Elwood John Yoder was born March 7, 1934, in Milford, to Vernon L. and Phoebe Catherine (Roth) Yoder and passed away March 21, 2022, in Seward, at the age of 88 years and 14 days.
Elwood grew up in the Milford area on the family farm where he attended country school. He served in the 1W Service in Denver for two years. On Nov. 4, 1955, Elwood was united in marriage to Elda Stutzman in Lincoln. The couple lived in Grand Junction, Colorado, for several years where Elwood worked at Red’s Radio and TV repairing radios. In 1959, they moved back to Milford, where he began farming with his brother, Wallace, until 1972 when Wallace was killed in a tractor accident. Elwood continued to farm until 1992. During the winter month,s he sold cars at Dean Bros. Ford in Lincoln. In 1988, he received his real estate license and began selling homes for ReMax and later Woods Bros. Realty, retiring in 2004 to spend more time with Elda. Elda passed away in 2006. He was later united in marriage to Maria Ackerman on June 3, 2011, until Maria’s death in 2015.
Elwood served on the Dealer Advisory Council for Northrup King Seeds in 1969-1970. He also served as an Elder at Bellwood Mennonite Church for several years, on the Milford School Board from 1973 until 1980 and on the Seward County DHIA. He was currently a member of Beth El Community Church in Milford.
Elwood was preceded in death by his parents; both wives, Elda, 2006, and Maria, 2015; three brothers, Wilfred, Wallace and Lawrence Yoder; two sisters, Belva Rapp and Elaine Roth; brother-in-law, Larry Stutzman; and two sisters-in-law, Nelda Yoder Vogt and Joan Boyd.
Survivors cherishing his memory include his three sons, Randy and wife, Lori Graham Yoder, Canon City, Colorado, Doug and wife, Sue (Bergstraesser) Yoder, Milford, and Bruce Yoder, Lincoln; four grandchildren, Hilary and husband, Jason Fuller, Heather and husband, Fred Benzel, Leslie and husband, Brian Toovey, and DJ and wife, Karlette Yoder; 13 great-grandchildren, Quin and Kellen Fuller; Wyatt, Bella, Camilla and Jameson Benzel, Cole, Jackson and Emily Toovey, and Brecken, Neliyah, Naika and Ben Yoder; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
A Celebration of Life will be at 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Beth-El Community Church in Milford with a private graveside service and interment at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.zabkafuneralhome.com.
