Joyce E. (Manges) Yoder

Joyce E Yoder (Elkhart) went to her heavenly home on 01/06/2022.  We know she was greeted by her Savior and Joe, JoAnne, Jeff and her parents.

Joyce was born on April 7, 1927 in Ann Arbor MI.  She was adopted by Cora & Warren Manges in June of 1927.  When asked if she would like to find her biological parents her response was: “No, I know who my parents are, because they choose me.”

Joyce attended Bethel College and graduated in the 2nd class with a BA in English in 1949. She also received her teaching certificate from Goshen College. Joyce developed the love of reading at an early age.  This continued through her life – she enjoyed reading Christian novels and would stay up into the wee hours of the morning to finish a book. 

After a six-month whirlwind courtship, she married Joe Yoder on 10/27/1950.  They were together for 60 years, being faithful servants to God, raising 4 children, enjoying their 4 grandchildren and loving each other.

Joyce worked in the home while the children were growing up.  At one stage her in life, she was taking care of 4 children all under the age of 7.  As the typical housewife in the 1950s and 1960s, she cooked all the meals, laundry and house cleaning.  We remember she had a schedule for each day for the tasks; of course, she was able to fit in her “stories”-As the World Turns, Guiding Light. 

Joyce was a seamstress as well with her other duties as Mom.  She would make some of her clothes and the dresses for Julie and Janell.  Yes, there was the occasional matching Sunday dresses for Mom and her daughters.

Joyce was very active for her home church, Beulah Missionary.  She sang in the choir for over 50 years, church secretary for 15 years.  She also volunteered her time to be the secretary for numerous committees, assist in the nursery and always took time to help in summer vacation bible school.

Joyce loved many things in her life:  her family, travel, going to basketball games & chocolate.   Joyce & Joe would travel to visit family – many trips south to New Orleans to visit daughter JoAnne & good friend Roberta Knopfer and to Houston to stay with Janell & Dan.

She was an enthusiast fan of the Bethel College basketball team.  She and Joe would attend almost every home game to cheer the team on and sometimes to set the referees straight. 

Joyce was a shy, private person but through her life helped others in her quiet way.  In the late 1940s,

she traveled to South Dakota to recruit a friend to Bethel; drove with Joe to Alaska to help a neighbor who had become ill and was hospitalized.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joe, children JoAnne and Jeff.  Surviving children Julie Yoder, Jeff’s wife Ronda Yoder-Clark, Jared (Kim) Yoder, Janell (Dan) Hanusa; grandchildren Ben (Amanda) Yoder, Roman (Jen) Yoder, Amy Yoder, Jori Yoder and good friends Aggie Yoder (niece) of Lansing, MI and Roberta Knofper of Goshen.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Bethel University.

The family would like to say Thank You to Grace Hospice for their loving, compassionate care of our Mom over the last year.

Viewing will be on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Beulah Missionary Church, 57595 County Road 17 Goshen IN.  The funeral service will be at 4:00 pm following the viewing also at Beulah Missionary Church. Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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