Celebrating Everlasting Love

See pages 1A and 1B to read about more local couples!

Terry E. & Mary Jane Heil 1958

When Billy Steinmetz wanted to go on a double date, he invited his friend and co-worker Terry Heil. Billy also asked his cousin Mary Jane to join Terry on the date. That blind date in Akron led to a lifelong love. Terry and Mary Jane were married on March 30, 1958.

Terry was originally from Akron; Mary Jane was from Rapho Township. Now both 84 years old, they have spent almost all of their married life living in Ephrata, with the exception of four years while Terry served in the military. During that time, the couple resided in North Carolina and Virginia.

In addition to their time spent living in other states with the military, the Heils have enjoyed traveling together over the years, especially on their motorcycle. Some of their favorite destinations included New Orleans, Alaska, Punta Cana and Nova Scotia. Besides traveling, they also shared time together when they bowled on a league.

The couple credits the success of their marriage to enjoying each other’s company, understanding, and communication. They encourage younger married couples to keep communicating, even during hard times. They also recommend having date nights!

Terry and Mary Jane share two children: Brian, husband of Amber Heil, Ephrata; and Kelley, wife of Greg Miller, Lititz. Their family also includes two granddaughters: Heather Miller and Kirsten Wilson, wife of Jeff; and two great-grandsons, Joey and Blaine Wilson, all of Lititz.

John E. & Evelyn (Weaver) Witmer 1955

John and Evelyn Witmer, now 89 and 88 respectively, were close neighbors as children, but had lost contact over the years. As young people, on the weekends they frequently visited different churches, which is where they eventually reunited. They went on to marry on October 22, 1955.

John, from Brownstown, and Evelyn, from Rothsville, spent the first few years of their marriage in Mont Alto, Pennsylvania where John worked as part of the Alternative Service program. From there, they returned to Lancaster County where they lived in Mountville and Millersville before moving to their current location at Fairmount Retirement Community.

Jack & Ida Jones 1960

Jack and Ida Jones met at a skating rink in Ebensburg, in western Pennsylvania. They both grew up nearby in the small coalmining town of Nanty-Glo, but had never met each other. The couple eventually made their way to Ephrata, where they were married on February 27, 1960 at a minister’s home on Park Avenue. Now at ages 85 and 84, Jack and Ida, who still reside in Ephrata, will be celebrating their 63rd anniversary this month.

The Jones family has grown over the years. Jack and Ida have three children: Connie Peters, wife of Scott, Ephrata; Jack Jones Jr., husband of Tena, Ephrata; and Gary Jones, husband of Donna, Akron. They also have four grandchildren: Jackie Yohn, wife of Dan, Ephrata; Jodee Berry, wife of Nick, Ephrata; Robert Jones, husband of Alyssa, Ephrata; and Tom Hess, husband of Monica,

The Witmers spent some time traveling in their younger years, and in later years, spent winter months in Florida. Their most memorable trips were visiting their son and his family in Guatemala, where they served as missionaries.

In addition to their son, Dennis, who passed away in 2021, the couple also share three daughters, Sheryl Benzinger, Debra Sell and Judy Horst. The family also includes grandchildren: Eric Horst, Philadelphia; Tyler Horst, California; Jared Horst, Philadelphia; Davita Sell, Bethlehem, PA; Brooke Sell, Florida; Chad Sell, Florida; Elizabeth Witmer, Texas; Carmen Witmer, Virginia; Brian Benzinger, Washington; Andrew Benzinger, Georgia; and the late Christopher Sell who passed away in 2015; and two great-grandchildren, Audrey and Olivia Horst, Philadelphia.

Family is important to John and Evelyn, along with the church, principles they say have helped their marriage succeed over the last 67 years, along with honesty and a sense of humor. Their advice for younger couples is to be sure you really know the person you are planning to unite with, and to value honesty and commitment.

Quarryville; and nine great-grandchildren, with two more on the way!

Their most precious memories involve their family – with one standout moment being the 50th anniversary party their children gave them at the former Akron Restaurant – though Jack and Ida say anytime the family is all together is special!

