Oct. 25, 1916 - Aug. 3, 2012

GOSHEN — Willard E. Gingrich, 95, died surrounded by his family Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, at IU Health Goshen Hospital.

He was born Oct. 25, 1916, to Dilman and Cora (Ebersole) Gingrich in Freeport, Ill.

He graduated from Freeport High School and was a longtime resident of Freeport.

Willard married Olive Graybill in Dakota, Ill., on July 18, 1940.

Willard was a dairy farmer and lifetime member of Freeport Mennonite Church where he was active as Sunday school superintendent, teacher and elder. After retiring, Willard volunteered at Freeport Memorial Hospital for 17 years, serving 42,000-plus hours.

In Feb. 2006 Willard moved to Greencroft Assisted Living, Goshen, where he had lived the past 6 years.

Since his move to Goshen he had been a member of Waterford Mennonite Church.

Surviving are a son, Myron Gingrich (Lonna Stoltzfus) of Madison, Wis.; six daughters, Rachel (Kenneth) TerBeek of Saukville, Wis., Barbara (Byron) Kauffman of West Liberty, Ohio, Lila (Jim) Gascho of Goshen, June (Bill) Cleaveland of Chehalis, Wash., Connie (Byron) Warkentin of Elkhart and Beth Gingrich of Albuquerque, N.M.; a daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Gingrich of Goshen; 21 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.

Willard was preceded in death by his wife, Olive, in May 2004; his parents; a sister, Lucille Brown; a son, Keith; a son-in-law, Everett Oaks; and twin great grandsons, Judah and Micah Walker Cleaveland.

A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. today, Aug. 8, 2012, at The Gathering Place at Evergreen Place, Greencroft campus, Goshen.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, at Burke Tubbs Funeral Home, Freeport. Services will be Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012, at Freeport Mennonite Church with private graveside services at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the Keith E. Gingrich Memorial Scholarship Fund at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart and Heifer International.

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