Mary R. Frey

1925 - 2014

Mary R. Frey (nee Rohrer)

Mary R. Frey (nee Rohrer) passed away at home on July 25, 2014.

She leaves her husband of 42 years, Dempwolf Frey; three stepchildren, Jane Frey of Holyoke, Mass., Mary Frey-Burak of Newbury, Mass., John Frey of Minneapolis, Minn.; her grandchildren, Jesse Vega-Frey, Nicolas Vega-Frey and Alexander Weinstein; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Paul, Sanford and James Rohrer; and sisters, Ava Horst, Ana Lois Rohrer and Mabel Geiser.

Mary was born at home on a small farm west of Wadsworth, Ohio on October 15, 1925, to Ella and Samuel Rohrer. She was a life-long member of Bethel Mennonite Church where her father had been minister. The second youngest of six brothers and sisters, Mary spent her childhood years on her family's farm where she learned to sew all her own clothes, cook, can, and help tend to their large garden and truck farm.

In 1953, she graduated from Goshen College and started her 17 year teaching career; first in Nappanee, Indiana, then in Wadsworth, Ohio and later in Lake Bluff, Illinois. She was known for her artistic and creative teaching style and was a strong proponent of phonics. In 1970-1971, Mary volunteered with the Mennonite Central Committee in a program called "Teacher's Abroad". She was sent to a small village, accessible only by boat, named Petites, in Newfoundland, where she taught grades 1-8 in a one-room schoolhouse. She continued to be very active in her church.

After her marriage, Mary stopped teaching but continued to pursue her love of arts and crafts, calligraphy, gardening, sewing, and cooking. She was famous in her family for her pie-making skills and afternoon tea parties. An avid reader, Mary loved to read to her grandchildren from her vast collection of children's literature.

The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to all the care givers from Home Instead and Hospice of Medina County who gave such wonderful care and support to both her and her family in the last months of her life.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 10 a.m. at Bethel Christian Church (formerly Bethel Mennonite), 2684 Seville Rd., Rittman, Ohio; burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. A light lunch will be served afterwards at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mennonite Central Committee: https://donate.mcc.org/ or Hospice of Medina County: www.hospiceofmedina.org/donate-to-hmc.

Hilliard-Rospert

330-334-1501

www.hilliardrospert.com