Flossie E. Yoder

Flossie Yoder, 98, of Goshen, passed away early Thursday morning, April 26, 2012, at Greencroft Healthcare. She was born December 3, 1913 in North Lima, Ohio as the sixth child of Edwin C. and Mary Lehman and grew up among apple orchards. She joined the Columbiana Mennonite Church as a young girl and was a woman of strong faith all her life. After graduating from North Lima High School, Flossie attended Goshen College where she earned a degree in education and met her husband, Paul E. Yoder. She taught school in North Lima for a year and a half before she and Paul were married on May 28, 1939 and moved to Oregon. Except for two years in Hesston, Kansas, where Paul taught at Hesston College, Oregon was their home until the summer of 1966, when they and their family moved to Goshen. In Goshen, Flossie found two new anchors for her life, East Goshen Mennonite Church, where she was a member for nearly 46 years and Clinton Christian School, where she taught first and second grades for nine years. She also served on the Board of Directors for Bethany Christian High School in the late 1970's. Flossie had a strong sense of biblical justice and was always an advocate for those marginalized by poverty, racial discrimination, gender, or lack of education. For many years, she corrected lessons for a Bible course gospel Echoes offered for prisoners. She became a charter member of Amnesty International USA's Women's Action Council, "a select group of individuals dedicated to winning the struggle for women's human rights the world over." Another of her great joys was leading a Bible study group for women in the East Goshen area. She is survived by her six children, Perry B. (Elizabeth) Yoder of Ely, Minnesota, Janet S. (John) Yoder of Spokane, Washington, E. Charles (Brenda) Yoder of Eugene, Oregon, Jared B. (Ruth) Yoder of Goshen, Jonathan P. (Joyce) Yoder of Salem, Oregon, and Mary A. (Chuck) Garber of Corvallis, Montana; 19 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a brother, John C. Lehman of Goshen. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul and five sisters. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, April 30, at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home and one hour prior to the 11 a.m. memorial service on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at East Goshen Mennonite Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to East Goshen Mennonite Church.