, adding the care of parents and inlaws to her daily responsibilities. She kept her elder care sufferings to herself as she spun creative endeavors that portrayed her artistic talents.

Ellen kept a sharp eye on Ann and Gene’s respective romantic interests which eventually led to the marriage of Ann to Stephen Weaver, and Gene to Joy Teufel Newswanger. In time the “grandgirls” were born, Allison Weaver and Thea (Weaver) Sander (spouse of Jeremy Sander), Grace Newswanger (spouse of Erenalp Yerdelenli), and Hope Newswanger (spouse of Raymond Darwin). Ellen is also the proud great-grandmother of Levi Sander.

Ellen and Everett were inseparable. They were known by their peers for their bicycling trips and auction forays. After Everett’s retirement as editor of the Lancaster Farming weekly, they crossed the continent west to east with the Lancaster Bicycling Club. Ellen loved to make money, and every cent made from the resale of an auction or garage sale item went to charity.

Their joy of retirement together came to a crashing halt when Everett died suddenly in 2006. Ellen endured widowhood stoically, enjoying her Strasburg Mennonite Church friends and her life-long “circle” groups. Her surprise 75th birthday party, hosted by Gene and Ann with over 100 folks in attendance is still remembered fondly by her surviving friends and family.

Not wanting “to burden” the children with her end-of-life care, Ellen enrolled at Garden Spot Village. “It’s like a college dorm!” was her assessment of independent living with her friends. Bicycling remained a highlight for her. Ellen rode 2000 miles in 2006 alone. Her good nature shown through during the cruel and slow progression of the Alzheimer’s disease. Even in her confusion, she expressed a longing for release into the life to come in her heavenly homeland.

Ellen was predeceased by her brother Glenn, her parents and in-laws, her husband Everett, and brother-in-law Carl Newswanger. She is survived by her children and their spouses, her grandchildren, her great-grandson, two sisters-in-law, June Gehman and Gladys Newswanger, and six nieces and nephews.

Friends and family are invited to Ellen’s memorial service in the Garden Spot Village Chapel, Saturday, April 15 at 11:00 a.m., with Chet Yoder and Mark Hickson presiding. A time of visitation with the family will follow in the Garden Spot Village Park following the service.

A private internment will take place at the convenience of the family in the Paradise Mennonite Church cemetery.