Helen Hess Diffenderfer, 100, of Silver Spring, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 3, 2023 at home surrounded by her family. She was born in April of 1923, daughter of the late Milton Myer Hess and Esther M. Eckman Hess, and was the last surviving member of twelve children born to her parents. She married the late Warren Waser Diffenderfer in May of 1944, and was married for 54 years before he passed away in December of 1998. Together they had seven children. Daughters: Elsie (Galen) Wiley, Naomi (Dean) Byers, Anna (Leon) Gehman, and Sharon (Quinn) Rayment. Sons: Mark Diffenderfer and David (Beckie) Diffenderfer. Nineteen grandchildren. Thirty-five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one daughter: Bernice and one grandson: Stephen.
Before her marriage, Helen worked at the Hamilton Watch Factory. For many years, Helen farmed with her husband in Silver Spring on a dairy farm. Later in life, she enjoyed working at Byers Bakery, at Roots Market with her daughter. Together with her husband, Helen helped found Lancaster Grace Brethren Church (Grace Church Lancaster), Susquehanna Grace Brethren Church (Susquehanna Grace Community Church) and assisted in the founding of Camp Conquest. Helen lived a life of gratitude and she loved singing hymns and writing poetry. She was a prolific writer and shared personal poems with all of her family members to celebrate and honor special occasions. Helen was an avid gardener and loved nurturing flowers. But most of all, she loved Jesus, she loved her family and she loved encouraging her family and others to love and follow Jesus too. For the past eight years, she enjoyed many good times at Landis Homes Adult Services. A special thanks to all the staff for their excellent care.
Helen's wit, love of music, flowers and poetry, her love for her family as well as her faith in God, will be missed.
The Funeral Service will be held at Grace Church Lancaster, 911 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. The service will be livestreamed at www.gracelanc.org. Interment will be in Silver Spring Cemetery. Friends may call at the Workman Funeral Homes, Inc.,, 114 West Main Street, Mountville on Friday from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and also at the church on Saturday from 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to: Camp Conquest, 480 Forest Road, Denver, PA 17517 or Grace Church Lancaster. To send an online condolence, visit the condolence page.