Paton Yoder
Paton Yoder, 96, former
resident of Hesston, passed away Sunday afternoon (Aug. 3, 2008).
He was born March 9, 1912, on
a farm between Goshen and Middlebury, Ind., the youngest child of Silvanus and
Susanna (Troyer) Yoder. His older siblings were Rhea Yoder, Ruth Yoder
Kortemeier, Dr. Jonathan Yoder and Dr. Samuel (S.A) Yoder.
In 1936, he married Hazel
Smucker, his sweetheart from early childhood - he had the tremendous fortune to
be married to her for more than 72 years. She survives. To this union were born
five children: Devon (Marcia Schrock) of Goshen, James (Phyllis King) of
Hesston, Susan (Reid Stempel) of Goshen, Ken (Ferne Kilmer) of Elkhart, Ind.,
and Kathy (Ed Martin) of Akron, Pa. He also leaves 13 grandchildren and 14
great-grandchildren.
He graduated from Goshen
College in 1935, and in 1941 he received his Ph.D. in history from Indiana
University.
He taught American history
for the next 40 years - three years at Northwestern Junior College (Iowa); 10
years at Westmont College (California), where he is now honored as a founder;
11 years at Taylor University (Indiana); 10 years at Hesston College (Kansas);
and six years at Malone College (Ohio).
While at Hesston College, he
served as academic dean and, during his tenure there, the college achieved its
first North Central accreditation, built a new library and initiated the
two-year nursing program.
In 1970 and 1971, he and
Hazel supervised three study-service term units of students in Haiti and
Guadalupe for Goshen College. Retirement in 1977 brought them back to their
'home grounds' in Goshen.
Paton accepted Christ as his
Savior at 12 years of age and remained a member of the Mennonite Church and follower
of Jesus Christ after the pattern of his committed parents. He grew up in the
local Clinton Frame (Indiana) congregation. Following affiliation there, they
were members successively at Calvary Mennonite (California); Howard-Miami
(Indiana); North Canton (Ohio); and, finally, College Mennonite in Goshen.
From 1967 to 1968, he served
as visiting professor of history on the Indiana University campus, resulting in
the publication of his book, 'Taverns and Travelers: Inns of the Early
Midwest.'
In his retirement years, his
published books and articles included 'Tradition and Transition;' 'Amish
Mennonites and Old Order Amish 1800-1900;' 'Proceedings of the Amish Ministers'
Meetings, 1862-1878' (along with Steven R. Estes); two volumes on his great
grandfather, 'Tennessee John' Stoltzfus, an Amish Mennonite leader; and most
recently, a 2007 article on 'Bishop John K. Yoder,' of the Oak Grove Mennonite
Church in Wayne County, Ohio, published in the Mennonite Historical Bulletin.
Memorial service will be at 4
p.m. Saturday at College Mennonite Church in Goshen.
