Martha (Hartzler) Rohrer
Martha (Hartzler) Rohrer died August 21, 2025 at Heartland Home in Dayton, VA. She was born December 6,1931, in Allensville, PA to Benjamin and Mary Hartzler, the third of eight children. She is survived by two sisters, Bertha (Richard) Showalter and Alice (Stanley) Hostetter of Stuarts Draft, VA, and also numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Eugene and Ernest and three sisters, Lois (Arnold) Runyon, Maxine (Merlin) Zook and Florence (Marvin) Showalter. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Ivan Rohrer, whom she married in July 1982 and two great grandchildren.
Growing up in Cumberland County, PA, Martha attended Slate Hill Mennonite Church, and in later years in VA was a faithful member of Dayton Mennonite Church.
After graduating High School from Messiah Academy in Grantham, PA, Martha earned her registered nurse diploma from Lancaster General Hospital in 1953, then worked for two years in obstetrics at Harrisonburg Hospital. Two years later, she, along with three other young women, was commissioned by Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions to go to Ethiopia where she spent a total of 16 1/2 years. Here is where she delivered her first babies when the doctors were busy in the outpatient clinics. Several years after returning home in 1975, Martha was accepted at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN where she received her midwifery training. She practiced her profession in PA for 10 years before marrying Ivan and finally moving to VA in January 1991. Martha's career as a midwife was long and satisfying, delivering over 1000 babies before she retired in 1998. This was mainly among the Amish and Mennonites, but not entirely.
Even before retiring, Martha was a caregiver for her aging mother and also for her husband Ivan. When she married Ivan, his first wife (Anna) had been deceased, Martha acquired a ready-made family; Joyce (James) Benedict and Phillip (Linda) Rohrer and currently nine grandchildren, thirty-two great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Martha enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, crocheting, playing table games and above all singing and was quite a bible student and prayer warrior.
The family wishes to express a special thank you to the caregivers at Heartland Home for the exceptional, loving care she received there.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Dayton Mennonite Church.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Dayton Mennonite Church with Pastor Micah Heatwole officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Dayton Mennonite Church, Building Fund.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at johnsonfs.com.
