Yoder, Harry (1904-2003)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Oct 13 p. 6

Birth date: 1904 Aug 19

text of obituary:

Longtime administrator at Bluffton College dies

BLUFFTON, Ohio — Harry Yoder, longtime assistant to the president at Bluffton College and later director of deferred giving, died Oct 1 at Mennonite memorial Home. He was 99.

Yoder also was a pastor and conference leader, serving several terms as president of Central District Conference of the General Conference Mennonite Church.

His career at Bluffton began in 1946 when President Lloyd Ramseyer persuaded him to come to the college as field secretary, a position later referred to as assistant to the president.

In order to keep the college on firm financial footing, he became more than a fund-raiser and for almost 20 years acted as a loyal aide and man of many talents.

He established the deferred giving program, serving as director. He was instrumental in raising funds for Founders Hall, Bren-Dell Hall, Ropp Addition and Marbeck Center.

His involvement with the college spanned more than 55 years, and he continued his association with the college for many years after his retirement in 1974. In 1983 he was granted the degree of doctor of humane letters.

As pastor, he served several Mennonite churches, including Silver Street (now Silverwood) Mennonite Church of Goshen, Ind., Carlock (Ill.) Mennonite Church, Calvary Mennonite Church of Washington, Ill.; and Bethel Mennonite Church of Lancaster, Pa.

He was born Aug. 19, 1904, to Allen and Laura (McConaughy) Yoder in Goshen, Ind. He married Jean M. Martin on Sept. 14, 1935. She preceded him in death on Sept. 5, 1999.

He attended Witmarsum Theological Seminary in 1928-29 and graduated from Bluffton College in 1932. he continued his studies at Hartford Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1935.

He was a member of First Mennonite Church of Bluffton and served as visitation pastor for several years. He was a member of the Senior concerns Committee and helped to organize the new service program at First Mennonite.

He had been a member of the Central District Conference ministerial Committee and served on the Program Committee of the General conference Mennonite Church.

Survivors include a son, Ronald and his wife, Marti, of Portland, Ore.; two daughters, Edith Yoder of Vineyard Haven, mass. and Laura Gliga of Oak Bluffs, Mass.; two brothers, Allen Jr. of Middlebury, Ind., and Dale of Goshen; a sister, Ruth Leichty of Goshen; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In addition to his wife, Jean, he was predeceased by a son, David; five brothers, Paul, Thomas, Joseph, Len and Billy; a sister, Esther Gibson; and a stepsister, Lucille Lerimer.

Services were held at First Mennonite Church of Blufffton.