Emery Yoder, 89, of Parsons died at 5:53 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Parsons Presbyterian Manor.
He was born March 30, 1935, at Thomas, Oklahoma, a son of Henry Joseph and Mary (Mast) Yoder. He was raised at Thomas and attended school there. He worked on a farm at Thomas and then moved to Larned, where he participated in an alternative military service (1W) for two years. He then lived in Redding, California, where he worked in the logging business. He then lived many years in Burrton, where he owned and operated an excavation business. He moved to Parsons in 1978. He worked at I.M.I. Business Forms (now The Flesh Co.), farmed, worked concrete and owned and operated the former Townsman Motel.
Emery married Mary Ellen Miller on April 21, 1957, at the Conservative Mennonite Church at South Hutchinson.
He was a member of the Parsons Foursquare Church. He was also a member of Gideons International. He enjoyed playing his steel guitar, singing and woodworking. He loved collecting John Deere tractors.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ellen Yoder of the home; a son, Jerry Yoder and his wife, Sherre, of Parsons; four daughters, Fay Klein and her husband, Bill, of Burrton, Patti Steele and her husband, Bill, of Petersburg, Alaska, Sherri Irwin and her companion, Tracy Bloss, of Grove, Oklahoma, and Terri Stice and her husband, David, of Parsons; 13 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by five brothers, Alvin, Elmer, Roman, Ivan and Paul Yoder; a sister, Mary Lorene Yoder; a great-granddaughter, Summer Van Peursem; and a son-in-law, Randy Irwin.
The service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Parsons Foursquare Church with Pastors David Keaton and Ryan Van Peursem officiating. Burial will be in South Mound Cemetery. Friends may call at their convenience at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials to the Parsons Foursquare Church, and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, KS, 67357.
Leave online condolences at www.wallfuneralservices.com.
See OBITUARIES, Page 3.
