Mervin "Merv" Sauder

Mervin “Merv” Sauder, 89, of Manheim, passed away on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at Pleasant View Communities, Manheim. Born in 1936 in Union Grove PA, Mervin was the son of the late Paul L. and Leah (Martin) Sauder. His family moved to Manheim when Mervin was three. He was the husband of Mary Lou (Buckwalter) Sauder with whom he celebrated 67 years of marriage in February.

A 1953 graduate of Manheim Central High School, Merv was a hard-working, visionary, and successful farmer in Penn Township. For 86 years, he was an active and faithful member of Erb Mennonite Church, Lititz, and also served as a member of the Farm Credit Bank Board, Rotary Club of East Petersburg, and the Garden Spot Hunting Club. He was an avid hunter, loved a good game of golf, tennis, softball, or Rook, and was an enthusiastic Manheim Central Barons football fan. Exploring the world through travel and spending time with his beloved family were his greatest joys and he was so proud of them and their accomplishments. Merv enjoyed people and had a ready smile. He was energetic, generous, and “a friend to everyone he met.”

Surviving in addition to his wife are a son, M. Dean, husband of Doris (Burkholder) Sauder of Lancaster, and two daughters, Marjorie, wife of James Weaver of Manheim, and Shari, wife of Kevin Varner of Lititz; eleven grandchildren: Jeremy, Rebecca, and Micah Sauder, Kayla (Sauder) Rohrer; Josiah, Abigail, Caleb, and Luke Weaver; and Joshua, Emmalynn, and Hannah Varner; and three great grandchildren: Calihan and Alasdair Weaver and Lainey Rohrer. He is survived by six siblings: Elva wife of the late Robert Bare, Roy husband of Frances Sauder, Lorraine wife of Robert Rohrer, Marjorie wife of the late Daniel Stoltzfus, all of Lititz, Carolyn wife of the late Dale Leaman of Lancaster, and Linda wife of Marvin Nissley of Mount Joy.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Mervin’s Memorial Service at Erb Mennonite Church, 567 West Lexington Road, Lititz on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM. Friends may visit with the family at the church on Thursday evening, October 2, from 5:30 – 7:30 PM or at the church on Friday afternoon from 3:00 PM until the time of the service. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Merv’s memory may be made to Eastern Mennonite Missions, PO Box 8617, Lancaster, PA 17604 (emm.org) or Global Disciples, 315 West James Street, Suite 202, Lancaster, PA 17603 (globaldisciples.org).

The Sauder family extends their appreciation to Pleasant View Communities and their Memory Care Unit for their kind and exceptional care.