2/3/2025
Ellen Marie “Sis” Wenger, 95, of Groffdale, died peacefully at her residence on Monday, February 3, 2025. For seventy-three years, she was the steadfast wife of Charles (“Junie”) Wenger, who passed away in 2018.
Born in Leola, she was the daughter of the late H. Clay Groff and Mary C. Groff. The youngest of five children, she was also predeceased by her sister, Nancy Kunkle, and her brothers Robert Groff, Henry Groff, and William Brewster.
Ellen was meticulous about her lawn and landscaping and was well-known in the Groffdale-New Holland area for being the ‘woman on the John Deere.’ In fact, she mowed her own lawn, weeded, and picked up sticks until she was 94. Ellen was also known to friends and family alike as an exceptional cook and baker. For decades, her home was the location for holiday gatherings, parties, and special events, and she routinely amazed her guests by single-handedly preparing meals for dozens of people. A common refrain in the Wenger family was always, “But it’s not as good as grandma’s.” Ellen was also a certified beach bum, and she and Charles were avid travelers who visited nearly every beach in the Caribbean, as well as farther destinations such as Switzerland and Morocco. Her favorite place in the world though may well have been Stone Harbor, NJ, where she gathered with her family every summer for more than 40 years.
Surviving her are two loving daughters and two sons: Susan, wife of Ross Bare, Mountville; Sally, wife of Donald Usner, Blue Ball; John Wenger, husband of Vicky, New Holland; and David Wenger, husband of Marianne, Blue Ball. Ellen was also a grandmother to seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services for Ellen will be private and at the convenience of the family.