Ora M. and Grace Yoder Scholarship

Ora and Grace Yoder have distinguished themselves as family, church and community leaders. They were born in northern Indiana (December 17, 1906 and June 19, 1910 respectively) in LaGrange and Elkhart County. Both have been influenced by the church and community life of their times.

Ora says he was a shy bashful boy, but through education and confidence expressed in him by others, he overcame the handicap. The 1920 state law requiring children to be in school until age 16 forced him to attend high school. He liked school and in 1926 came to Goshen College. Through the influence of men like S. C. Yoder and Willard Smith, he finished college in 1931. The yearbook had this under his picture:

“Ora is a man who thinks more than he speaks. His business ability has gained him an important place in campus activities. He is unpretentious yet very sociable, possessing a keen appreciation of the more worthwhile things of life.”

Ora says it was in college that he learned to tithe through the influence of Bible study groups and other courses of study. Also, during this period, he felt called to the ministry, but since these were the days of the “lot” his bishop told him to be patient.

After college he taught business and commercial courses in high school. In 1944 he started a store in Topeka. Later in 1952 he expanded to Shipshewana. In 1968 he built the Shipshe “mall” in south Shipshewana. The store contained dry goods, shoes, groceries, hardware and doctor’s offices. Ora developed the idea of a mall while traveling in Halifax one summer. Leroy Troyer, a youthful designer at the time, planned the structural and engineering specifications.

Ora has been very sensitive to Biblical teaching. It took him a full year in 1967 to process the passage that speaks about tearing down barns to build larger. Finally, “the Lord told me to proceed and the material blessings have been great. But I’ve always dedicated every thing to God and have given liberally to the church and community needs,” he says.

Shortly after college Ora married Grace Smeltzer. It has been a good marriage. Ora says, “It was Grace’s eyes and smile that captivated me as a young man.’ Grace has assisted in the family business. She is an avid reader and embroiderer. Each grandchild has a quilt made by “grandma.” Grace also loves plants and flowers.

The Yoders have four children. Leon, ‘63, an MCC worker in Indonesia, died of cancer in his twenties. Elaine, ‘67, was diabetic and also died in her twenties. Ora and Grace have established scholarships at Goshen College in tribute to each of them. Another son, Marion, ‘60, is a pediatrician in Goshen and Janet, ‘57, assists in the operation of the family store.

The Yoders have very pleasant memories of their family life when the children were young. They traveled and did many things together.

The Yoders’ involvement in church and community reads like a Who’s Who. Grace has been active in church, women, and Sunday School activities all through her life. Ora has served as treasurer of the Indiana- Michigan Mission Board, president and secretary of the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Aid Society, president and chairman of Menno Travel Service, board member of Mennonite Idemnity, charter member and officer in Indiana MDS, as well as regional chairman for nine states. For many years he was a member of the board for Bethany Christian High School. In addition to all this, the Yoders farm and fish for recreation.

In February 1974 Ora was told he had cancer. These recent years have been time for reflection and growth on the meaning and significance of life. Values and continuity are very important to him. In April of 1982 when this tribute was written, the Yoders’ testimony was: “The Lord will bless you if you give Him first place in your heart. We’d do it all again,” they said. Ora said he feels he had had a life of “ministry” because of all the opportunities to work with people in business and board work. One of their favorite songs is “Take My Life And Let It Be.”