Obituaries

Phyllis D. (Hunsberger) Oswald, 79

May 03, 2022

Phyllis D. (Hunsberger) Oswald, 79, of Ephrata (formerly Strasburg), PA, died May 3, 2022, of complications related to Parkinson’s. She was the second daughter of Earl and Lydia (Detweiler) Hunsberger.

She was born in Sellersville, PA, August 6,1942. Phyllis graduated from Christopher Dock High School, Lansdale, PA in 1960. She was married to James R. Oswald on August 30, 1969.

Phyllis was a nurturing and loving individual who made you feel right at home, whether you were family, a friend, or a stranger. She radiated warmth, and hospitality was at her core. She was an exceptional host who graciously welcomed others into her space for teas, breakfasts, book clubs, Sunday dinners, pop-in visits, and everything in between. Whether in her own home or in the check-out aisle, she showed a genuine interest in people and was an attuned listener to all she met. She recognized, appreciated, and affirmed the gifts of others, and kept in touch with them over distance and time. It was these traits, plus her care and attention to the well-being of those around her, especially children, that made many view her as their surrogate mother.

Prayer was an important part of her life and was a way she expressed her care for others and channeled her own fears, goals, and hopes. She belonged to a couple prayer groups, at Witmer Heights Mennonite Church where she was a member, and in her local community with Moms in Touch, not to mention her own daily prayer life.

She had a beautiful alto singing voice and loved up-tempo hymns expressing praise. She also had a wonderful laugh, the kind that people would imitate out of love of hearing it, and her brothers found joy in trying to bring it out. The only place she was a threat to anyone was on a Scrabble board, and she was still winning games in her very last days.

As a teen, Phyllis was a mother hen and protector to her younger siblings when her mother passed away. She is preceded in death by her mother (Lydia), her father (Earl), and her second mother (Ruth).

She is survived by her husband and four children: Tina (Doyle) Ebersole, Rita (Phil) Oswald Christano, Lora Oswald (Greg Wendling), and Lisa Oswald (Rene Ordoñez), as well as 12 grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Kathy (Tim) Histand, Mary Lou (Gerald) Oswald, Juanita (Dean) Yoder, Bill (Jeanette) Hunsberger, Ruth Ann (Dan) Moyer, Dan (Mariela) Hunsberger, and Greg Jones (fiancée Janelle Bontrager), as well as many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at Blossom Hill Mennonite Church (333 Delp Rd, Lancaster, PA) at 4pm with a visitation at 3pm until the time of the service. Out of consideration for the well-being of others, if you are feeling any symptoms of COVID or have been exposed in the past five days, a livestream link to the service will be available at www.SnyderFuneralHome.com on the obituary page for Phyllis Oswald. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mennonite Central Committee (https://donate.mcc.org/) or to Fairmount Homes Sharing Fund (333 Wheat Ridge Drive, Ephrata, PA 17522). Whether or not you have Parkinson’s, an easy and free way to directly help find a cure is to join the PPMI research study (https://www.michaeljfox.org/ppmi).
livestream service

https://youtu.be/xireHv3V99E

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Condolences to the Family

May 22, 2022

Very sorry for your loss. I’m sure she’s in a better place. Love, Heather, and Chet.

May 22, 2022

Please use the following link for the Livestream:

May 18, 2022

Thinking of the whole Hunsberger clan and remembering many fine family reunions. It was always a joy to converse with Phyllis; her thoughtful kindness and caring was a blessing to us. Terry & Lo

Visitation
Sunday, May 22, 2022
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Blossom Hill Mennonite Church
333 Delp Rd
Lancaster, PA 17602
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Services
Sunday, May 22, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Blossom Hill Mennonite Church
333 Delp Rd
Lancaster, PA 17602
Map and Directions

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