Simon Glen Gingerich, 101, died Dec. 8, 2024, at Greencroft Health Care, Goshen, Ind. He was born Feb. 2, 1923, in Versailles, Mo., the ninth of 10 children born to Amos and Nannie Gingerich. He grew up in a devout Mennonite family who lived a plain and frugal life on family farms, variously in Missouri, Iowa and Kansas. He married Dorothy Horst in 1945. He received bachelor of arts in Bible and bachelor of theology degrees from Goshen College.
He was ordained at Holdeman Mennonite Church in Wakarusa, Ind., in 1950 and pastored there for 14 years, working as a cabinet maker to earn his livelihood. He served on the boards of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, Mennonite Board of Missions and Greencroft Goshen.
In 1964 he accepted a full-time position with Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities in Elkhart, Ind., as secretary for home missions, where he took a leadership role in turning over responsibility for churches to local leaders and worked to help the Mennonite Church break through institutional structures that perpetuated racial, cultural, class and economic barriers in the church. He was a member of Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart for 60 years, assisting in its programs, pastoral care and leadership.
Unable to have children of their own, Simon and Dorothy “adopted” their 38 nieces and nephews as if they were their own, taking a genuine interest in each, and became a much-loved and cherished uncle.
Following Dorothy’s death in 1996, he married Mary Maple Berkshire in 2001, becoming stepfather to her four adult children, N. James, Jeffrey A, George E. and Mary Beth (Stueben).
He was preceded in death by his wives, Dorothy (Horst) in 1996 and Mary Maple (Berkshire) in 2006; stepson Jeffrey Berkshire in 2021; and all nine siblings.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 25 at Prairie Street Mennonite Church.
