Betsy Lehman, 91, died Jan. 31, 2025. She was born Dec. 3, 1933, in Beatrice, Neb., to Henry and Helen (Wiebe) Hirschler. On June 1,1957, she married Jim Lehman in Beatrice. Together, they graduated from Bethel College in Kansas, where she received her nursing degree, and then Indiana University, where she received her master’s degree in nursing. She later earned her Ph.D. in nursing education from Columbia University.
Betsy devoted her life to teaching future generations of nurses. She was a professor of nursing at Pace University in New York for 18 years and planned and led trips for nurses to India, Nepal, Egypt, Israel, South Korea and Taiwan. She presented professional papers at international nursing conferences in Taiwan and South Korea.
Along with her husband, Betsy lived in India for 25 years. She was a consultant to The Christian Medical Association of India, where she, along with several Indian colleagues, developed nursing curriculum for schools of nursing, authored several textbooks and conducted workshops throughout the country. A new building at the Sister Florence College of Nursing, an affiliate of Kolkata University, was named after her as recognition for her contributions to nursing education in India.
Her faith and her family were of utmost importance to her. She was an avid world traveler, almost always thinking about and planning her next trip. Most of her travels were professionally related, and she also loved to explore new places and meet new friends. She loved planning family gatherings at a lake house in Indiana.
She is survived by her husband, Jim Lehman; children Stanley Lehman (Leslie) of Atlanta, Deanne Lehman (Benjamin) of England, Carole (David) Nasralla of Colorado, Jeffrey (Alison) Lehman of England and Priya (Carey) McDurmon of Clermont Ga.; 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Karl Lehman; granddaughter Anna Barnard; and brother Dan Hirschler.
A celebration of life will take place at 4 p.m. April 12 at Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind.
