Mennonite World Review - August 2018

Obituaries are emailed to MennObits before MWR is printed. Wording may vary in printed version.

Yordy, Marilyn A. Zehr ; . . Zehr, Melvin Dale ; . .

Mennonite World Review - August 13, 2018 - 96th Year, No. 17 - p. 15

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Zehr, Melvin Dale

Melvin Dale Zehr, 92, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died June 22, 2018, at his home in Friendship Haven. He was born Jan. 13, 1926, with his twin brother, Marvin, to John H. and Marie (Wendt) Zehr at Manson.

While in Civilian Public Service, he met Lois Keiser in Denver, Colo. They were married at First Mennonite Church in Denver on Dec. 7, 1948.

They lived and farmed at Manson, where they raised four children. He worked in the maintenance department at Trinity Regional Hospital in Fort Dodge, from 1964 to 1991, while farming. After retirement, he volunteered at the hospital for 20 years.

They moved to Fort Dodge in 1972. They raised their family in Manson Men­nonite Church and Evangelical Mennonite Church in Fort Dodge. The Evangelical Mennonite Church closed in 2008. He was a lifetime member of Manson Mennonite Church.

He and Lois were married for almost 66 years, which is a legacy as almost all four of their children have been married 40 or more years. He was well known for his friendly smile, helpfulness, having the tools to fix just about anything, quick wit, love of traveling and love for the Lord.

Survivors include his children, Gloria (Paul) Nelson of Fort Dodge, Dan (Jeanie) Zehr of Manson, Rick (Linda) Zehr of Fort Dodge and Jan (Paul) Butterfield of Badger; 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois; his twin brother, Marvin; his sister Mildred; his grandson, Justin Michael Zehr; and his great-granddaughter, Audra Eileen Zehr.

Services were held at Northfield Church in Fort Dodge. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery in Manson.

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Yordy, Marilyn A. Zehr

Marilyn (Zehr) Yordy, 88, of Flanagan, Ill., died July 9, 2018, at Evenglow Lodge, Pontiac. She was born on April 6, 1930, to Edward and Luella (Bertsche) Zehr in Livingston County.

On July 10, 1954, she became the mother of Mike, Vicky and Kenneth when she married Edward J. Yordy at Meadows Mennonite Church.

She originally worked at State Farm and later worked for Flanagan Unit 4 Schools in the cafeteria as a worker and supervisor for 29 years. Her volunteer work included Spare and Share Thrift Shop, Meals on Wheels, Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale, Camp Friedenswald, Meadows Mennonite Home and Good Samaritan Home. She also served as a Sunday school teacher for children and adults, participated in Women in Mission and taught vacation Bible school at Prairieview Mennonite Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Vicky (Jim) Kirkton of Goshen, Ind., and Beth (Jerry) Ripley of Chenoa; three sons, Mike (Connie) Yordy of Idaho Springs, Colo., Ken (Karen) Yordy of West Frankfort and Phil (Terri) Yordy of Rochelle; two brothers, Orlyn (Jan) Zehr and Marvin (Jeannie) Zehr, all of Newton, Kan.; a sister, Leola Flaming of Inman, Kan.; two sisters-in-law, Loretta Zehr of Gridley and Miriam Liechty of Berne, Ind.; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Evelyn; three brothers, Edmund, Donald and Howard Zehr; and a brother-in-law, Vernon Flaming.

Funeral services were held at Prairieview Mennonite Church, rural Flanagan. Burial was in Waldo Township Cemetery.