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BORN
1932
DIED
2017
FUNERAL HOME
Abner Yoder Obituary
84, born on October 5, 1932 into an Amish family near Charm, Ohio, Abner was brought up in the Amish church. Despite this, he would frequent Cleveland Indians baseball games or would listen to the radio broadcasts of the games in secret. Abner would tell of a time when his father was working in their barn and unknowingly nearly pitchforked the motor bike Abner and one of his brothers had hidden in the hay. He would recall that the pitchfork must have been mere inches from hitting it with every stroke. Abner later upgraded to a car, which he kept hidden in the woods of his elder brother's house. It wasn't that Abner didn't know the rules or didn't care, he simply found it easier to do what he wanted and then confess to it later on. When Abner left the Amish church in his early twenties, what pushed him to do so was a desire to learn more about what the Bible said regarding the Holy Spirit. Eager to know more about God, and equipped with an eighth grade education, Abner set out into the world. He found people with a similar background and interest in the Lord and together they pursued the knowledge of the Lord and developed their faith; a faith that Abner carried with him for the rest of his life. Abner then started a business in 1963, Stark Truss Company, and became involved in a group called Full Gospel Businessmen, and eventually served as the President of the local group. Working relentlessly in his business, over the years he was able to grow it and used the proceeds to fund ministry and missionary work around the globe. He even started a foundation that has helped start orphanages in India, a hospital in Guatemala, and many other projects. What Abner has given over the years and the impact that it has had is incalculable. Thousands of people have benefited from his generosity and kindness.
Abner retired in the mid-2000's and took up golfing and fishing. He spent part of his time in Florida and part of it in Ohio with his family. He passed on March 22, 2017. Abner is preceded in death by his parents, Abraham and Mary Yoder; and his brothers, Henry and John Yoder. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Esther (Hostetler); their children, Wendy (Mark) Spillman, Janice (Jay) Dickey, Javan Yoder, and Stephen (Tracy) Yoder; eleven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and his sisters, Anna Miller and Fannie (Jonas) Miller.
Abner dedicated his life to the Lord and to building the church here on earth. His relationship with God is what guided him in his life and he gave God all of the credit for his success, knowing that he could never have done it all by himself. His legacy lives on through his family, Stark Truss Company, and the foundation he created. The influence he had was immense, and the seed that he has sown will continue to be harvested for generations to come.
Funeral services will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Faith Family Church, 8200 Freedom Ave. NW in North Canton, with Pastor Michael Cameneti officiating. Visitation will be Monday from 2-7 p.m. at the church and Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. also at the church. The family asks that memorial donations be made to the Abner and Esther Yoder Charitable Foundation at PO Box 80469 Canton, OH 44708. The Reed Funeral Home North Canton Chapel is handling arrangements. Please visit www.reedfuneralhome.com to send condolences.
Reed Funeral Home - North Canton Chapel
330-477-6721
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Memories and Condolences
for Abner Yoder
Bob Morley
April 25, 2017
I believe it was 1987 when I invited Abner to Rockledge, Florida to view and inspect a former operating roof truss manufacturing plant, now closed. Abner liked the property and surrounding buildings and opened it up and begin operations shortly thereafter. He kept it in operation for several years until the economy soured around 2006/07. I remember it was just Abner and I who began setting up the plant initially, with some truss machinery I sold him from a nation-wide Truss Systems reconditioned machinery business I had in conjunction with Truss Industry Newsletter, a monthly magazine circulated to truss plants all across America. Abner liked the area so much that he bought a condo in nearby Cocoa Beach as a vacation home, and a place to stay when he visited his Stark Truss Plant in Rockledge, in addition to several other plants he had in various states. Our friendship was great and he often called when in town to have a luncheon gathering. Abner was a man of faith and expressed it numerous times. Here it is a month later when I learned of his passing. While Abner has now gone home to be with the Lord, I will always remember him as a gentle man, successful in business, and a fellow Christian. Rest in Peace Abner. Your friend.
