Marcella Ruth Diller

1925 - 2026

Nov 15, 1925 - Mar 27, 2026

Marcella Ruth (Bare) Diller, age 100, died on March 27, 2026, at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Kansas. She was born on November 15, 1925, to Joseph Harlan and Ida Elnora (Bauer) Bare in Harper, Kansas.

Marcella attended Harper public schools, graduating with the high school class of 1943. She attended Hesston College in 1943-1944, earning an emergency teaching certificate. Marcella was a member of Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church, east of Harper, and was baptized on February 5, 1939.

J. Robert Diller, a native of Hesston, Kansas, came to Harper from Belton, Montana, where he was in Civilian Public Service. He was granted an agriculture deferment and was discharged to help his brother, John, following a farm accident. Bob and Marcella met at the Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church, attending the Youth Literaries.

Bob and Marcella were married July 28, 1946, at Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church. Bob continued farming and also did some carpentry work in town. Marcella taught school two years before marriage and one year after at schools in Kingman and Harper counties. In November 1947, Bob and Marcella moved to Hesston where Bob did carpentry work with his father, J.R. Diller, and brother, Ivan.

Bob and Marcella were blessed with three sons and two daughters. Marcella was a stay-at-home mom until their youngest child was in late elementary school. At that time she began part time work at Country Gardens, the local flower shop, where she enjoyed working for 15 years.

In addition to caring for their children and attending their many activities, Marcella enjoyed flower gardening and music, using those hobbies in various ways at Hesston Mennonite Church through the years, where she was an active member. She was a Charter Member of the Hesston Garden Club, organized and directed the Hesston Area Singin' Seniors for five years, and was a member of the Newton Christian Women's Club.

After the 1990 Hesston Tornado, Bob and Marcella moved to an apartment at Schowalter Villa until their house was rebuilt on Weaver Street. In 1998 they moved to a duplex on Lake Vista Circle on the Schowalter Villa campus. Following Bob's death in 2013, Marcella moved to Lakeside Village in April 2014. As her health changed in 2024, Marcella moved to Schowalter Villa health care. In November 2025, her family and many friends enjoyed helping her celebrate her 100th birthday.

Preceding in death are her husband, Bob, her parents, brother Olin Bare, sister Olive Bare, and brother and sister-in-law Ivan and Ardis Bare.

Survivors include her five children and their families - Mel and Norma Diller, Hesston (Aaron and Ronda Diller, Zane Harder, Newton; Mark and Denise Diller, Hesston, Kyle, Lincoln City, Oregon, and Ryan, Hesston); Marlin and Kathy Diller, Peoria, Arizona (Amanda and Thomas Shows, Zoe and Silas, Peoria, Arizona; JR and Chantel Diller, Brynlee, Everlee, and Carson, Gilbert, Arizona); DeAnn Diller, Newton; Rod and Gwen Diller, Goshen, Indiana (John and Sara Diller, James and Wesley, Goshen, Indiana; Matt Diller, Ellie and Ethan, Goshen, Indiana); and Darlene and Chuck Buller, Hesston (Craig and Caitlyn Buller, Crosby, Waynesboro, Virginia; Karl and Emmali Buller, Talia and Asher, Hesston). Also surviving are brother-in-law and sister-in-law Eugene and Donna Diller and many nieces and nephews.

Private family burial will take place at Eastlawn Cemetery, rural Hesston. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Hesston Mennonite Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Hesston College – Diller Scholarship, Hesston Mennonite Church, or Schowalter Villa Nursing Scholarship in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, PO Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.