Doris Marie Yoder

Doris Marie Yoder, 96, passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at the Fowler Healthcare Center. Mrs. Yoder was born Doris Marie Schumann to immigrants from Saxony, Germany in Chicago, Illinois on September 21, 1915. She and her younger sister attended public schools there, and Doris was always interested in sports and music, music being a life-long interest and pleasure. Her education was interrupted by circumstances of the depression years, and Doris went to work in a manufacturing plant where her father worked, and did secretarial work which she learned attending night school.

Her first husband died after only about two years of marriage, leaving Doris with a son to raise. She continued to work in production war work in order to keep a household together, and met a navy man, Olan Yoder, who became her second husband in March 18, 1945 in Chicago. When the war ended they moved to Colorado where Mr. Yoder was from.

She became a housewife and mother from then on, but also helped in her husband’s business in Rocky Ford, Colorado by “keeping the books” and other general office work. Mr. Yoder was forced to retire from the construction business in the mid 1970’s due to health concerns, but continued to work as a sales representative for health care products, and Doris, again helped in this and traveled with him.

She was a long time member of the Rocky Ford Baptist Church.  In her later years following retirement she moved to La Junta, Colorado. She spent her last years in Fowler, Colorado.

She is survived by her son, Paul Willecke, in Denver, Colorado and numerous nieces and nephews in Colorado, Illinois and South Carolina.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 30, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the Peacock Memorial Chapel with Pastor Chris Becker of the Rocky Ford Baptist Church officiating.