Mary Florence Shenk, 92, who served as administrative assistant to five deans of the college and seminary at 草莓社区 over a 40-year period, died Friday, July 17 at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

Ms. Shenk was assistant to academic deans Chester K. Lehman and Ira E. Miller and seminary deans George R. Brunk II, Richard C. Detweiler (interim seminary dean, 1976-77) and George R. Brunk III, 1943-1983. In addition, she was associate international student adviser for much of this time.

‘A dean without the title’

“Mary Florence Shenk was a dean without the title,” said Myron S. Augsburger, EMU president emeritus. “She did the work in a diligent, efficient fashion, adding much character to the academic program in the process,” he added.

A native of Elida, Ohio, Shenk grew up in Newport News, Va., and moved to Harrisonburg in 1941. She earned a BS degree from EMU in 1959.

In retirement, Shenk was involved in many volunteer assignments, including working in Mennonite Central Committee’s Ten Thousand Villages ministry in Akron, Pa., and at Harrisonburg; and at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift Shop, where she served on the board of directors for many years. She also was a reviewer for the Choice Books program.

Shenk is survived by three sisters, one brother and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial service and contributions

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 1 p.m. at Park View Mennonite Church, where she was a member.

Memorial contributions may be made to Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, Compassion Fund, 1501 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg VA 22802.

Ms. Shenk served in a variety of roles at EMU’s from 1950 until her retirement in 1984, including catalog librarian and assistant librarian. She was head librarian, 1961-1973. She served as librarian for a girls’ school in Izmir, Turkey, during a sabbatical year.

“Margaret was a hard worker and got a lot done – and done well,” said Lois B. Bowman, librarian in EMU’s Menno Simons Historical Library. “She was careful about details. Students she trained were well trained.

“Margaret liked to travel and enjoyed driving. I remember a trip to a conference in Atlanta with Margaret gladly taxiing a car full of librarians,” Bowman added.

A 1949 EMU graduate, Shenk did graduate work at the former Madison College and at Goshen (Ind.) College and earned an MA in library science degree from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tenn.

Shenk was born Feb. 15, 1919, in Elida, Ohio, and moved to Newport News, Va., at an early age. She is survived by four sisters, including Mary Florence Shenk, a former long-time assistant to the dean at EMU; a brother, John M. Shenk, a former member of EMU’s physical plant department; and many nieces and nephews, including niece Gloria Shenk Kniss, an administrative assistant at EMU at Lancaster (PA).

A memorial service was held Aug. 17 at Park View Mennonite Church where she was a member.

Memorial contributions can be made to the VMRC Compassion Fund, 1491 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802 or to the Warwick River Mennonite Church, 250 Lucas Creek Road, Newport News, VA 23602.