Delphine Marie (Kennel) Frey, age 90, passed away in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 26, 2023. She was born March 17, 1933, near Strang, Nebraska, the eldest daughter of Ezra and Ellen (Springer) Kennel. Her father died in an auto accident when she was seven, leaving her mother with no means to support her two daughters. They lived with relatives for twelve years. When Delphine was ten, her mother moved to Archbold, Ohio, where jobs were more available to women. Delphine graduated from Archbold High School.
On October 8, 1952, Delphine married Marvin Frey, a marriage they were privileged to share for over seventy years. Early in their marriage, they moved to Fort Wayne. Delphine was a lifelong member of the Mennonite Church. She and her husband last attended Maplewood Mennonite Church.
After her children were in school, Delphine worked 28 years as a teacher’s aide, most of them in classes for deaf children. With her husband, Delphine helped to organize and host annual retreats for families with deaf children. She also volunteered with her husband for two weeks, advocating peace as schoolmistress and schoolmaster in a restored 1830s log schoolhouse at the Penn Alps Artisan Village, Grantsville, Maryland. They also volunteered for two weeks as lighthouse attendants at the restored Big Sable Lighthouse at Ludington, Michigan.
Delphine also enjoyed travelling. Favorite sites included Tennessee’s Great Smokey Mountains, North Carolina’s outer Banks, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Park, Utah’s variety of national parks, historic and current Indian sites in New Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
Whether at home or traveling, Delphine loved family activities. Even at age 88, she helped to provide childcare for some of her great-grandchildren.
Delphine is survived by her husband, a sister, Arleta Owens, three sons and a daughter, Michael Frey (Colleen) of Royal Oak, Michigan, Dayton Frey (Gayle) of Goshen, Indiana, M. Drew Frey (Tonya), also of Goshen, and Dawn Thomas of Fort Wayne. Survivors also include 13 grandchildren, 8 grandchildren-in-law, and 18 great-grandchildren.
Delphine was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Arlene Kennel, a daughter Michelle (Frey) Bradford, a son-in-law Allen Bradford, and a brother-in-law Joseph Owens.
Funeral service will be 11:00 am Saturday July 1, 2023, at Maplewood Mennonite Church, 4129 Maplecrest Road Fort Wayne, IN, with visitation one hour prior. Burial immediately following at Highland Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Maplewood Mennonite Church. To sign the online obituary go to www.mccombandsons.com
DONATIONS
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17