Mary Ropp

KALONA ? Mary Elva (Swartzendruber) Ropp, 80, of Kalona, died Thursday, July 30, 2015, in the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Aug. 3, at Sunnyside Conservative Mennonite Church in Kalona with the Rev. Floyd Helmuth and Chaplain John King officiating. A private burial will be held prior to the service. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m., Sunday at the church. A memorial fund has been established for the Pleasantview Home. Beatty Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona is in charge of the arrangements.

Mrs. Ropp was born July 25, 1935, in Wellman, the daughter of Elmer G. and Mary (Bender) Swartzendruber. She married Vernon Ropp on Sept. 5, 1959, at Upper Deer Creek Church.

She graduated from Iowa Mennonite School and attended Eastern Mennonite College for one year. She graduated from Mercy School of Nursing with a degree in nursing, and was a registered nurse. She worked at Mercy Hospital for several years. She was a member of Upper Deer Creek and later Sunnyside Conservative Church, where she taught Sunday school and Bible school. She served on the Pleasantview Board of Directors and as a tour guide for the Kalona Historical Society. She enjoyed piecing quilts, reading, word puzzles, table games, and spending time with her family, children and grandchildren. She was an avid Chicago Cubs fan and especially enjoyed entertaining people in her home.

Surviving are her husband, Vernon, of Kalona; three children, Steve Ropp and wife Kathy of Iowa City, Sonda Reinartz and Mike Uitermarkt of Tiffin, and Marla Hess and husband Perry of Bettendorf; six grandchildren; two sisters, Edith Nisly of Kalona, and Ethel Miller and husband Henry of Kalona; and one brother, Ellis Swartzendruber and wife Ila of Kalona.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Mildred Graber, and Effie Miller; and one brother, Morris Swartzendruber.