Earl and Fern (Schumm) Bender

Earl Bender was born in 1939, son of William and Mabel (Baechler) Bender. He had three brothers and one sister. Earl grew up on a farm in Wilmot Township speaking Deitsch as his first language. Earl attended the St. James Public School. When he finished elementary school, he stayed home to help on the farm. As a young teenager Earl soon found other jobs locally, which led him to acquire a successful feed business, supplying farm feeds to farmers.

Fern (Schumm) Bender was born in 1941 on a farm in East Zorra Township, Lot 33, Concession 16. Her parents, Henry and Edna (Schlegel) Schumm, had 11 children. Upon the death of her grandfather in 1953, Fern’s maternal grandmother, Annie (Yantzi, Schlegel) Ropp, came to live with their family.  Deitsch was Fern’s first language. She attended the S.S. No. 7, Facey’s Public School, and one year of high school in Woodstock. In her youth Fern worked as a domestic aide and in retail. 

Earl and Fern both attended the East Zorra Amish Mennonite Church. In 1960 they were married and were blessed with one daughter and three sons.  Most of his life Earl worked in the feed mill business and together with other family members, Earl and Fern owned and operated the B & W Feed Mill in New Hamburg. As time passed, they sold their business, and in 2012 their son Dave and his wife Cindy Bender became sole owners of B & W Feed & Supply.

Earl and Fern moved to Nithview retirement community in 2022. The Benders are members of the Hillcrest Mennonite Church.