Doris Marie Jantz Diller, 100, passed away June 15 after a brief hospital stay surrounded by family. She was born in Greensburg, Kansas on April 26, 1924, to Solomon and Katie (Wadel) Jantz. Doris graduated from Greensburg High School in 1943 and moved to Hesston later that year to attend Hesston College. She married Ivan Diller on March 16, 1947 at Greensburg Mennonite Church. She spent many of the years after their four children were born as a homemaker and was involved in volunteer work with church and school activities. When the children were older, she began working at Schowalter Villa as a nurse aid, and later did physical therapy with the residents. She retired from her work there after 20 years, and then volunteered weekly at EtCetra for many years.
Doris was a member of Hesston Mennonite Church where she was active volunteering in many ways.
She looked forward to reaching 100, and enjoyed the birthday celebration with all of her family and friends. Her family surprised her by publishing her life story which she had written over the years. Up until she went to the hospital, she enjoyed nightly FaceTime calls with her family, which will be missed.
Doris was very creative, making clothes and Halloween costumes for her children, helping with costumes for school plays, making birthday cakes for her children, and making many quilts, including some for her children and a quilt for each of her eight grandchildren for high school graduation. She enjoyed having guests in their home and was a gracious hostess. Up to the end she was known for her smile and positive attitude and the impact that made on many people.
Survivors are children Althea (Ron) Harvey, Front Royal Virginia; Stephen (Janelle) Diller, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Betty Jo (Barth) Hague, Gunnison, Colorado; and Jeanie (Greg) Martin, Elkhart, Indiana; grandchildren Stephanie (Brendan) Danker, Oxford, Ohio; Ashley (Ryan) Troyer, Goodyear, Arizona; Jesse (Leonora) Diller, Seattle, Washington; Dusty (Antonya) Diller, Pasadena, California; Zach Hague, Wichita, Kansas; CJ (Gaby Gutierrez) Hague, Midland, Texas; Tom (Megan) Martin, Elkhart, Indiana; Katie (Jon) Yoder, Goshen, Indiana; and great grandchildren Caleb and Jordan Troyer, Goodyear, Arizona; Cosima, Georgia, Tessa and Julian Diller, Seattle, Washington; Max Martin, Elkhart, Indiana; and Jake, Liza and Lydia Yoder, Goshen, Indiana.
Surviving siblings are Melvin (JoAnn) Jantz, and DeWayne Jantz. She was preceded in death by her husband Ivan Diller, her parents, and siblings Bernice (Frank) Schmidt, Wesley (Phyllis) Janta, Alice (Ross) Wayne, Benjamin (Margaret) Jantz, Pauline (Allen) Diller, and Wallace (Sylvia) Jantz.
Private family burial will take place at Eastlawn Cemetery. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 29, 2024 at Hesston Mennonite Church, with family receiving friends following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Schowalter Villa Good Samaritan Fund in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, PO Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.