View source for Showalter, Elizabeth Anna (1907-1998)

Elizabeth Anna Showalter was born 11 January 1907 in the Shenandoah Valley near [[Broadway (Virginia, USA)|Broadway]], [[Virginia (USA)|Virginia]], the twelfth child in the family of George B. and Elizabeth Blosser Showalter. She graduated from Harrisonburg State Normal School (James Madison University) and received an MA degree in journalism from Syracuse University. She taught at [[Iowa Mennonite School (Kalona, Iowa, USA)|Iowa Mennonite School]], [[Goshen College (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Goshen College]], and [[Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)|Eastern Mennonite College]]. From 1949 to 1960 she edited <em>Words of Cheer </em>for the [[Mennonite Publishing House (Scottdale, Pennsylvania, USA)|Mennonite Publishing House]] and was known as "Aunt Beth" to her readers. She worked for two years for Laubach Literacy, Inc., including teaching short-term writing courses in Africa. In 1961 she began "Books Abroad," a project to furnish donated used books for institutions and persons overseas; it later became a part of the [[Women's Missionary and Service Commission (Mennonite Church)|Women's Missionary and Service Commission]] (MC). In retirement she moved to Harrisonburg, VA, moving to Heritage Haven when it opened in 1981. She died 30 August 1998 and was buried at Broadway, Virginia.
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