Winnie Lehnhart will be remembered as a teacher of little children. Her forty-year career of elementary teaching was characterized by structure and discipline tempered with compassion and love. The kids didn’t mess around in her classroom – she didn’t have time for that – for she had so much for the children to learn.
Winnie passed peacefully into the Lord’s presence Tuesday evening May 19, 2015 from OhioHealth MedCentral Hospital. She was 82.
Born Winifred Louise Satterfield August 9, 1932 in Lost Creek, West Virginia, her family moved to Ashland when she was six months old. She was graduated from Ashland High School and Bob Jones Academy in Greenville, South Carolina.
After graduation in 1950, she moved to Mansfield and the next year married Al Lehnhart.
At the inception of Mansfield Christian School in 1961, Winnie was the first teacher hired, and moved with the school from the Marion Avenue Grace Brethren Church building to its Logan Road school. Winnie was the first Kindergarten teacher.
She followed Al to South Carolina for two years, and upon returning, she taught at Lexington Grace Brethren School before returning home to her Kindergarten classroom at MCS. After her “retirement” in 2003, she continued to tutor.
Winnie had always worked with children. While teaching, she played piano for Jr Church and Sunday School. She loved music and integrated it into her teaching style. She supervised countless Christmas Pageants, school programs, wrote children’s songs and adapted scripture to original or familiar tunes as a teaching tool.
Her book “God Made Pretty Colors” used photographs to illustrate the lyrics of the accompanying song she wrote of the same title.
Winnie also played the lap dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. Self-taught on the hammered dulcimer, she enjoyed playing the unique instrument for public groups and at church. She was a member of Berean Baptist Church.
She and Al are blessed with a family that includes their children Loree & Phil Bowman of Calera, AL, Cheryl & Matt Kline of Mansfield and Matt & Miriam Lehnhart of Mansfield; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11 a.m. in Berean Baptist Church, 2145 Middle Bellville Road, with Pastors Russ Enzor and Nate Meiers officiating. Interment will be in Mansfield Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to Mansfield Christian School may be made at the service or mailed to Snyder Funeral Home, PO Box 3085, Mansfield, OH 44904.
The Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home is honored to serve the Lehnhart family. Send them a message of sympathy and support at: SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
