Velma P. Blosser 1935-2025

Born Feb. 1, 1935, she was the daughter of Clinton and Edith Weikart Blosser. The family resided on a farm on Kelly Park Road south of Columbiana during her childhood. She attended Crestview schools. She received her bachelor’s degree in education at Goshen (Indiana) College. She was a well-loved teacher of elementary students for many years in the North Lima and South Range schools.

She was active throughout her life as a member of Midway Mennonite Church, Columbiana. Velma was the first woman to serve in lay leadership at the church. She taught Sunday school, sang in the church’s Mennonite Youth Fellowship choir, gathered many clippings on church attenders from area newspapers as church archivist, and organized and cooked well-attended community meals at the church. She and woman friends from Midway enjoyed traveling together during her retirement years.

She often recalled cherished memories of her two years teaching school in rural Newfoundland as a young adult in the Mennonite Voluntary Service program. She and her host family exchanged visits many years afterward.

Velma moved from North Lima to rural Salem in the early 1980s to care for her parents. In 1991, she joined the staff of The Dutch Cupboard, a bulk food store in Columbiana, as general manager. She wrote several cookbooks as well as books of poetry, children’s stories and about her time in Nova Scotia. She dependably baked double-crust pies for family holiday meals for decades.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Howard, Paul, Evan and Carl, and sisters, Laura Helfrick and Lois Amstutz.

She is survived by sister, Doris Witmer of Harrisonburg, Virginia; and brother, Don of Goshen, Indiana. Velma had a special love for her many nieces and nephews. She is survived by 36 nieces and nephews, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

The family expresses deep appreciation to the administration and staff of Hampton Woods and Sanctuary Hospice for their loving care. Memorial contributions may be sent to Midway Mennonite Church.

A memorial service will be held 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Midway Mennonite Church, officiated by her nephews, Greg Bowman and Nelson Witmer.

The family will receive friends 2 to 3:30 p.m. April 26 at the church.

The Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in Columbiana is entrusted with the arrangements. Family and friends are invited to visit www.seederly-mongandbeck.com to sign the guestbook or send private condolences.

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