An expanded obituary project of MennObits. Includes
additional information of obituaries appearing in
The Mennonite and other newspapers. Source of individual obituaries given with
each record. Project managed by Thelma Martin.
1995
- W to Z
Yordy, Richard Joseph
October 8, 1922 - May 21, 1995
Richard Joseph Yordy: pastor; born 8 October 1922 on a farm near Eureka, Illinois to Walter and Alma (Eigsti) Yordy. He was the oldest in a family of two sons and two daughters. On 3 June 1945 he married Ruth Pauline Miller b. 12/29/1922. They had three sons: Alan Richard b. 1952, Philip Lynn b. 1955, David Brian b. 1959.
Richard died 21 May 1995 in Calgary, Alberta.
In the mid-1930s Richard moved with his family to Chicago because of the difficult times for farmers during the Depression. Spending his teenage years in the city was unusual for a Mennonite of Richard's generation in the U.S. and surely shaped his openness of spirit to new ideas and challenges. His education included B.A. and B.Th. degrees from Goshen College and a B.D. degree from Goshen Biblical Seminary. He also studied at Moody Bible Institute, Bethany Biblical Seminary, Eastern Illinois University and Garrett Theological Seminary. He was ordained as a minister on 3 November 1946 in Perryton, Texas, and as a bishop on 19 September 1954 at Freeport, Illinois.
Although Richard Yordy sometimes took employment alongside his pastoral responsibilities, his vocation focused entirely on the church. He held pastorates in Arthur, Illinois; Perryton, Texas; Freeport, Illinois; Champaign, Illinois; and Hesston, Kansas in the U.S. before moving to St. Jacobs, Ontario in 1977. During his Canadian years, Yordy pastored at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church (1977-1989), and then fulfilled a series of interim pastoral assignments at Floradale, Erb Street and Listowel Mennonite churches in Ontario; Pleasant Valley Mennonite in Bath, New York; and Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary.
Richard Yordy also served the wider church in many ways. In 1970/71 he was Acting President of Goshen Biblical Seminary and was conference minister for the Illinois Mennonite Conference, 1969-1972. He had leadership roles on the Mennonite Mutual Aid board, Goshen Biblical Seminary Board of Overseers, Goshen College Board of Overseers, and the Publishing Committee of the Mennonite Publication Board. He also chaired the Mennonite Church's Task Force on Litigation. Yordy undertook similar leadership roles in the Illinois Mennonite Conference and the Mennonite Conference of Ontario & Quebec.
St. Jacobs Mennonite Church produced a number of pastors that were mentored by Richard Yordy. He encouraged potential leaders to use their gifts, and refused to settle for the easy answers on difficult issues. His was a voice of reason, but with progressive inclinations. While conference minister in the Illinois Conference he helped pave the way for ordination of the first woman pastor in the Mennonite Church. He was a voracious reader, and his sermons were solid, but not flamboyant.
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Bibliography
Kropf, Joan. "Yordy Served the Church for Nearly 50 Years." Mennonite Reporter 25 (12 June 1995): 11.
Archival Records
Richard Yordy collection, Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Author: Sam Steiner - Date Published July 2002
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Richard Yordy 1948 – 1950 Arthur, Illinois.
In March 1948 Brother Richard and Sister Ruth Yordy moved to Arthur from Perryton, Texas to become assistant pastor of the Arthur congregation under Henry J. King 1938 – 1958.
Brother Yordy was ordained to the ministry on November 3, 1946 at the Perryton Mennonite Church, Perryton, Texas. He was later ordained bishop September 19, 1954 at Freeport, Illinois.
Ref: AMC An Historical Profile 1940 – 1990 p. 11 and p. 15, by Orva S. Helmuth.
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1948
Arthur Martin who built the Rockome Gardens donated the area to the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, and they turned the area into a retreat for retired pastors and missionaries, ie, a place to live and relax for a while. Richard Yordy came to Arthur Mennonite as an Associate Pastor under Henry J King, and Richard and Ruth occupied one of the various available cottages. The family of Milton J and Effie (Kauffman) Sweigart left Perryton, Texas in 1948 in route to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to visit Milton’s relatives as he was born in Lancaster County. Donna Jane (Sweigart) Moreland was the youngest of their four children making the trip (total 6), and they stopped and stayed the night with Richard and Ruth Yordy in their cottage at the Rockome Gardens site. Donna was 13 years old at the time. Richard Yordy was later requested to return to Arthur Mennonite Church as Pastor 1960 – 1965 and lived in the Church Parsonage. Mennonite Board of Missions and Charites sold the property to Elvan Yoder (Rockome Gardens attraction).
by: William R Moreland Jr 02/01/2019
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August 15, 1950 Conference at AMC. Just a few days after the conference Richard and Ruth Yordy moved to Freeport, Illinois to be pastor of the Freeport Mennonite Church.
Ref: AMC An Historical Profile 1940 – 1990 p. 15, by Orva S. Helmuth.
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Richard Yordy 1960 – 1965 Arthur, Illinois
On May 8, 1960 Richard Yordy was installed as pastor of the Arthur Mennonite Church. Laurence Horst, moderator of Illinois Mennonite Conference, was present and spoke on “The Work of the Pastor” in the morning service. Installation was in the afternoon when Roy Bucher gave the charge to the congregation.
Ref: AMC An Historical Profile 1940 – 1990 p. 29, by Orva S. Helmuth.