The Richard D. and Margaret E. (Yoder) Oyer Mathematics Education Scholarship

Dick (Richard) Oyer & Margie (Margaret Yoder) Oyer were both raised in Mennonite families on farms, Dick near Fisher IL where he was a member of East Bend Mennonite Church, and Margie near Rittman, OH where she was a member at Crown Hill Mennonite Church. As adults they were members of Kalona Mennonite Church, Kalona, Iowa; Silverwood Mennonite Church and College Mennonite Churches, both in Goshen, Indiana.

They both knew they did not want to spend their adult lives as farmers. Margie took a one year secretarial course at Goshen College in 1951-52. Dick graduated from Bob Jones University in 1953 and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado in 1959. They met at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp and were married in 1958.

They spent the majority of their married life in Kalona, Iowa. Margie was the Kalona Elementary School secretary for 22 years. Dick taught mathematics for 37 years at Kalona Junior High School, and was also the Assistant Principal for 10 years in Kalona. Even though they both worked in the public school system (Mid-Prairie Community Schools), they supported both Iowa Mennonite School and Goshen College, and believed in the Anabaptist /Mennonite emphasis of Goshen College.

Because of their interests and careers, Dick wants this scholarship to help students with financial need receive a Christian education at Goshen College so they can succeed in the field as mathematics educators.