Dorothy Yoder, age 96, of Mylo, ND passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2020 at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Dorothy Emma (Kauffman) Yoder was born June 17, 1923 to Milton and Effie (Hostetler) Kauffman near White Pigeon, MI. She was the youngest of five children.

When she was a young girl, her family moved to Middlebury, IN. She enjoyed the outdoors, walking to the creek, sometimes meeting her girlfriend to play there. Her pets and animals also brought her lots of enjoyment. She liked to tag around with her older brothers and even though she didn't like to eat fish, she would go fishing with her brothers and bait their hooks.

As a young lady, she worked and traveled various places, including a grocery store in her home town; a hospital in Ypsilanti, MI; a children's home in Kansas City, MO; a hospital in LaJunta, CO and helped a family in CA.

While in LaJunta, Dorothy was in the first class of Nurse's Aides. Another life-changing event was meeting her future husband, Ivan Yoder from Wolford, ND, who was an orderly at the LaJunta Hospital. During their time of working at LaJunta, they were excused for six weeks to attend a winter Bible School in Kitchener, ON. After returning to CO, they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and were married on December 9, 1948 in Middlebury, IN at their Pastor's home.

They spent their first winter in a small camper trailer in DE, where Ivan had a brother and cousin living. The next spring upon returning to IN, there wasn't any farm work for Ivan so they came back to ND and lived on Ivan's parent's place. Later they farmed for a friend closer to Mylo, who went into mission work, until buying their own place, the former Menno Schumucker farm. There they continued to farm and raise a family of three sons and two daughters. Dorothy enjoyed helping with the farmwork, gardening and selling eggs and cream which paid for the groceries and to support her crocheting hobby. She made many afghans for her children and grandchildren, as well as gifts and selling a few.

Ivan passed away June 26, 2005, so Dorothy lived alone for over 10 years. In Jan. 2016, she broke her arm and moved to Bridger, MT where she lived with and was cared for by Murlene and Ivan Schrock and family.

In December 2016, she moved back to Mylo and lived with and was cared for by Doreen and Merle Beachy.

Dorothy passed from this life and went to be with Jesus on April 18, 2020 following a stroke.

Dorothy is survived by her children, Doreen (Merle) Beachy, Dorvan (Eileen), Galen (Sara), Arlan (Phyllis) Yoder, all of rural Mylo, and Murlene (Ivan) Schrock of Bridger, MT; 28 grandchildren; 55 great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Maryann Yoder of GA, Shirley Yoder and Dorothy Slaubaugh of Wolford; Shirley Yoder of FL and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her loving husband of 56 years, Ivan; her brothers, LeRoy, Orvin, and Vernon, her sister, Edith Reimer and their spouses; brothers-in-law, John, Herman, Abraham, Edward, and Harvey and sisters-in-law, Adele Ostenson, Verna Kemp, Charlott Yoder, and Lois Yoder, two great granddaughters and several nieces and nephews.

A private family burial will be held at the Amish Mennonite Cemetery, Mylo, ND.

Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND.