Doris Yoder of Eureka transitioned peacefully and joyfully to her heavenly home Sunday morning October 18. Doris was born to Peter and Louisa (Sutter) Zehr on August 3, 1926 near Deer Creek, IL. She attended Newcastle and other country schools in the Deer Creek-Goodfield area, graduating from Deer Creek high school. She attended Goshen College and got a teaching certificate during WWII, teaching at Maple Lawn country school between Eureka and Roanoke, IL while still single. In addition to teaching the 3 R’s, she directed her grade 1-8 students in singing 3-part music, even cutting a record with them. One of her students introduced Doris to her brother, Robert A. (Bob) Yoder, of rural Eureka. Bob and Doris were married at the Morton First Mennonite Church in December of 1946. They enjoyed 67 years of life together, raising four children while farming in Roanoke and Metamora townships until retirement to a Maple Lawn Homes cottage in Eureka. Following Bob’s passing in 2014, she transitioned to assisted living at Maple Lawn, then nursing care at The Loft and then at the Apostolic Home of Eureka, where she passed away peacefully on Sunday. Due to COVID and travel concerns, there will be no local visitation or memorial service for Doris at this time. Rather, friends and family are encouraged to write and view remembrances by visiting
tinyurl.com/dorisyoder. The family hopes to have a visitation and memorial service for her in the summer of 2021 at Roanoke Mennonite Church as was her wish.
In addition to the loss of her husband, parents and grandparents, Doris was predeceased by all of her three brothers, Orie (Alma) Zehr, Roy (Opal) Zehr, Milton (Helen) Zehr, and three sisters Velma, Fannie and Mary Zehr, all of whom remained single, and adult granddaughter Rebecca Yoder. She is survived by her four children: Michael (Carolyn) Yoder of Eureka; Susan (Cecil) Graber of Denver, CO; Daniel Yoder of Eureka, and Erik (Leanne) Yoder of Tucson, AZ; six grandchildren Sonia (Dan Chao) Graber of Denver, CO; Sarah (Scott) Skripsky of Santa Barbara, CA; Amanda and Robert E. Yoder of Eureka, Joshua (Ellie Schertz) Yoder and Allyson Yoder of Tucson, AZ; four great granddaughters, special friends Celestino and Rosa Moreno of Eureka and their family, Donna (Whitlow) Yoder, sister in law Wilma (Vic) Springer of Branson, MO, and many other nieces, nephews and a few cousins.
Doris devoted herself to her family. She was a lover of beautiful sacred and classical music, birds and flowers, and was also fully dedicated to serving her Savior and Lord Jesus. She taught Sunday school and Summer Bible school, and enjoyed leading seasonal children’s choirs and gave piano lessons. Through her influence most of her children came to share her love of music. She saw a need for a second-hand store in the Eureka area and was a co-founder of the Et Cetera Shop to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee's global relief and development efforts. She and Bob also had a strong interest in foreign and home missions and service and promoting international peace and understanding. Most of their children and grandchildren came to live and study abroad, mostly in Latin America. At mom’s suggestion, memorial contributions in her name can be made at any time to her favorite charities, Mennonite Central Committee (
https://donate.mcc.org/) or Mennonite Mission Network (
https://www.mennonitemission.net/donate), or to a charity of your choice. Special thanks to all health care and hospice personnel who assisted mom in her declining years and during COVID.