Mary Fianna Wert

Mary Fianna Wert, 92, of Manheim, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, April 8, 2016 at Landis Homes, with her daughter by her side. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold William Wert, in 2013. At the time of Harold’s death, they had celebrated 66 years of marriage. Born in Juniata County, she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Sally (Snyder) Hepner.

Mary was a graduate of Eastern Mennonite College and taught school for a number of years. She also spent several years employed at Mennonite Central Committee as the secretary to Robert S. Kreider. For more than forty years Mary sold Stanley Home Products, being a unit sales leader for most of those years. She loved all the people she would meet and many remained lifetime friends.

Mary was an active member of Erisman Mennonite Church and served as an adult Sunday school teacher, Lift volunteer, played the organ for services, a member of sewing circle, and many other tasks whenever asked to serve or assist.

Mary was an excellent hostess and loved having family and friends to their home for meals. Many memories were made with lots of laughter sitting around her table enjoying her favorite meals: chicken croquets, potato salad, gooey shoofly pie, endless jars of jelly, soft sugar cookies, and Sunday night pizza and tea. Mary loved to read, play the organ, sew, embroider, crochet and make comforters. Spring time also brought her much enjoyment as she planted her flowers and garden each year, canning and freezing all she could. Mary was a wife, mother, and grandmother who always put her family first; blessing them and many others with gifts of her hard work.

Mary was a capable and highly intelligent woman who exemplified wisdom blended with kindness, grace and humility; she was a woman of great faith. Truly her children "arise and call her blessed... and honor her for all that her hands have done" (Proverbs 31:28a, 31a). She will be greatly missed by her 5 children, Jeanne Witmer Brubaker, wife of John Brubaker of Mount Joy; Janice Miller, wife of Ernie Miller of Elizabethtown; Tom Wert, husband of Grace (Frey) of Penryn; Steve Wert, husband of Kathy (Mumau) of Elizabethtown; John Stahl-Wert, husband of Milonica (Stahl) of Pittsburgh; 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; one brother, Kenneth husband of Ruth Hepner of McAlisterville. She was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Dale E. Witmer, nine siblings: Gladys Hepner, Esther Varner, Samuel Hepner; Marlin Hepner; Clarence Hepner; Ruth Meiser; Ferne Hepner; Donald Hepner, and Richard Hepner.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Mary’s funeral service at the Erisman Mennonite Church, 8 South Erisman Road, Manheim, on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 3:00 PM. There will be a viewing at the Landis Homes Retirement Community EAST BETHANY CHAPEL, 1001 East Oregon Road, Lititz, on Wednesday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. There will be additional viewing on Thursday afternoon at the Erisman Mennonite Church from 1:00 PM until the time of the service. Interment will be in the adjoining church cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent in Mary’s memory to: Eastern Mennonite Missions, PO Box 458, Salunga, PA 17538-0458.