Mary Rempel, 98, of Hesston, Kan., died June
10, 2025, at Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton, Kan. She was born Sept. 19, 1926, in Leroy, Sask., to Abram and Maria (Wiebe) Pankratz. She married Dietrich Rempel on Aug. 29, 1953.
She attended normal school, where she earned her teacher’s license. Later, she and Dietrich were the first married couple to graduate from Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Her life centered around children, and she ran a childcare service from her home. She was an educator as well as an editor and translator for Mennonite publications. A member of Shalom Mennonite Church in Newton, she embraced God’s creation with wonder, appreciation and love. She never saw a crossword puzzle she couldn’t master, and she and Dietrich continued biking together into their 90s.
She is survived by her husband of North Newton; daughters Nadine (John) Voth of Hesston and Nelda (Larry) Litwiller of Harrisonburg, Va.; five grandchildren; and sisters Clara Friesen and Anne Klassen, both of British Columbia.
She was preceded in death by a son, Harvey; a stillborn daughter, Dorothy; and eight siblings.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. July 18 at Kidron Bethel Chapel.
