Some Great Saints Come In Small Packages--Rachel Stoltzfus, 11/5/25--5/13/17

Rachel with daughter Debbie, with whom she
lived in Bethesda, Maryland

On the Saturday just before Mother's Day Rachel Stoltzfus, 91, died peacefully at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, the community she and her late husband Robert had chosen to spend their last years together. On Friday she had become very ill and was admitted to RMH while with her son and daughter-in-law west of town, David and Twila Stoltzfus.

For years Rachel and Robert had lived in a modest home on the corner of Two Penny Drive and Mt. Clinton Pike, where she continued to live after his passing until she moved to Bethesda, Maryland, four years ago. There her home was with her daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Gonzalo Accame.

I had the privilege of being Rachel's pastor, and along with everyone in our Family of Hope house church grew to deeply love and appreciate her during the many years she was a part of our close-knit congregation. She frequently hosted our church meetings in her home, and was hospitable to scores if not hundreds of international students attending EMU during the years she and her husband lived near the campus. After he died she continued that ministry on her own.

This July 4 her family and her church family will be hosting a celebration of her life at the River of Life Church on Blackberry Lane just off Mt. Clinton Pike. Rachel and Robert had been an active part of the New Covenant Mennonite Fellowship which built that meeting house where the her memorial service will be held.

At that service we will share our fond memories of this remarkable saint, and would welcome your joining us to do so, and/or you may feel free to write some of your reflections as comments below.

We will provide more details about the service as they are available.