Naomi Ruth (Lepp) Wiens was born on July 29, 1933, in Amarillo, Texas, to Henry and Esther Lepp. Henry, from Canada, met Esther Gaede at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, near the Ebenfeld Community where Esther grew up. The family lived in Amarillo for eight years, and Naomi's sister Elaine was also born there in 1937. Because of the dust storms, they moved in 1941 to Bakersfield, California, where her father worked in selling hardware and large agriculture equipment. They were also closer to her mother's extended Gaede family; a number of aunts, uncles , and cousins in the Shafter and Reedley areas. Her sister Lois was born there in 1944. Those were the days of happy childhood memories for Naomi, including many family get-togethers, playing dolls, roller-skating, raising chickens, and taking piano and violin lessons.

Her family was involved in the Bakersfield Mennonite Brethren (MB) Church, now called the Heritage Bible Church, and since Naomi had accepted Jesus as Savior at her mother's knee at age four, she took the step of faith to be baptized as a young teenager in the Kern River. Naomi and Elaine played violin and piano in church and sang in the choir. She graduated from East Bakersfield High School in 1950. Naomi attended Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, where she studied education, while singing in choir and playing her violin in many musical events. It was there she met a very studious young man who would become her future husband, Edwin Wiens of Chicago, Illinois. After she finished getting her teaching credential at Fresno State, they were married and moved to Chicago. She taught third grade at Salt Creek School while Ed finished medical school at Northwestern University. Then they moved to Fresno for Ed to complete residency training, while Naomi taught at John Burroughs School and played violin in the Fresno Philharmonic.

She was an active homemaker and raised four children while being involved first at Clovis Community MB Church and then Bethany MB Church. Since influencing her children's spiritual lives was important to her, she read Proverbs at the breakfast table and Bible stories at night. At Bethany she served on the Music Education Board and the Christian Education Committee and led several children's musicals. Through the years she taught Sunday School to various age levels, and she especially enjoyed teaching for 13 years in the Junior High Sunday School (SS). Many of her former students remember her as a formative SS teacher. Always concerned for youths' spiritual growth, she encouraged (pushed?) many youth group members to participate in mission trips, particularly with Teen Missions, during the late 70s and 80s. She was a member at Bethany for over 50 years! Naomi participated and was a small group leader in Bible Study Fellowship for over 25 years, describing those years as being transforming and "gold-star" years. Since Ed was also involved in BSF, she loved that they could share more deeply on a spiritual level and during their daily prayer times. Naomi valued music and taught all of her children beginning piano, some the violin, and even taught private violin lessons to a few other students. Since family life was very important, she and Ed enjoyed hosting many family celebrations and swim parties in their home and backyard. One nephew called it, "The Party Palace," and the name stuck. They were blessed to travel to the four corners of the USA and Canada and took a number of cruises with tours in Russia, Israel, and Europe. In 2000, the tour to South America with the Sixteen Singing Men, made up of Tabor alumni and wives, was a highlight for both Ed and Naomi.

In her 40s, Naomi experienced breast cancer. It was a trying time, but she was able to testify to God's goodness and faithfulness during those years. She specifically asked God to give her more years of life to raise her daughter Carolyn and counted herself blessed to have received many more years than that.

Ed and Naomi moved to the Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens in 2014. Naomi showed loving dedication as Ed's caregiver during his last years with Parkinson's. In mid-July this year she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, which progressed despite treatment. Naomi transitioned to heaven peacefully with her four children by her side, praying and sharing how much they loved her, singing some of her favorite hymns, holding her hands, and reading her favorite scriptures. She is survived by her children, son Jonathan and Denise, Fresno; son Joel and Colene, Porterville; son Loren and Leslie, Fresno; daughter Carolyn Warkentine, Fresno; as well as 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She often expressed gratefulness to God for her second birth, birth into God's family, as well as her children and grandchildren.

Her words recently,

"So I am thankful to God for His lovingkindness..

Memorial gifts may be given to:
Tabor College, 400 S Jefferson, Hillsboro, KS 67063 (memo: music or science projects)
Fresno Pacific University, 1717 S Chestnut Ave, Fresno, CA 93702