J Stuart Lehman

J Stuart Lehman, 90, of Berne passed away peacefully in his chair while reading the newspaper in his home on Tuesday, September 25, 2018. He was born on November 29, 1927 at Adams County Hospital the only son of Waldo and Erna Lorena “Glory” (Sprunger) Lehman of Berne. He was married on November 1, 1969 to Rosemary Arnold of Lima, Ohio.

He lived almost his entire life on Lehman Street in Berne, progressing southward from one house to another. He enjoyed academics and was co-valedictorian of his class at Berne French High School in 1946. After graduation, he was a Seagoing Cowboy, taking ponies across the ocean to Europe after World War II with what is now Heifer Project. He attended Bluffton College in Ohio for three years before transferring to Wheaton College in Illinois, where he graduated with the class of 1950. He did graduate work at several colleges, included Wheaton, Indiana University, and Ball State. He went to seminary at Goshen College. He had a master’s degree in education administration. He also served in the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Texas, where his assignment was to be a current events teacher for the soldiers.

His career was teaching high school. He taught at Elmhurst High School before beginning his long tenure at Berne French and South Adams, where he taught English, speech, social studies, and even math (briefly). He also spent several years partnering with his father in running the Maytag Shop in Berne.  He sold life and health insurance for many years as “Stuart Lehman Insurance.”  

He loved public speaking and was often called upon to MC events, speak at reunions, and organize programs. His hobbies included reading and touring Berne in his car, especially his “Dunder Fegu” (“Thunderbird” in Swiss). He was a faithful family man, taking care of his parents, his older relatives, then later his wife and daughter.

His greatest desire was to serve the Lord.  He was a life-long member of the First Mennonite Church in Berne, where he applied his seminary training to teaching Sunday school and working in various other ministries in the church, including serving as deacon, speaking on the weekly Sunshine Hour broadcast, and teaching for evening church services. He taught his last Sunday school lesson to the Loyal Workers Class on September 9 and did his last Sunshine Hour broadcast September 18, just one week before he died. He was grateful he could continue to be of use to the Lord, even at the age of 90. He wanted everyone to know that Jesus loves them.

“Take thou my hand, O Father, and lead thou me, until my journey endeth, eternally.”

He is survived by his daughter, Heidi Jo Lehman.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife in December of 2008.

Visitation will be from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 30 at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Yager-Kirchhofer Chapel in Berne and one hour prior to the 4:00 p.m. funeral service on Monday, October 1 at First Mennonite Church in Berne. Burial will be at MRE Cemetery in Berne.

Memorials may be made to the First Mennonite Church in Berne and the Swiss Village Samaritan Fund.

Arrangements provided by Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur. To sign the online guestbook, visit www.zwickjahn.com.