Viola Yoder, 72

Viola C. (Miller) Yoder, age 72, of Mendon, passed away Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011 at the Three Rivers Health emergency room.

Viola was born Dec. 30, 1938, in Centreville a daughter of the late Crist and Iva (Hochstedler) Miller.

On July 16, 1959, she married Wilbur A. Yoder in Centreville.

Viola was a member of the Pilgrim Fellowship Church of Nottawa. She loved her family, gardening and painting. She was a Proverbs 31 woman, her husband and children rise up and call her blessed.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Wilbur A. Yoder of Mendon; nine children, Elmer (Pauline) Yoder of Middlebury, Ind., Norman (Linda) Yoder of Mendon, Marilyn (David Ray) Schlabach of Kokomo, Ind., Vernon (Naomi) Yoder of Centreville, Sharon (Joe) Byers of West Minister, S.C., Arlen (Keturah) Yoder of Colon, Nathan (Karen) Yoder of Colon, Loreen Yoder of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Theresa Yoder of Mendon; 18 grandchildren; six brothers; seven sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5-8 p.m. today and 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Sunday at Calvary Chapel in Sturgis. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Calvary Chapel, with John Miller, Delbert Miller, Jon Yoder and Norman Yoder officiating. Burial will follow in Pilgrim Fellowship Cemetery in Nottawa.

If desired, the family suggest memorials be made in memory of Viola to Christian Aid Ministries, P.O. Box 360, Berlin, OH 44610. Envelopes will be available at the church. The family was assisted by the Schipper Funeral Home in Colon.