The Joneses credit the success of their union to their belief that marriage is a life-long commitment, requiring give and take from both parties. They also note that having the Lord to guide you is the only way. When asked if they had any words of wisdom to share with younger couples, Jack and Ida’s response was: “When times get hard, don’t give up; it will be worth it!”

Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck

By: e Late C. Richard Beam

(Originally published in the October 16, 1985 issue of The Shopping News)

Seele As Mer Net Esse Kann Pennsylvania Dutch Letters

By T.H. Harter “Boonastiel”

Der Parre Mohler meent ich het ihn misrepresent in eens vun meine letschde Brief, wie ich gsaat hab as er deed Gott danke as sei Gmee ihm so raegler alle Vaddelyaahr bezaahle deed. Er saagt mir, es waer ganz wennich Geld as er sehne deed es Yaahr rum, un vum Geld fer des Yaahrs-Luh, het er noch gaar nix gsehne. Ich hab ihn gfrogt, wie er dann lewe deed. Dann hot er gsaat, uff was anner Leit net esse welle un die paar Grummbiere un Riewe as er in seim Gaarde geraised hot darich der Summer. Nau, es hot mich arig gschpeit des zu heere. Ich deed meene en Mann kennt gut breddiche mit seim Maage voll Riewe. Awwer des is oft der Fall. Die Leit meene en Parre set lewe wie en Engel. Sie triede ihn so. Wann er um der Weg is, dann sin sie so glatt as en gebiggelde Wans un alles as er saagt is recht. Sie duhne alles fer ihn bezaahle un sell is es Haaptding. Sie misse uff Baricks kaafe adder verhungere, un wann emohl en Parre me Mann e paar Daaler schuldich is un er denkt er waerdt net bezaahlt, dann is em Parre sei Influence iwwer seller Mann fatt. Der Parre deed’s garn bezaahle, wann er es Wexel het, awwer sei Gmee bezaahlt ihn net un wie will er sei Schulde bezaahle?

Ich hab emohl en Parre gekennt as schier alle Sunndaag zu seinre Gmee gschwetzt hot waege seim Luh. Endlich is en alder Vorschteher, wu als en Vaddeldaaler es Yaahr gewwe hot zu em Parre, uffgschtanne un hot gsaat, er het gmeent sie hedde ihn gedinkt fer breddiche fer ihre Seele un net alsfatt fer ihre Geld. Der alt Parre hot ihn e wennich aageguckt darich sei Brille un hot derno gsaat:

“Mei liewer Bruder, ich bin do fer breddiche fer eir Selle, awwer Seele kann ich net esse, un wann ich kennt, dann deed’s zwee dausend nemme wie deini fer me hungeriche Mann en reschpectable Breckfescht mache!”

So hot’s zu viel Karich-Geher alleweil. Sie triede en Parre wie en Keenich bis sie ausfinne as er yuscht en kammener Mensch is un derno triede sie ihn sie en Sau. Die Sache sin all letz. Der lieb Gott frogt niemand fer uff Riewe lewe so as er seelich schtarwe kann, un wann ich en Parre waer un sie deede mich net besser bezaahle, dann deed ich mei Abschittsbreddich mache wie der alt Parre wie er gsaat hot:

“Geld regiert die Welt un Dummheit Globberdaal - un abbaddich der G -, un denne laaft’s zu de Ohre raus!”

***

Souls That One Cannot Eat

Pastor Mohler is of the opinion that I misrepresented him in one of my last letters when I said that he thanks the Lord that his congregation pays him regularly every quarter year. He tells me that he sees very little money throughout the year, and the salary for this quarter he has yet to see. I asked him how he manages to live. Then he said, on that which others do not want to eat and the few potatoes and turnips that he raised in his garden during the summer months. Well, it spited me very much to hear this. I would think a man could preach well enough with his stomach full of turnips. But this is often the case. The people think the preacher should live like an angel. They treat him accordingly. When he’s around, then they are so smooth as an ironed bed bug and everything that he says is right. They pay everything for him and that’s the main thing. They have to live on credit or they will starve, and should it happen that a preacher owes someone a few dollars and that person thinks he won’t be repaid, then the minister’s influence on that fellow is gone. The pastor would gladly pay, if he had the money, but his congregation does not pay him and how should he pay his debts?

