Wanda Suter Pannabecker of Bluffton, will turn 90 years old on Monday, June 18. Her family plans a celebration Saturday, June 16, at First Mennonite Church, Bluffton. A short program will begin at 2 p.m., followed by an open house until 5 p.m. Family and friends are invited to attend.
Pannabecker was born June 18, 1922, in Leipsic, Ohio, to Harvey and Sylvia (Lugibihl) Suter. She graduated from Columbus Grove High School in 1940 and graduated from Bluffton College in 1944 with a major in music. After college, she taught music for one year in the Middle Point schools.
On June 16, 1945, she married Richard F. Pannabecker at Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora. Her husband died Oct. 24, 1997.
After their marriage, she worked at the May Company in Chicago for several years. She also taught private piano lessons for 50 years, sold real estate for 10 years, and taught music at Cory-Rawson Middle School from 1974-75.
She is the mother of Philip (Jan), Tucson, Ariz., John (Rachel), North Newton, Kan., James (Karen), Natural Bridge Station, Va., Thomas (Helen), Tucson, Ariz., and Mary (Fred) Pannabecker Steiner, Bluffton.
Her grandchildren include: Ginny (Chris Miller) Pannabecker, Tempe, Ariz., Leona Pannabecker, Tucson, Ariz., Kate (Brittany Cortinas) Pannabecker, Tucson, Ariz., Lindsay (Eric Stutzman) Steiner, Kent, Ohio; Anne (Ronson Slagle) Steiner, Cincinnati, Ohio, Adam (Melissa Anderson) Pannabecker, Corolla, N.C., and Kendra Pannabecker, Tucson, Ariz. She also has three great-grandchildren: Piay and Odessa Mayalorca, Tempe, Ariz., and Lachlan Schreiber, Tucson, Ariz.
