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Our sympathy goes to the family of Aunt Caroline, age 94. She passed away on Sept. 15. Although we won't be able to make it to her funeral, our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Aunt Caroline was married to my dad's brother Andy. I'll share a part of her obituary:
"Caroline Mae "Carolyn" Coblentz, 94, a lifelong resident of Lafayette, Indiana, passed away on September 15, 2026, at St. Mary's Healthcare Center.
She became a registered radiology technician and began her career at St. Elizabeth Hospital. It was there, passing through the halls at work, that she met the love of her life, Andrew "Andy" Coblentz. They were united in marriage on December 23, 1954, and shared 59 beautiful years together. Later in life, once her children were all in school, Caroline brought her warmth and care to Hershey Elementary, where she worked as a cafeteria and playground aide until her retirement in 2014.
Caroline lived a life full of simple joys and deep connections. She and Andy shared a mutual love for gardening, spending countless peaceful hours tending to their plants together. Caroline was also an avid fan of music and books, and her family will fondly remember her amazing, unmatched talent for solving crossword puzzles, word searches and jigsaw puzzles. She was a woman of faith, attending Buck Creek United Methodist Church, and found a strong sense of community as a member of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority.
She is survived by her three children: her daughters, Andrea (Carlos) Mena of Mississippi and Lori (Alan) George of Delphi, Indiana, and her son, David (Karen) Coblentz of Lafayette."
At the Coblentz reunions, you would usually see Aunt Caroline and my mom sitting beside each other. My dad was a year older than Uncle Andy. Dad and his two brothers served two years at that hospital as Conscientious Objectors. Dad came from a family of 13 children and he was the only one that remained Amish.
Sept. 17, it was 24 years ago my mother passed away unexpectedly. Many years have passed, but sometimes the tears still flow when I think of her. How nice it would have been to have her around longer. I always trusted her advice.
When we prepare for weddings, I think of the brides and grooms that can have their grandparents at their weddings. My children didn't have any grandparents to be at their weddings. But then I think of some of my nieces and nephews who had a parent missing when they were married.
We named our son Benjamin after my dad and Joe also had a brother, Benjamin.
Our daughters, Elizabeth, Susan and Verena, were with my dad and sisters when Benjamin was born. My dad told the three girls that they have a brother now and he is going to be in charge of them all now. The girls came thinking they would have this mean brother. I still remember when they saw a little 4-pound 13-ounce Benjamin. They said he's so little he won't be able to boss us around. It was love at first sight, and they cuddled their little baby brother. Later, when I told dad, he smiled and said he didn't realize they didn't know he was teasing. When I told dad that we named Benjamin after him, he smiled, and I knew it made him feel good. He would never come out and say it, but his smile said it all! Precious memories, how they linger!
I'll share a recipe for cinnamon bread, which will be served at Benjamin and Joanna's wedding this week. God's blessings to all!
Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients:
2 packages dry active yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk, scalded
7 to 8 cups bread flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
soft butter
Directions:
Soften yeast in water. In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, shortening and salt, then pour over milk and mix well. Cool to lukewarm. Add 3 cups of flour. Mix well and stir in softened yeast and eggs. Beat well. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth around 8 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (1 to 2 hours)
Punch down and divide in half. Roll each half into a rectangular shape 1/2 inch thick. Mix 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Reserve 2 tablespoons and sprinkle remainder over dough. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of water over each rectangle. Smooth with spatula. Roll each out in jelly roll style beginning with narrow side. Seal edges. Place sealed edges down in a greased loaf pan. Let rise until doubled. Just before baking, brush loaves with soft butter. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over loaves. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Lovina's Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, "The Cherished Table," "The Essential Amish Cookbook" and "Amish Family Recipes," are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina's Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.