Barbara Sue Nisly, 62, passed away March 8, 2021, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. She was born Nov. 13, 1958, in Washington, Indiana, to Mervin Leroy Lengacher, a farmer, carpenter, and Amish-Mennonite pastor, and Orpha (Wagler) Lengacher, a homemaker.
Throughout her life, Sue exemplified Christ’s compassion and love for all, and she strove to support people in pain, whether from illness, mistreatment, rejection or bereavement. Sue grew up on a poultry farm and loved playing softball and volleyball. Though she didn’t continue high school beyond the 11th grade, Sue was intellectually curious and widely read, and went on to serve as a schoolteacher for two years in her community in Indiana. She grew to know her future husband, Cliff, during a term of service at the River Forest Nursing Home in Three Rivers, Michigan, and they were married on Nov. 3, 1979, in Montgomery, Indiana.
They moved to Cliff’s home in rural Hutchinson, where they worked together for four years as Area Supervisors for Choice Books of Kansas. Sue spent the next three decades working as a partner to Cliff on their dairy farm, and as a homemaker for her sons Justin and Jadon, as well as for a number of foster children. She enjoyed teaching Sunday School, showing Brown Swiss cows at the state fair and national shows, and volunteering as a 4-H leader.
Her own experience of illness — Sue survived three bouts of cancer, innumerable surgeries, and a liver transplant in 2012 — did not reduce her vigor for life, but instead made her a fierce advocate for all those living with disease and disability. Young people were always welcome in her home; as a survivor of violence in her youth, she provided invaluable love and support without judgement to many who were struggling or suffering.
Sue is survived by: her husband of 41 years, Clifford Nisly; children, Justin Nisly (Namrata Kolachalam) and Jadon Nisly-Goretzki (Lisa); step-mother, Delilah (Wagler) Lengacher; siblings, Ruth Ann (Rick) Stoll, Mark (Angie), Matt (Amy), Merv (Gina) and Tim (Dena); step-siblings, Merlin Wagler and Marla Gehman; uncles and aunts, Uriah Wagler, Miriam Gerig, Naomi Swartzentruber, Barb Miller, Roman Wagler, Betty Flynn, Glenn, Harold, and Ray Lengacher, Sylvia Marner, Betty Marner; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by: her parents, Leroy and Orpha, brother, Michael, and uncle, Harvey Wagler.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Friday, March 12, 2021, at the Pleasantview Activity Center, 5013 S. Dean Road. Visitation will from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Activity Center. The service will be livestreamed here. A second memorial service will be held in Sue’s childhood community of Daviess County, Indiana on March 27, with additional details to follow soon.
Sue deeply believed in protecting the vulnerable, the elderly, and the ill, so the family requests that all who attend honor her wishes by wearing a mask and observing social distancing.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gift of Life Transplant House, in care of Elliot Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.