Miriam Irene Yoder

Kalona-Miriam Irene Yoder was born November 9, 1922 in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Stanley and Grace (Stydinger) Whitesel. Miriam wrote that she accepted Christ as her Savior at the age of eleven, and she deeply loved and faithfully served him the rest of her life. She graduated from Messiah College in Grantham, PA. Miriam was united in marriage to Russell Lamont Yoder on October 2, 1945 in Mill Hall, PA. They moved to Iowa in 1946. Russell and Miriam raised five children on a farm in Iowa County, taking three years off so Russell could attend Hesston College in Kansas. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church in Iowa City. She was a founding member of the Crowded Closet in Iowa City. Miriam enjoyed gardening, reading, scrap booking, doing genealogy work, memorizing Bible Scripture, singing, and especially spending time with her grandchildren and family. Miriam passed away on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, at the Pleasantview Home in Kalona at the age of 98.

She is survived by five children, Judith Yoder of South Bend, IN, Sandra (Larry) Cripe of Naples, FL, Sheldon (Letha) Yoder DVM of Kalona, Sherrill (Mike Cook) Yoder of Iowa City and Sherwood Yoder of Parnell; 9 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren . She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, 2 sisters and 3 brothers.

Private family service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, November 30, 2020, at the Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona. Burial will be at West Union Cemetery. The service will be live streamed on the Powell Funeral Home website or facebook page. A memorial fund has been established for the Gideon Bibles, Crowded Closet, Hillcrest Academy or M.C.C.. Memorial may be sent to Sheldon Yoder at PO Box 847, Kalona, Iowa 52247. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.