Vesta L Gingerich

Vesta Louise Troyer was born on March 3, 1919, in McPherson, Kansas, to Roy S. and Nora Miller Troyer. She joined an older brother Ordo, From 1921-28 the family lived near Hubbard, Oregon.
In 1928 the Troyer family moved back to Hesston, Kansas, where
Roy worked in the King Motor Company, Hesston Feed Mill, and Roy Al Turkey Plant, and Nora cooked for a few years at Hesston Academy. Vesta attended Hesston Academy, where she played basketball , sang in the school choir and a women's sextet, and had a busy social life. She completed two years of teacher training and then one year taught at the District 20 (Kansas) rural grade school. While at Hesston Academy she had become the special friend of Paul E. Gingerich and they were married on May 22, 1940 at her parents' home in Hesston.

In 1943, Vesta, Paul, and son Keith moved to a farm near Holbrook, Iowa. For the next 31 years they farmed and welcomed three more children: Kenneth, Linda, and Roger. In addition to tending the garden and housework, Vesta took time to teach Sunday school and Bible school at West Union Mennonite Church. Later she attended First Mennonite Church in Iowa City.

In 1974 Vesta and Paul moved from Iowa back to Hesston, Kansas, where they enjoyed many friends at Hesston Mennonite Church and various retirement hobbies. In 2005 they moved back to Iowa, settling in at the Pleasantview Retirement Community in Kalona. Vesta is remembered as a calm, gracious woman, peaceful in spite of life's disappointments, stalwart and brave, dedicated in her Christian faith.

She passed away on September 13, preceded in death by her husband, parents, brother, daughter Linda, an infant granddaughter, Natasha Hughes, and a great grand-daughter, Johanna Feil. Surviving her are sons Keith (Mildred Wenger), North English, IA; Ken (Noreen Preheim), Iowa City IA; Roger (Diane Bucher), Aurora, CO; grandchildren Diane Feil, Gwen Hostetler, Charlotte Shristi, Mark A. Gingerich, Bryce, and Bailey Gingerich; and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, September 16, 2016 at the Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona, Iowa. The family will greet friends from 9:00 AM until service time on Friday. A memorial fund has been established for Pleasantview Home. The Yoder-Powell Funeral Home is caring for Vesta and her family.