Mary Elizabeth Strite

A celebration of life service will take place at The Branch - Emmanuel Community Church, 7227 Bittersweet Moors Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46814, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 3pm.

Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on March 11, 1949, Mary spent the majority of her life in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and graduated from Waynesboro Senior High School in 1967. She spent several years as a childcare worker at Noah’s Ark in Waynesboro. Her love for children also extended to helping out in the nursery at her church and volunteering as a teacher for the Pioneer Girls Club. Mary enjoyed crocheting, reading, spending time with her family, and serving the Lord.

Mary was preceded in death by her mother, Nancy Kipe (Coffinberger), her father, Samuel W. Kipe, her brother John Kipe, and her sister Bobette Craig (Kipe). She is survived by her husband, Eldon Strite, her children and their spouses, Michael and Darla Strite and Michelle and John McClure, her four grandchildren and their spouses, Shaina and Bobby Beksinski, Nakyea and Aaron Lieber, Taylor Strite-Floresramirez and Giovanni Flores-Ramirez, and Makayla and Nate Elliott, and her four great-grandchildren, Leland, Jeffrey, Ian, and Kain.

Mary will be remembered for her kindness, words of encouragement, warm hugs, unfaltering love for her family and her unwavering service to the Lord. Her laughter and wise words were gifts to everyone who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Lung Association (https://www.lung.org/) in Mary’s honor and/or to the church Mary was a congregation member of:

Brethren in Christ Church, 4395 County Road 7, Garrett, IN 46738.