Miller, Kathryn Grace Elnora Yoder (1923-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Feb 15 p. 9

Birth date: 1923 Apr 8

text of obituary:

KATHRYN YODER MILLER

Kathryn Grace Elnora Yoder Miller, 86, died Jan. 19, 2010, in Salem, Ore., of heart failure after surgery. She was born April 8, 1923, the youngest child of Edward Z. and Alice Troyer Yoder.

In the fall of 1945 she left the Willamette Valley in Oregon for Goshen (Ind.) College. World War II was just over, and she finally earned enough money to attend Goshen. There she flourished. She majored in American history. She was an energetic person, active in many projects. She became the first president of the GC Women’s House Government. After graduation in 1949 she married Warren Miller.

After their marriage they moved to Holmes County, Ohio, where they lived for more than 20 years, farming, adopting three children and teaching school. Warren was ordained pastor of Martins Creek Mennonite Church. She was creative in the church’s youth program, where she helped many people to active service in the church.

They then moved back to Oregon, where she taught at Whiskey Hill school, back in her childhood community of Hubbard. There she was known as a champion berry picker. All her life she was an avid reader, often in book clubs, a Bible teacher in a variety of groups, a captivating public speaker and storyteller. She was known for her cooking and authored an Oregon best seller, The Yoder Sisters Cookbook. Known as a great hostess, she often hosted friends and family at their ocean cottage and in their home. She was an active New Testament Christian, a convinced Mennonite, loyal church worker and a woman of action and prayer.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Warren; three children, Edward, Edwin and Pamela; and four grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by all of her siblings, Paul, Charity, Lois, Ed, Sandy and Marge.

Memorial services were held at Zion Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.