Yoder, Gideon G. (1908-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Aug 5 p. 3

Birth date: 1908

text of obituary:

Pastor of Hesston Fellowship Dies

As the Review goes to press, word is received that Rev. Gideon G. Yoder of Hesston, Kan. died in his sleep shortly after midnight Wednesday morning.

Rev. Yoder, long-time pastor and former faculty member at Hesston College, had been pastor of the Hesston Inter-Mennonite Fellowship about two years.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Aug 12 p. 3

text of obituary:

Services at Hesston For Pastor, Teacher

Hesston, Kan. — Funeral services for Rev. Gideon G. Yoder, 63, pastor of the Hesston Inter-Mennonite Fellowship, were held Saturday forenoon at the Hesston Mennonite Church. Rev. Jerry Weaver, pastor of the Whitestone Mennonite Church, officiated and burial was made in the Zimmerdale Cemetery.

Rev. Yoder died unexpectedly at his home here early Wednesday morning, Aug. 4. Death was caused by a heart attack.

A native of Parnell, Iowa, Rev. Yoder was a graduate of Friends University in Wichita, received the master's degree from Philips University at Enid, Okla., the BRE degree from Goshen College, the B.D. degree from the Goshen Biblical Seminary, and the Th.M. degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

He taught Christian education and church history at Hesston College, 1952 to 1964, and served in the following pastorates: Crystal Springs, Burrton Mennonite, Pershing Street of Hutchinson, all in Kansas, and the Wellman (Iowa) Mennonite Church. He returned here in 1969 to become pastor of the Hesston Fellowship.

Rev. Yoder had made a special study of Christian nurture and wrote a book entitled, "The Nurture and Evangelism of Children."

He married Stella Hostetler at Harper, Kan. in 1936. She survives with three sons, Russell of Kansas City, Galen of Washington, D.C., and John of the Bronx, N.Y.; two daughters, Imo Jeanne Yoder of Chicago, Ill., and Bonita of the home; one grandchild; two brothers, Edwin of Wellman, Ia. and Oren of Kalona, Ia.; and one sister, Miss Katie Yoder of Kalona.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Sep 16 p. 11

text of obituary:

REV. GIDEON G. YODER

Gideon G. Yoder, son of Abner G. and Mary Ellen (Gingerich) Yoder, was born at Parnell, Iowa, on Jan. 19, 1908; passed away at his home in Hesston. Kan. on Aug. 4, 1971, age 63.

He is survived by his wife, Stella; three sons, Russel of Kansas City, Kan., Galen of Washington, D.C., and John of the Bronx in New York City; two daughters, Ima Jeanne Yoder of Chicago, Ill. and Bonita at home; two brothers, Edwin of Wellman, Iowa, and Oren of Kalona, Iowa; one sister, Katie Yoder of Kalona, Iowa; and one grandchild, Russel Edward.

At the age of 12 he was baptized by Bishop J. K. Yoder at the West Union Mennonite Church in Iowa. Later, at the age of 18, he made a reconsecration of his life and decided upon a definite commitment to answer a call to the ministry and related church work.

He lived in Iowa until as a young man he moved to Crystal Springs, Kan., where he and Stella Hostetler were united in marriage on Aug. 30, 1936. He served as minister of the Crystal Springs Mennonite Church from March 20, 1937 to Sept. 1, 1951, except for a brief period of one year when he served as Civilian Public Service Camp Director at Dennison, Iowa. While serving at Crystal Springs he taught part-time at Hesston Academy and College from 1947 to 1951.

He was always interested in learning and furthering his education. His formal education included graduation from Hesston Junior College; and the degrees of A. B., Friends University; A.M., Phillips University; B.D., Goshen College Biblical Seminary; and a Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary.

In 1952 he and his family moved to Hesston where he served on the faculty of Hesston College as professor of Christian education and church history until 1964. He also served as the pastor of the Burrton Mennonite Church from Sept. 1, 1956 to Sept. 1, 1964.

In the fall of 1955 he served as the tour leader to Europe and the Near East for Menno Travel Service. He gave the Conrad Grebel Lectures in 1956. These lectures were published in the book, "The Nurture and Evangelism of children," in 1959.

The family moved to Burrton, Kan. in 1963 for one year, and then moved to Wellman, Iowa in 1964 where he served as pastor of the Wellman Mennonite Church for three years. In 1967 they moved to Hutchinson, Kan. where he served as pastor of the Pershing Street Mennonite Church until 1969, when they moved to Hesston, Kan. Since 1969 he had been pastor of the Inter-Mennonite Fellowship in Hesston. He was also serving as chairman of the Hesston Ministerial Association.

He was always interested in the general welfare of the community and the world. He strived to solve conflicts and bring about peace, being a friend of young and old alike.

He was very sensitive to people's feelings and needs. His ministry was that of "the sympathetic ear." He touched lives that seemed unreachable to many. His openness to God brought him rewards that often caused him to remark, "I'm involved int the greatest work in the world."