Mary S. Burkholder, 83, of 499 Beagle Road, Myerstown, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the Mennonite Fellowship Home in Hagerstown, MD.

Born in Ephrata, Lancaster County, PA, on May 25, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Jacob and the late Emma (Sensenig) Burkholder. Mary started caring for people at a young age. She was one of the first aides at the Fairmount Nursing Home many years ago. She also worked at a nursing facility in Amelia, VA, for 10 years. Mary spent time at Mission Home in Virginia working with handicapped children and also taught school there for a year. After moving back to Pennsylvania, she taught school for some more years and worked at Dutch-Way Farm Market. But her heart was still in helping elderly folks, so she started in-home nursing and was doing that when she had her car accident six years ago. Mary had a caring and loving heart for those who needed help. Family was important to Mary, and she loved time spent with her nieces and nephews. Most of all, Mary loved the Lord and had a concern for those who didn’t. She was not afraid to tell others about Him. She was a member of Shirksville Mennonite Church (Pilgrim Conference) in Jonestown, PA.

Mary is survived by her sister, Anna S. Burkholder; dear friend, Debra Halteman; sisters-in-law, Esther Burkholder and Fern Burkholder; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her siblings, Aaron Burkholder, Eva Shirk (Norman), Eli Burkholder (Edith Zimmerman), Titus Burkholder (Anna Mary Hess), Jacob Burkholder (Martha Zimmerman), Ivan Burkholder (Esther Zimmerman), Emma Burkholder, Elam Burkholder (Fern Burkholder), and Maggie Horst (John).

Her funeral will be held on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, at 10 a.m., at the Swatara Mennonite Church, 10 Camp Swatara Road, Myerstown, PA. A viewing will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m., also at the Swatara Mennonite Church. Kindly omit flowers.

The family wishes to thank the many caregivers who lovingly helped care for Mary in her home. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to the staff at the Mennonite Fellowship Home in Hagerstown, MD, for the excellent care that they gave Mary in the last few months.

Kreamer & Lum Funeral Home, Jonestown, PA, is honored to serve the family.

At Kreamer & Lum Funeral Home, we have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.