Lois Deckert
1933 - 2018
Obituary
Lois Augusta (Duerksen) Deckert was
born on Aug. 8, 1933, in Korba, India, to Christina and Jacob
Duerksen. Lois had an auspicious, albeit early, entrance into the
world. She was born at home where the Queen of Korba came on her
elephant to see her tiny new subject. Every subsequent birthday, the
Queen gave Lois a silver Rupee.
The Duerksen family lived in India as
missionaries from the time Lois was born until all of the children
had returned to the United States to attend Bethel College. Lois and
her siblings, Joseph and Christine, attended Woodstock boarding
school in Mussoorie, India. Lois had a deep attachment to India and
Woodstock school and attended reunions each year that she could
travel.
As a young college student at Bethel
College, Lois pursued her love of art while majoring in Elementary
Education. She will be remembered by family and friends for her many
creative talents. She continued her art education throughout her
life, taking classes in painting, poetry and ceramics. She used her
talents to connect with others by hand crafting greeting cards for
family and friends and knitting afghans and sweaters that are still
being enjoyed and treasured by the recipients.
In addition to the visual arts, Lois
enjoyed writing both prose and poetry. She belonged to several
writing groups, edited the Women in Mission magazine, worked at the
Mennonite Press and published a novel entitled "Keeping Hope."
During her time at Bethel, Lois met
Marion Deckert. She married Marion on June 16, 1957, in Bethel
College Mennonite Church. Lois and Marion moved to Chicago, where
Marion pursued a Divinity degree and Lois taught school. Following
the completion of Marion's degree, they volunteered with Mennonite
Central Committee, which took them first to Morocco and later to
Halmahara, Indonesia. Their first child, Alan, was born in Morocco
and their second, Alice, was born in Indonesia. Lois enjoyed
adventure and learning about other cultures and she continued to
travel widely with Marion throughout their life together, returning
several times to India and once to Indonesia.
Lois and Marion eventually settled in
North Newton. Lois took on many roles during her life in North
Newton. In particular, she served as the International Student
advisor at Bethel College for a number of years. In this role, she
was able to form deep connections with many international students.
Their shared experience as "global citizens" made these
students family to her. Many of these students remained life-long
friends.
Marion's sabbatical from Bethel College
took them to Indonesia. Unfortunately, Lois was diagnosed with
lymphoma and an inoperable tumor brought them back to the States
where they finished off the year in Akron, Pennsylvania, at the MCC
headquarters while Lois underwent treatment. Lois bravely battled the
lymphoma on and off for five or six years with chemotherapy and
radiation. Those close to her marveled at the grace with which she
endured her illness and rejoiced in her survival and the fact that
she could live cancer free for the last decades of her life.
Having married into a farm family, Lois
was forced to learn to cook and preserve the bounty from their
extensive garden. Although she often complained about the
proliferating produce on her kitchen counter, she took great pride in
the rows of jars filled with the fruits of her labor on the pantry
shelves in the basement of their home on Emerald Court. She also used
her talents to become an accomplished and creative baker and cook. We
will remember her each time we sit down to fellowship around a table
loaded with good food and each time we sip a post-prandial cup of
tea. Her hospitality will be missed by many.
Lois is survived by her husband, Marion
Deckert; her two children, Alan and Alice Deckert; her two
grandchildren, Caitlin and Megan McGrath; and her two siblings,
Christine (Duerksen) Waltner and Joseph Duerksen.
www.petersenfamilyfuneralhome.com.
