Neva Pharr

Neva M. Pharr, 79, of Berne went home to be with her Lord and Savior Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at her home on the Swiss Village North Campus surrounded by her husband and family after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born December 22, 1940, in Berne to Sherman and Naomi (Sprunger) VonGunten. She was married July 31, 1986, at First Mennonite Chapel in Berne to Derryle Lee Pharr.
She was an active and faithful lifetime member of First Mennonite Church in Berne. Her activities included Sunday school teacher for two and three year old children, various food committees, Women in Mission and quilting.
She was a graduate of the Berne High School class of 1958. She was a very well-known seamstress. Along with doing alterations in her home for many years, she worked several years for Custom Floor & Wall making draperies and was a seamstress and retail clerk for 20+ years at Stan’s Men’s and Women’s Apparel until that business closed. She then worked at Sprunger Shoes as a retail clerk until that business closed and she retired.  
She had a true passion for quilting which led her to be a co-founder of the Swiss Stitchers Quilt Guild. Along with making quilts and wall hangings for her family, she used her passion to create beautiful quilts that were donated to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale in Goshen for worldwide relief. Making these auction quilts brought her great joy. She thoroughly loved watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren participate in sports and other activities. She also loved having the opportunity to pass on her love for sewing and quilting to some of her granddaughters by helping with their 4-H sewing projects.  She enjoyed playing canasta with her friends and playing board games and card games with her family, especially her grandchildren.  
She is survived by her husband of Berne; three sons, Tom Dull; and Ron (Celia) Dull, both of Berne; and Mike (Rona) Dull of Cicero; daughter, Rhonda (Shane) Reynolds of Decatur; three step-children, Rick (Song) Pharr of Coalmont, Tennessee; Rita (Mike) Bolinger of Warren; and Tony (Jang) Pharr of Decatur; brother, Roger VonGunten of Berne; sister, Sueann (John Alter) VonGunten of Bristol; foster brother, Richard Sudduth of Titusville, Florida; 13 grandchildren, Caley Dull; Jayden Dull; Amber (Scott) Steiner; Drew (Julie) Dull; Tyler (Katlyn) Burnfield; Hannah Dull; AJ Dull; Morgan (Grant) House; Spencer (Kaitlyn) Dull; Amanda Reynolds; Chance (Natalie) Reynolds; Abby Reynolds; and Cashton Reynolds; six step-grandchildren, Tristan Pharr; Olivia Bolinger; Carson Bolinger; Brady (Chelsea) Bolinger; Brandon (Miranda) Bolinger; Andy (Jerica) Bolinger; six great-grandchildren and 3 more on the way in 2021; and 10 step-great-grandchildren.  
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father and mother-in-law, Howard and Rufine Pharr; two brothers, Ken VonGunten; and Dean VonGunten; three sisters-in-law, Bonnie VonGunten; Diana Foust; and Dixie Pharr; one great-grandchild, Cole Dull; and one step-granddaughter, Lexi Pharr.
Visitation will be Monday, December 21 from 2-8 p.m. at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home – Yager-Kirchhofer Chapel in Berne and one hour prior to the funeral service which will be held on her 80th birthday on Tuesday, December 22 at 1 p.m. at First Mennonite Church in Berne. Officiating will be Pastor Jim Schwartz and Pastor Jeff Linthicum. Burial will be at MRE Cemetery in rural Berne.  
Memorials may be made to Three Oaks Christian School in Decatur or Heartland Hospice.
Arrangements provided by Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Yager-Kirchhofer Chapel in Berne. To sign the online guestbook, visit www.zwickjahn.com.