Lois Hershey Givler

Lois Hershey Givler, of Penryn, PA, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 following a short illness. She was 86.

A member of the White Oak Church in Penryn, Lois was a devout Christian who let her calm and genuine demeanor speak for itself. She was a long-time Sunday School teacher at the church and volunteered in the fellowship hall for weddings and other special occasions. She had also been active with the Penryn Ladies Auxiliary and more recently volunteered at Nearly Nu Thrift Shop in Manheim.

Lois was a warm-hearted person who always had a smile for whomever she encountered. That caring personality spilled over into an incredible letter-writing outreach that touched hundreds of lives. When she wasn’t sharing her personal stories to loved ones, she could be found in her kitchen creating her signature pot pie dinners or whoopie pie treats.

Among Lois’ other hobbies were cross stitching, word searches and puzzles. She spent countless evenings watching the Manheim Church Softball League from the bleachers behind home plate and was also known for repairing gloves and keeping teams’ scorebooks when needed. She also had no problem watching games on television, especially if it was her beloved Atlanta Braves.

Over the years, Lois held several jobs in the food-preparation business, most recently baking for her nephew Bob Hershey and his wife, Deb, for Bob’s country store Hershey Harvest near Reading. Lois, who got her start at Malschnee’s General Store (later Uibel’s General Store) in downtown Penryn, was also a cafeteria worker at Manheim Central for nearly a decade. She enjoyed utilizing her green thumb to keep her gardens beautiful and drew great pleasure from watching the hummingbirds that visited her feeding station near her front porch.

As much as Lois loved her hobbies, it paled in comparison to her love for and dedication to her family. She and Ralph had been married for 63 years prior to his passing in 2020. She was proud of her sons, Doug and Mike, for all they accomplished, and she would always make time to be the biggest supporter for her grandchildren Cameron, Kylie, Ally and Erin.

Lois was born on the family farm in Penryn to parents Milton L. and Nancy Hershey. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph and is survived by two sons (Doug, husband of Donna, of Landisville; and Mike, husband of Jenn, of East Petersburg), and four grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Julia Miller. She was preceded in death by brothers Kenneth Hershey, Bruce Hershey and Glenn Hershey.

The family wishes to thank Pleasant View Communities and Hospice For All Seasons for the loving care they provided to Lois.

A Celebration of Life Service for both Lois and Ralph will be held at White Oak Church, 1211 North Penryn Road, Manheim on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM. There will be a viewing at the church on Monday, June 5, 2023 from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM and again on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lois and Ralph’s names can be made to the Penryn Fire Company, 1441 North Penryn Road, Manheim, PA 17545.