Mary Ellen Lichty

Mary Ellen Lichty, 88, died Saturday, December 28, 2024, at home surrounded by her loving family, following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.

She was born May, 24, 1936 in Topeka, IN to Cornelious and Catherine (Yoder) Miller.

On October 29, 1960 she married Ralph Lichty in Goshen.

Marry Ellen is survived by her husband, Ralph Lichty; a son, Steven Wayne (Lou Ellen) Lichty of Oakland, Maryland; a daughter, Danelda ”Dee” Lichty of Goshen; a son-in-law, Kevin Fox of Dayton VA; four grandchildren, Justin (Olivia) Lichty, Travis (fiancé Mackenzie Edwards) Lichty, Danny Fox and Bethany Fox; four great-grandchildren, Jadyn Skipper, Ian Skipper, Kiara Lichty and Madeline Lichty, who is on the way; a sister, Alma Grace Slaubaugh of Kalona, Iowa; a brother, John (Rachel) Miller of Lawrence, Kansas; a sister-in-law, Susan Miller of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and several nieces and nephews.

Along with her parents, Mary Ellen was preceded in death by a daughter, Rhonda K. (Lichty) Fox; a grandson, Jesse Skipper; and a brother, Maurice Miller. 

2015 Mary Ellen and Ralph moved from Oakland MD where they had lived for 55 years to Goshen IN to live with daughter, Danelda. They attended Pleasant View Church.

Mary Ellen was a founding member of the Southern Garrett County Rescue Squad, Oakland MD, where she taught the EMT classes for several years. She loved to travel and went on many medical mission trips to both Haiti and Honduras. She along with Ralph have visited all 50 states and several countries in Europe. She also enjoyed helping on the family farm, cooking, gardening, crafts and was a small aircraft pilot. She attended Hesston College and La Junta Mennonite Hospital School of Nursing for her RN training, and taught 2 LPN nursing classes there after graduation. In 2003 she was inducted in the Garrett County MD Women’s Hall of Fame. Mary Ellen and Ralph were members of Gortner Union Church in Maryland where she was very active in Bible School, Sunday School. 

A visitation will take place Thursday, January 2, 2025 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home and Friday, January 3, 2025 from 10 until 11 a.m. Followed by a 11a.m. funeral service at Pleasant View Church. Pastor Mark Snyder will officiate. Cremation will follow. 

A memorial service will also be at Gortner Union Church, Oakland, MD on January 18, 2025 at 11 a.m. Pastor Sam Moon will officiate.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Samaritan’s Purse; https://samaritanspurse.org or Center for Hospice Care, Elkhart; https://cfhcare.org/.