Jeanine Carver
April 24, 2017
I just heard about Abner's homegoing. Esther, you and Abner have always been a tremendous blessing to my ministry and to me personally. He will be greatly missed. He was a great man of God who changed many lives all over the world.
My prayers are with you and your family.
Love,
Cal and Kathe Reiling
March 29, 2017
Dear Abner Yoder Family,
Please accept our sincerest condolences concerning the absence of Abner. We will remember him as a true gentleman and Christian brother and friend. We very much look forward to our re-acquaintance with him in heaven.
Cal and Kathe Reiling
Sarasota, FL
John Rasicci
March 28, 2017
My wife Candy and I are praying for you all and are touched by your loss. Abner Yoder was a great example of a Godly man and faithful steward in the Kingdom of God. We are blessed to have had him not only visit our Church along with his loving wife Esther but also generously bless us with the trusses to build our building. We are praying for all of his family for today and for the days ahead to experience the comfort, strength, and peace that only God's Spirit can give.
Cheryl Guillory-Hall
March 28, 2017
You made a difference. Rest in peace.
Debbie and Bob Craven
March 28, 2017
Dear Yoder Family,
We are so sorry to hear about your loss. Abner was truly a man full of the love of God and incredibly loved by all who knew him. Our love and prayers are with you all.
Nick and Laura Haas
March 28, 2017
Mr Yoder was such an influence on us in our early years at Faith Family. He took the time to get to know our hearts and share his heart with us. I treasure the times that he and Esther opened their home to our family and the many years they opened their home for children's ministry dinners for us. (I tell so many people about that expandable table he had made.) He has left a powerful legacy! We are blessed to know the Yoder family.
Randy Osborn
March 27, 2017
A true friend and inspiration......and very funny too! Laurie, David, James, Thomas and i will miss him. Much Love to the family.
John Mancini
March 27, 2017
My father, John Mancini, and Abner were very good friends. After he retired Abner wanted him to work for him.Both families attended Bethel Temple for a long time.He always spoke well of him as an honest, generous kind thoughtful Sharp businessman entrepreneur AND above all else dedicated committed lover of Christ family man. He is a Man we could all admire. Take heart Yoder Family we will all see him again in heaven. We can thank our Moms and Dads for that great legacy.
Larry and Angela Keeton
March 27, 2017
To the Yoder Family,
We are in Canada ministering and just got the news of Abner's homegoing.
We can only imagine the abundant entrance into Heaven Abner experienced as he was welcomed by countless people who are now citizens of Heaven because of his generosity to give into churches, ministries and missions. Among them were precious Czech and Polish people, as well as those from other nations where we've been privileged to minister.
He, along with Esther and your family, have supported our ministry throughout many years, and we are deeply grateful.
We honor Abner, his life and his dedication to build the Kingdom of God. As rewards are given out by the Lord Jesus on that great day, we're convinced Abner will hear Him say, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."
We send our love to all of you and are surrounding you with our faith and prayers.
In Christ,
Larry and Angela Keeton
International Itinerant Ministers
Former missionaries to the Czech Republic and Poland
Darlene Jones
March 26, 2017
Prayers & thoughts go out to all the family and friends. Sorry for your loss.
Tony & Karen Knapp
March 26, 2017
It was both an honor and a privilege to know Brother Abner. He has established things in this realm that will produce fruit in an eternal realm. Praise God for men like Brother Abner.
Sally & Rick Brown
March 26, 2017
Love and prayers go out to the Yoder Family!! So sad to see such an awesome Brother in Christ leave us, but he is now with the Jesus he loved and served! I also wanted to thank this dear brother for starting and supporting Canton Christain Fellowship and changing our lives for eternity. Abner taught the class we had to attend to join the church and he was great. The teaching at CCF changed our lives and still leads us to this day. We have since moved and know that the Word we got there was a life changer!!
