Richard Glenn Stoltzfus, 87, died Nov. 11, 2024, in Harrisonburg, Va., after being diagnosed with cancer a year ago. He was born Dec. 25, 1936, in Atglen, Pa., to Lena and Abner Stoltzfus. 

After graduating from Eastern Mennonite College in 1959 with a chemistry major, he moved to the Bronx and worked for three years at Columbia University in a medical laboratory. While living in New York City, he met and married Elaine Hunter, who was his wife for 62 years.

They moved to Philadelphia, where he attended medical school at Hahnemann University. Following an internship year at Hahnemann, they moved to Haiti, where he practiced medicine for three years with Mennonite Central Committee, and their first child, Jill, was born. Returning to the U.S., he completed a year of internal medicine residency at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Philadelphia and had their second child, Mark, before returning to Haiti for another three-year term.

He went back to Philadelphia for two years to complete his residency, then moved with his family to Harlan, Ky. There he worked as an internal medicine physician at the Daniel Boone Clinic, which later became part of the Appalachian Regional Healthcare system. After serving in Harlan for 35 years, with over 30 of those also spent as medical director of hospice, he and Elaine retired to Dayton, Va., to be closer to their children. He volunteered for several years at the Free Clinic in Harrisonburg, and in 2024 they moved to the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. 

Richard was committed to serving others with kindness and compassion. He was devoted to his family, his church community and the care of his patients. He loved getting to know people from different backgrounds, was accepting of everyone he met and always made people feel welcome and valued. He enjoyed singing and playing the mandolin and had an eclectic musical taste ranging from classical to bluegrass. He loved gardening and could make anything grow and flourish. He lived with a youthful spirit and an endearing sense of humor.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter Jill (John Mink); son Mark (Cassia); brother Ronald (Donna); and sister Janice (Donald).  He was predeceased by his brother Virgil and sister Marlene. 

A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 11 at Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg.