Marilyn A. (Yoder) Whetstone

Marilyn A. (Yoder) Whetstone, of Aurora, IL, formerly of Elkhart, IN, went to be with her Lord and Savior on January 8, 2019.  Marilyn lost her battle with breast cancer after a long and courageous fight.

Marilyn was born on July 3, 1943, the third child of Melvin J. and Anna (Schrock) Yoder in Elkhart, Indiana.  She was a 1961 graduate of Elkhart Senior High School and began her business career 3 days after her high school graduation with a position as Administrative Assistant in the Research & Development Department of Miles Laboratories, Inc. of Elkhart.  Marilyn was employed at Miles for 10 years prior to moving to the Chicago area where she lived for over 30 years.  Marilyn moved back to the Chicago area to be near her family in 2014 after living in Goshen, IN from 2002-2014.

Marilyn began playing the violin while in 3rd grade and continued playing on through high school with the Elkhart Senior High School Orchestra under the direction of Mr. John Davies.  In 1960, the orchestra was granted an in-resident composer from the Julliard School of Music and later recorded several albums.

Marilyn married Robert Massingill on November 11, 1966 in Elkhart and later divorced in January 1986.  She then married Richard P. Whetstone on May 18, 1991 in Arlington Heights, IL.  He passed away on February 9, 2013.

Marilyn worked at Moore Business Forms as an Executive Assistant and in the Law Department and Consumer Marketing Divisions of Kraft Foods in Glenview, Il for over 22 years, retiring in 1999.  She also worked at Coldwater Creek in retail sales in the Chicago area.  Marilyn returned to Elkhart in 2002 and again returned to the work force as a Paralegal at Sanders Pianowski law firm in Elkhart for 5 years retiring from the business world permanently in 2007. 

Marilyn was involved in a variety of activities in her churches, Prince of Peace, in Palatine, IL, Trinity Lutheran Church in Elkhart and most recently St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wheaton, IL including teaching Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, small group Bible studies, meal ministries, the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program, and Ladies’ Circles.

She was a mentor in the Dreamswork Mentoring program for over 7 years and was also a member of the Four Winds Garden Club of Elkhart, the Middlebury Middies Red Hatters, the Four Arts Club, and most recently the Pottawatomie Garden Club of St. Charles, Il. St. John’s Garden Club and member of the Ladies Afternoon Circle.

She loved her children and grandchildren more than life itself.  She enjoyed her flower gardens, reading, spending time with family and friends and her two beloved miniature dachshunds, Molly and Emme, who preceded her in death.

Marilyn is survived by three children: Michele (Brett) Johnson of Birmingham, AL, Jenee (Jason) Dessenberg of Monee, IL, and Brandon (Ana) Massingill, of Wheaton, IL; six grandchildren: Taylor Conner, Brendan Conner, Carson Conner, Kit Chapello, Sofia Massingill, and Amelie Massingill, and two stepchildren: MariChris Scott and Daniel Whetstone and one step-grandchild, Daniel Dean Scott.   She is survived by a sister, Karen (Richard) Litwiller, of Goshen, IN and one brother, Kenneth Yoder of Burlington, MI.  She was preceded in death by a brother, Quenten Yoder in 2012.

Visitation will be from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on January 11, 2019 at Hartzler-Gutermuth Funeral Home in Elkhart.  Funeral services will be on January 12, 2019 at 10am at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cleveland Road, Elkhart, IN. Burial will follow at Olive Cemetery, County Rd. 3, Elkhart, IN.

A memorial service will also be held on January 19, 2019 at 11am at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Wheaton, IL.

Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church & School, Cleveland Rd, Elkhart, IN or St. John’s Lutheran Church, Wheaton, IL

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