Florence “Flo” Marie (Rheinheimer) Harnish, 95, of Valley View Drive, Ephrata, Pa., died peacefully at her home on June 7, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. Flo was born on January 15, 1930, in Shipshewana, Indiana, to Laura Kathryn (Rheinhardt) and (Uriah) Edward Rheinheimer. She will be dearly missed by her husband of 68 years, David; her three children Marie Harnish (Ned Geiser) of Indianapolis, Indiana, David R. Harnish (Margie Skaggs) of Smoketown, Pa., and Anne Harnish (Paul Fogell) of Millersville, Pa.; her nine grandchildren, Hannah, Nathan, Luke, Gavilan, Maggie, Oliver, Paul, Hannah and David; four great-grandchildren, Rain, Micah, Felix and Theo; and her brother, Ralph Edward Rheinheimer of Orrville, Ohio. She was preceded in death by six of her siblings: Rachel (Rheinheimer) Miller, Floyd Rheinheimer, Dora (Rheinheimer) Hostetler, Howard Rheinheimer, Lila (Rheinheimer) Mishler, and Rollin Rheinheimer.
Flo was a “people-person” and had many friends, interests, and an accomplished career. She was a graduate of the first-ever Goshen College School of Nursing, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1953. Flo went on to receive a Master of Science in Education degree in 1961 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she was a professor for 6 years. She also taught at Jefferson Medical School of Nursing in Philadelphia, and Albright College and Alvernia College in Reading, Pa. As a Registered Nurse, she practiced at Elkhart Hospital in Indiana and St. Joseph Hospital in Lancaster, Pa., as well as at numerous doctors’ offices in Indiana and Pennsylvania. Flo’s keen interest in health issues included a focus on midwifery and later in life she started the Rheinheimer-Harnish Scholarship at Goshen College to help nursing students and especially those interested in midwifery attend college. Flo and David married in 1956 at Forks Mennonite Church near Middlebury, Indiana. Flo supported her husband through medical school in Philadelphia and after he graduated as a young surgeon, they traveled together with their 3 small children to East Africa to the village of Ilembula, Tanzania, to support the medical community there for 3 years through a program of Mennonite Central Committee. This time had significant impact on Flo and she later wrote a book about her experiences. While in Tanzania, Flo immersed herself in the culture, learning Swahili language and teaching women to sew. She marveled at the differences and similarities between American and East African culture, writing many letters back home about how health issues were affecting women’s lives.
In 1970, Flo and David settled in the Akron-Ephrata community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, attending Akron Mennonite Church for nearly 54 years. She raised three children with her husband within the AMC community, where Flo was known to always lend a helping hand, lead a womens group, help with fundraising, or offer her home for a gathering or social party to bring family together. Her favorite moments were when she was surrounded with people, mirth, stories, and fun. She especially enjoyed visiting her brothers and sisters in Indiana and Pennsylvania and joking around in Pennsylvania Dutch or competing in a wild game of Rook.
Flo was a creative person and loved to express herself authentically and passionately. She made hundreds of artworks, including oil paintings, watercolors and drawings of the landscapes and people around her. Her sewing and needlework designs were another artistic pursuit and she enjoyed knitting, cross-stitching, and sewing clothes for herself or family members. She loved useful technology of all kinds, being an early adopter of the Macintosh when home computers became available in the mid-1980s and she enjoyed having the latest-model computer and mobile phone. Later in life, Flo kept bantam chickens and peacocks, then goats, and then fell in love with raising llamas. She enjoyed daily swimming and tending houseplants in her greenhouse every day. She was a lifelong learner, keeping a busy social calendar and volunteering. She took trips to Alaska, Russia and Honduras, as well as Zimbabwe to attend the 2003 Mennonite World Conference in Bulawayo and go birdwatching. Flo loved music of all kinds, especially opera, folk and classical. She started violin lessons at age 62, later performing with an amateur senior orchestra. Her soprano singing voice was a staple in her home and her church. She belonged to several choirs and performed twice a year with the “Sing for the Moment” choir at Landis Homes Senior Living Community up until her last concert on April 27 alongside her husband. Flo lived purposefully and creatively through nearly eight years with Lewy Body Dementia, engaging with humor and zest with her team of dedicated Care Partners who shared incredible moments together in community spirit. Through any struggles in her life, Flo had a generous and welcoming spirit, persistence, a zest for living, a quip to share, and a sparkle in her eye.
A Celebration of Life will be held July 19 at Akron Mennonite Church in Akron, Pa. Visitation at 10 a.m. and Service at 11 a.m. with lunch following. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Flo’s memory to the “Music for Everyone”, 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17603, “Sing for the Moment” Choir, Landis Homes, 1001 East Oregon Road, Lititz, PA, and Mennonite Central Committee, 21 South 12th Street, PO Box 500, Akron, PA 17501.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.