I once knew a minister who spoke to his congregation almost every Sunday about his salary. Finally an old elder, who managed to give the preacher $.25 a year, got up and said he thought they had hired him to preach for the sake of their souls and not always for the sake of their money. The old preacher peered at him a bit through his glasses and said to him:

“My dear brother, I am here to preach to your souls, but souls I cannot eat, and if I could, then it would take 2000 like yours to make a respectable breakfast for a hungry man!”

There are too many churches of this kind nowadays. They treat their pastor like a king until they find out that he’s just a common human being and then they treat him like a pig. Things are all wrong. The good Lord doesn’t ask anyone to live on turnips so that he might die blissfully, and if I were a minister of the gospel and they didn’t pay me better, I would give my farewell sermon as the old preacher did when he said:

“Money rules the world and stupidity rules ‘Globberdaal’ - especially G -, for it runs out of their ears!”

*** For this “Boonastiel” letter, we are beholden to Mr. and Mrs. Leon Spangler, Lititz. Leon had called me on March 29, telling me that his mother, Mrs. Albert Spangler, who lives at 431 Granite Quarry Road, New Cumberland had some “Boonastiel” columns she wanted to share with us. On April 1, Leon kindly mailed three “Boonastiel,” an “Oldt Bauer” column and a “Kasper Hugnagel” clipping to us. This week we share the first of these columns with you and tip our Deitscher Schtrohhut twice - once in the direction of Lititz and once toward New Cumberland.

***

Liewer Leser, as you read this “Boonastiel” letter, lease notice the classically beautiful dialect T.H. Harter wrote. The Dutch grammer and vocabulary is intact. If you know anyone who wants to learn to read or to speak the dialect, here is an excellent text to use for that purpose.

We are sure a whole book could be written on the relations between the Pennsylvania Dutch “Parre” and his flock. This “Boonastiel” letter certainly indicates that the Dutch did not always take the best care of their “Parre.” And yet many of the best stories the Pennsylvania Dutch told involved their beloved “Parre.”

October 16, 1985

En Bischli­Gnippli as aa sei neier Parre liebt

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How To Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

What would Valentine’s Day be without a beautiful bouquet of flowers? In addition to chocolate, cards and dining out, flowers — particularly roses — are among the most popular gifts. According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, 58 percent of American men and 16 percent of American women were projected to buy flowers for Valentine’s

Day, spending a total of $1.9 billion. Similar spending is predicted for the future.

Flowers of all shapes, sizes, colors, and aromas can make popular gifts this February. Prolonging the life of beautiful blooms is a priority for those who want their Valentine’s Day arrangements to endure for as long as possible. Florists and other experts differ with regard to the best methods of preserving flowers. Here are some ideas to try.

Trim stems before immersing in water

The natural emollients and sap in the stems of flowers may cause a film to form over the bottom of the stem after it is initially cut. This can reduce the flower’s uptake of water. To alleviate this, cut the stems once the flowers are home. A 45-degree angle allows for the absorption of the most water. You can recut them at each water change as well.

Clean vases of bacteria

Be sure that vases or other vessels you use to hold flowers are completely clean. Bacteria can cause the flowers to decompose prematurely. Use a diluted bleach-and-water solution to clean vases thoroughly between uses.

Watch flower placement

Sunlight and heat may dry out the blooms. Prolong the life of flowers by placing them in the darkest, coolest area of the home.

Treat the water

To preserve flowers, do your best to reduce bacteria, provide a food source for the flowers and manage the pH so that the uptake of water will continue to be strong. Sugar can be an adequate food source.

Purchase immature blooms

Although many desire an arrangement of all opened flowers, bouquets that have some closed buds or those that are just beginning to peek out will likely last longer than bouquets that have already bloomed. The flowers will continue to open and wilting flowers can be removed to make room for the others. Keeping Valentine’s Day flowers looking fresh and vibrant takes a few steps. By being diligent, that floral arrangement can last for several days.