Bible is comfort in difficult times
Staff writer
Being a single mom raising two daughters by yourself can be difficult at times. But Marcia Williams says that through the years she has been comforted by some very special Bible verses.
Born in Hillsboro, Marcia is the only daughter of Loretta and the late Bart Reiswig.
She attended school in Hillsboro and graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1977.
In the summer of 1977, she was married. She moved to Williston, N.D., in 1979 and to Montana in 1981. The family did some farming, and Marcia was mostly a stay-at-home mom and worked part-time jobs.
In 1985, she and her girls moved back to Hillsboro. Now a single mother, Marcia began looking for work.
"I didn't know what I was going to do and remembering Matthew 6:25-27 helped me," Marcia said. "Not to say I never worried about anything, but that scripture kept coming to my mind, often."
Well, Marcia began working at the former Iron Kettle Restaurant in Hillsboro. The restaurant was formerly owned by her mother, Loretta, and Marcia worked there while growing up in the mid-1960s to 1979. At that time, the restaurant was called the Hillsboro Guest House.
"My mother was an inspiration to me," she said. "She started as one of the very few woman business owners here in Hillsboro."
"And she was told that she made the best pies in Marion County," Marcia said smiling.
At the Iron Kettle, Marcia worked as a full-time cook. She worked around her class schedule while she attended Tabor College starting in 1986.
Marcia majored in business administration at Tabor, graduating in 1990.
"After I graduated, I put applications everywhere," she said.
One of her first jobs was working at F&R Metals Control in the summer of 1990. Marcia helped build up the inside of the building, getting the company ready for business.
"I did cleaning and painting and powerwashed the whole building down," Marcia said.
After the business opened, Marcia worked as the parts manager until the company closed in 1991.
Marcia then went to work at the Mennonite Brethren Publishing Company, where Cooperative Grain and Supply is now located. She worked on the production line and in the mailing department or wherever she was needed.
In December of 1991, Marcia was hired as a teller at Hillsboro State Bank where she continues to work.
She was promoted to assistant vice president and now serves as the vice president, third in command under Carl Long, president.
Marcia's duties as vice president include working in the operations department doing bookkeeping, handling student loan reports, escrow accounts, and IRA's. She also helps the tellers when there is a need.
"I do just about everything, when we need the help," she said.
In her 13th year at HSB, Marcia attends workshops and seminars to stay up-to-date on the latest information. For example, she attends annual IRA seminars for updates on those accounts.
Marcia said she enjoys the "small town" bank atmosphere and the flexibility of her schedule while her daughters were in school.
She is a member of Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church and was baptized at the age of 13 by Pastor Richard Wieneke.
Marcia sings in the choir and teaches the two-year-old class on Wednesday nights. She has served as a Sunday School and Wednesday night teacher for different ages throughout the years and has served on various church committees, church council, the church nursery, and the WMS cabinet.
"While my girls were growing up, I was a Girl Scout leader for about six years," Marcia said.
For her hobbies, Marcia plays the flute and recently became a member of the Gospel Messengers. For approximately six years, she has also decorated cakes for birthdays, weddings, and other occasions.
Marcia also does a little flower gardening and is always busy renovating, painting, or whatever needs to be done to her home.
"I used to sew a lot, especially for my girls when they were growing up," she said.
"It was a tradition for me to sew them a Christmas and an Easter dress," she said. "Now my grandkids are getting them."
Marcia has two daughters, Nicole and husband Kevin Suderman, who live in Hillsboro, and Tiffany, who lives in Newton.
She has two grandchildren, Taytum, six, and Taryah, one.
