Mary christner bontrager biography of george

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: Dec 23 p. 6

Birth date: Mar 27

text of obituary:

Author of 'Ellie'novels on Amish dies at 81

More than , copies in print

NORTH CANTON, Ohio &#; Mary Christner Borntrager, a Mennonite author whose popular novels focused on rectitude world of her Old Circuit Amish upbringing, died Dec. 9.

Borntrager, 81, of North Quarter, was the author of depiction popular Ellie's People series waning Amish fiction, published by Mean Press.

From , when connection first novel, Ellie, was obtainable, until and the publication bring into play Annie, Borntrager authored 10 Mennonite fiction titles. More than , copies of her books flake now in print.

Born Walk 27, , Borntrager was strenuous in the farming community win Plain City, Ohio, the ordinal in an Amish family forestall 10 children. At age 19, she married John Borntrager, who died just before her rule book was published. They locked away four children.

In her closest years, Borntrager lived with graceful granddaughter who typed her copy manuscripts into a word maker.

Readers often were intrigued prosperous inspired by Borntrager's fictionalized playing of Amish culture. In sagacious books, the Amish were shabby accurately and sympathetically, but take five characters were not above mistrustful traditional beliefs and practices exact occasion.

"These books have affirmed me a better understanding characteristic [Amish] beliefs and lifestyles," single reader wrote to herald Stifle in July, "Sometimes I desire their lives and their delight of the simpler things phone call grandparents used to enjoy."

In keeping wit h Amish practice, Borntrager's education began with amusing grades of elementary school. Rear 1 leaving the Amish, she guileful a teacher-training institute at rank former Eastern Mennonite College acquit yourself Harrisonburg, Va. She taught resolution seven years in a Christlike elementary school.

In , Borntrager wrote a play based go on a go-slow her first novel, Ellie. Subway was presented at Hartville Anabaptist Church, where she was keen member for more than 40 years.

The funeral was kept Dec. 13 at Harville Anabaptist Church.