Esther Pearl (Lehrman) Rinner

Female 1922 - 2020  (97 years)


 

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Rinner, Esther Pearl (Lehrmanb)

The Newton Kansan

Esther Pearl (Lehrman) Rinner

1922 - 2020

Esther Pearl (Lehrman) Rinner was born Sept. 10, 1922, in Aberdeen, Idaho, the daughter of

Henry H. and Theresa (Wiebe) Lehrman. Esther was 97 and died on May 30, 2020 in North Newton, Kansas.

She was baptized and became a member of the First Mennonite Church of Aberdeen, and

enjoyed being a member of the Girl Scouts. She attended Bethel College and was granted a

teaching certificate there in 1942. She then taught at the one-room Candy School east of

Newton for one year and then for two years in the elementary school in American Falls, Idaho.

She returned to Bethel College where she received her B.S. degree In Education in 1947,

graduating with Distinction. During two summers in a women's service unit and then for

one year in the 1940s, she was an attendant in a state mental hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

This was followed by a year and a half of voluntary service in LaPlata, Puerto Rico under Mennonite Central Committee, working

with children in a community center.

On June 30, 1949 Esther was married in the First Mennonite Church of Aberdeen, Idaho to

Andrew James (Jim) Rinner of Wayland, Iowa, a Civilian Public Service worker she had met

while serving in Ypsilanti. Throughout their married life, his career as a nursing student and then

nursing instructor took them to homes in Chicago, North Newton, Hutchinson, Denver, and

since 1960 in Newton, Kansas. The couple's two daughters, Jeanette and Amy, were born

during the family's years in Hutchinson. Jim and Esther spent their last years at the Kidron

Bethel Retirement Center in North Newton. Her husband died on April 27, 2004 after almost 55

years of marriage.

Esther was always active in church work, community, and education. She was a substitute

teacher In Hutchinson and was employed as secretary for the Mennonite Western District

Conference office and the development office at Bethel College in North Newton. Most of her

working years were as secretary and administrative assistant for the executive secretary of the

General Conference Mennonite Commission on Home Ministries in the Newton, Kansas

headquarters. She was a volunteer in many places, including Sunday school and Vacation Bible School

teacher and director, congregational and church council secretary in Bethel College Mennonite

Church; teacher in Newton's Released Time Bible School; docent at Warkentin House;

treasurer for Newton Church Women United; member of a Harvey County Extension

Homemakers Unit; PTA president at Washington School; 4-H Club leader; Bethel Deaconess

Hospital Auxiliary; volunteer at Newton Medical Center gift shop and at the Mennonite Library

and Archives at Bethel College.

Esther had a great love of travel, beginning in her childhood when her family drove from

Idaho in a Model T Ford to visit relatives in Kansas in the 1930s. In her married life, the family

traveled to many places, including across the Western United States and several times to

Europe. She and Jim also traveled to the Soviet Union, Israel and Canada. She loved classical

music, doing handwork and making scrapbooks.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Ruby Lehrman

and Elva Brucks, brother Charles Lehrman, and son-in-law Steve Grantstein. She is survived by

sister-in-law Lois Lehrman of BuhI, Idaho; daughters Jeanette Grantstein of Wichita and Amy

(Rinner, Dueckman) Waddell (Marc) of Abbotsford, British Columbia; grandchildren Abigail

Grantstein Howard (Lucas), James David Dueckman (Pauline), Noel Dueckman

(Stephanie),Laura Dueckman Merritt (Ryan), and great-grandchildren Evangeline Grantstein,

Bonnie Grantstein, Caroline Howard and Zachary Dueckman and nine beloved nieces and

nephews.

Memorials can be designated for Bethel College Rinner Nursing Scholarship Fund, Bethel

College Mennonite Church, or Western District Mennonite Conference In Care of Petersen Funeral Home.

A memorial service will be held at the Bethel College Mennonite Church at a future date to be determined


Owner/SourceHarvey County Genealogical Society
Date2 Jun 2020
Linked toEsther Pearl (Lehrman) Rinner

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