Yake, Clayton Franklin (1889-1974)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Jun 6 p. 2

Birth date: 1889 Nov 25

text of obituary:

Accident Injuries Prove Fatal to Retired Editor

Scottdale, Pa. — A heart attack and complications from injuries suffered when hit by a car in May 22 claimed the life of Clayton F. Yake, 84, well-known retired editor and writer of the Mennonite Church.

He died May 22, and funeral services were held May 25 at the Scottdale Mennonite Church.

Mr. Yake had retired in 1955 after 35 years of service at the Mennonite Publishing House here. For many years he served as editor of the "Youth's Christian Companion." During his lifelong interest in youth, he helped establish a number of programs for young people. Among them were the Herald Summer Bible School series, young people's institutes, and youth missionary projects.

He was a writer and editor of Sunday school quarterlies and Bible school materials. He also served for many years on the Mennonite Board of Education, and for a time was secretary of the board.

A native of Scottdale, he was married to Martha Eby of Lititz, Pa., and she survives. They became parents of six children.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Aug 1 p. 11

text of obituary:

CLAYTON F. YAKE

Clayton Franklin Yake was born on Nov. 25, 1889 near Lititz, Pa. and died on May 22, 1974 at Mt. Pleasant, Pa. at the age of 84.

He had been hospitalized since April 20 when he was struck by a car while crossing the street, sustaining fractures of one leg. The immediate cause of death was a heart attack.

A member of the Scottdale Mennonite Church, his funeral service was conducted there on May 25, 1974 by Rev. John M. Drescher, with interment in the Scottdale Cemetery.

Educated in the public schools of Lancaster County, he began teaching in 1906 at the age of 17. In 1911 he was graduated from Millersville State Teachers' College. He taught public school in Lancaster County for nine years until 1918 when he and his wife, Martha, accepted an invitation to work at the Orphans' Home in West Liberty, Ohio, where he opened the first Mennonite Christian Day School.

He received a B.A. degree from the Biblical Seminary, New York, and a Master's in Religious Education from Winona Lake School of Theology on July 26, 1956.

In 1920 he moved to Scottdale, Pa. on the invitation of the Mennonite Publishing House to initiate the first Mennonite Youth Weekly, "The Youth's Christian Companion," which he edited for almost 35 years.

During this time he both wrote and edited numerous uniform and graded Sunday school materials, continuing to do so after his retirement.

He was a member of the Curriculum Committee from 1937-55, developing outlines for the first Mennonite Summer Bible School course and its successor, the Herald Press Summer Bible School Series, for which he was editor.

As a member of the Commission for Christian Education, he served as Secretary of Summer Bible Schools, 1937-57, and as Secretary of Weekday Bible Schools, 1937-42.

In 1935 he was elected member from the Allegheny Conference to the Mennonite Board of Education. He served as secretary of the Board from 1939 to 1949.

Upon the formation of the General Education Council in 1949, he was chosen as the first Educational agent, serving from 1949 to 1957.

He was treasurer for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Sunday School Conference from 1930 to 1942. A member of the Young People's Institute Committee, he served as its secretary from 1932 to 1957 and director of Institutes for many years. One of the originators of the idea of a Mennonite church camp, he was a charter member of the Mennonite Church Campground Assn. and its secretary from 1943 to 1953. The Laurelville Church Center was until his death a source of joy and inspiration.

His interest in local church outreach was especially seen in his service as superintendent of the East Scottdale Sunday School from 1922 to 1938 and through directorship of yearly summer Bible schools in the community.

Survivors include his wife, the former Martha Erb Eby, whom he married on June 20, 1918; three daughters, Mrs. Earl (Marnetta) Brilhart of Scottdale, Mrs. Edgar (Ethel) Metzler, just returned from seven years of Peace Corps service, and Mrs. Clif (Lois) Kanagy of Corvallis, Ore.; three sons, Paul of Ridge field, Conn., Stanley of Green Bay, Wis., and Byron of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and 14 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Miriam, in 1929.