Lydia Weber

Lydia Mary Diener Weber died peacefully on May 28, 2025, at Landis Homes. She was a few weeks shy of her 102nd birthday.
Lydia will be remembered for her hearty laugh, warm smile and generous spirit. Always a caregiver, she expressed concern for others and sought to lend a helping hand at any opportunity. Even as her memory faded, she was eager to assist others around her.
Lydia was born in Larned, Kansas, the fourth of ten children born to Edward and Mary Buckwalter Diener. She spent most of her childhood in Wellman, Iowa. Her father encouraged education which prompted her to study nursing. She graduated from LaJunta Mennonite School of Nursing with her RN in 1946. She then completed her bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences at Goshen College in 1950. Lydia married Lester Clayton Weber in August 1951. They celebrated 63 years of marriage prior to his death in April 2015.
Lydia was a dedicated and passionate nurse. She was employed by Ephrata Community Hospital for nearly 35 years. Most notably, she was among the first nurses who worked in the CCU-ICU when it opened as a small four-bed unit in 1967. She became the nursing supervisor of the unit in 1971 and continued in that role as the unit expanded to provide more complex medical interventions. At the end of her nursing career, she worked in the utilization management
department.
Lydia was always busy. She worked full-time while raising four children, canning and freezing the garden's abundance and assisting with care of the farm and horses. Even after retiring from nursing, Lydia worked part time and then volunteered at the Material Resource Center. Lydia was dedicated to fitness, particularly walking. In the past, she enjoyed walking with friends around the Landis Homes campus and pushed herself to exert maximum energy during each exercise class she attended. She also was an avid reader. However, even into late adulthood, she fretted that she should be working rather than spending time reading.
Lydia was a committed gardener. She particularly enjoyed caring for her flowerbeds and houseplants. She was excited to join others at Landis Homes to plant flowers that attract butterflies. Lydia delighted in raising and releasing monarch butterflies, even when their care became challenging for her.
Lydia and Lester were founding and active members of Akron Mennonite Church. Later they became founding members of Pilgrims Mennonite Church, also in Akron. Her faith and church family were integral to her life, expressed most deeply by care and concern for others rather than words. Her family is grateful for the support and companionship provided to Lydia by church members throughout the COVID pandemic and as her memory and health declined.
Her family is deeply grateful for the care provided to Lydia by staff at Landis Homes. Over the past four years she resided in Cedar, Ephrata House, Lancaster House, and most recently Manheim House. She remained pleasant as she experienced advancing Alzheimer's disease. She maintained a bit of her energetic personality, at times speeding along with her walker when she was no longer ambulated steadily.
Lydia and Lester were the parents of four children: Philip Weber, who died in 2017 (Sharon Esterly), West Chester, PA; Bonnie Weber-Lehman (David Lehman), Richmond, VA; Louisa Weber (Tom Martin), New Providence, PA; and Steve Weber, Wilmington, DE. Lydia always enjoyed spending time with and hearing about her grandchildren: Karl Weber, who died in 2021; Christian Weber; Tim Taggart (Jessie); Daniel Lehman (Martina Pavelchak); Andrew Martin; Rachel Martin; and David Martin (Quinn Gilman-Forlini). She loved her three great-grandsons: Roger Taggart, Arthur Taggart and Hugo Forlini Martin.
Lydia was predeceased by eight of her siblings: Menno (Savillla), Roy (Erma), Esther Kroeker (Bernhard), Margaret Jantz (Ben), Eber (Vera), David, Viola Stahl (Milo) and Alvin (Margarita/Shirley). Her youngest sister, Rosa Nichols, survives her.
A celebration of Lydia's life will be held at 11 am on July 12, 2025, in the High Auditorium on the Landis Homes campus, 1001 East Oregon Rd, Lititz, PA. Visitation and refreshments will follow the service in the West Community Room.
Memorial contributions may be made to Landis Homes, Caring Fund, 1001 E Oregon Rd, Lititz, PA 17543, or to Mennonite Central Committee, 21 South 12th Street, PO Box 500, Akron, PA 17501-0500.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.