Larry & Helen Wilgus
March 25, 2017
What a privilege and blessing to know the Yoder family. We're so sad to learn of Abner's passing. How greatly he will be missed. As frequent recipients of his wonderful generosity, we express our gratitude by praising God for this outstanding man.
Mrs. Donald Jones
March 25, 2017
So sorry about Abner death.
Abner will be a great loss to our community. He was a true man of God.
Donald and I were blessed to know him.
Lou Ann Hidey
March 25, 2017
Our sincere condolences and prayers to the Yoders at this time.
Susanne Cammel Mason
March 25, 2017
Mr. Yoder was a tender, gentle and friendly man. My late parents admired him and treasured his friendship. He leaves a wonderful legacy and will be remembered fondly.
Becky Slutz
March 25, 2017
A great man has left Earth for his eternal rest with the Lord. Many years of dealing with Stark Truss and the uncountable blessings Abner gave so willingly. Prayers to those he leaves behind.
Andrea Catazaro
March 24, 2017
What a beautiful legacy Mr. Yoder has left to his family, I absolutely loved reading this story of his life! What an amazing life he led, helping so many people and blessing them. I have no doubt he is celebrating in heaven right now. Yoder family - may God bless you all and fill your hearts with joyful memories!
March 24, 2017
Dear Yoder family, our deepest sympathy to the entire family. May you find peace in his passing and may his memory bo eternal. Our heart goes out to all of you. Greg and Michelle from Gallery Studio.
Michele Torrence-Ross
March 24, 2017
So sorry to hear of Abner's passing. I did have the privaledge of meeting him years ago through my brother Bernie. He also had a smile on his face and warm loving eyes. I know he is in the hands of Jesus with many of his family and friends. You all will be in my prayers as you celebrate his life.
John Mancini
March 24, 2017
My father, John Mancini, and Abner were very good friends. After he retired Abner wanted him to work for him.Both families attended Bethel Temple for a long time.He always spoke well of him as an honest, generous kind thoughtful Sharp businessman entrepreneur AND above all else dedicated committed lover of Christ family man. He is a Man we could all admire. Take heart Yoder Family we will all see him again in heaven. We can thank our Moms and Dads for that priceless legacy.
MaryLou Emrich
March 24, 2017
So thankful for this great man of God. May God bless and comfort Esther and the family through this time. our hearts and prayers are with you. <3
Laura (Decker) Wilson
March 24, 2017
My heart goes out to the entire Yoder family. While working at Canfield Forest Products I got to know Abner very well. He would stop by after the shop closed and make phone calls in the office and always made me laugh. One on one he treated his employees as if they mattered and not just an employee. He cared and will be missed.
Rick Wilson
March 24, 2017
My thoughts and prayers go out to Esther and the entire Yoder family. Having worked for Abner at Stark Truss for over 30 years, and having had the pleasure of knowing Abner. I can say he was an a man of integrity, honesty, and true character. He was an inspiration to me. The values he instilled do live on in his children,(Javin, Steven, Wendy, and Janice) and throughout all of Stark Truss.
Can't thank Abner enough for everything he's done for me and my family, he will be missed.
Doug and Karen Blackburn
March 24, 2017
So sorry to hear about Abner's passing. He is indeed in the presence of Jesus. Doug and I have been so blessed to have been a part of Abner's and Ester's lives. He will be greatly missed! Our love and prayers go out to all the Yoders and Stark Truss family.
Cathy Auvil
March 24, 2017
Truly a good man that loved God, and his family! He was a blessing to all that knew him! To the Yoder family I am so sorry for your loss...And my prayers are with you that the Lord Jesus wraps His arms around you and comforts you through this hard time!
Don & Nancy Maltese
March 24, 2017
Dear Esther,
We are sadden about the passing of Abner. Many good memories. Our trip to Guatemala and when he gave away his pickup truck. We have laught about that with you and Abner for some 50 years. Our love and prayers go out to you and your Family.
Charlotte Bowman
March 24, 2017
Grief can be so hard, but our special memories help us cope. Remembering you and your loved one today and always.
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