Esther Yoder

Celebration of life services for Esther Yoder, 80, of Kalona will be held Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 3:00PM at the East Union Mennonite Church in rural Kalona with Pastor Jay Miiller officiating. Private family burial in the East Union Cemetery will be prior to the service. Visitation will be held Saturday, July 17 from 2 PM -7:30 PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona where the family will greet friends from 2-4 PM and 6-7:30 PM. Esther Yoder died Friday, July 16, 2010 at Parkview Manor in Wellman following a battle with kidney disease.   Esther Miller was born July 2, 1930 in rural Kalona, the daughter of Joas and Magdalena (Ropp) Miller. She attended rural schools in the Kalona area. On June 3, 1951 she was united in marriage to Edwin L. Yoder in rural Johnson County. Esther was a member of the East Union Mennonite Church and enjoyed reading, sewing, quilting, playing scrabble, gardening, architecture, and reupholstering furniture.   Survivors include her husband Edwin of Kalona, six children and spouses, Rodney (Yvonne) Yoder of Camp Crook, SD, Bob (Deb) Yoder of Kalona, Eric Yoder of Riverside, Melanie (Mike) Schweitzer of Wellman, Beth (Jim) Schlabaugh of Wellman, Celia (Emmanuel) Ffrench of Chicago, IL, five grandchildren, Megand and Stephanie Yoder, Austin and Jared Schlabaugh, Gigi Ffrench, six siblings, Richard (Martha) Miller of Kalona, Bernice Miller of Kalona, Vesta Neale of Kinross, Mary Jane Baker of Horseshoe Bend, AR, Paul (Ida Fern) Miller of Kalona and Anne (Dan) Miller of Harrisonburg, VA.   Preceding Esther in death were her parents, a granddaughter, Allison Yoder, one brother Alvin Miller and two sisters, Fannie Miller and Lydia Miller.   A memorial fund has been established for Hospice of Washington County and the East Union Mennonite Church. Peterseim Funeral Home is handling arrangements.