James S. Yoder

1961 - 2017

James S. Yoder

Age 55, passed away at home with his family by his side, on February 25, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with appendiceal cancer.

Jim was born in Ridgewood, NJ on September 30, 1961, son of the late William L. Yoder, Jr. and Margy (Crane) Yoder. Jim grew up in Little Falls, NJ and graduated from Passaic Valley High School in 1979 and the University of Delaware in 1983. He attended law school at night, and despite working full time, he graduated early from Widener University School of Law School in December 1986.

Jim met his beloved wife, Lisa Flickstein Yoder, on Valentine's Day 1987, as they sat next to each other during a bar exam prep class in Philadelphia. They married in 1990, and raised their two children, Daniel and Rachel in Wilmington, and enjoyed summers in Longport, NJ.

Jim was a partner at White and Williams and worked out of its Wilmington, DE office. His practice focused on complex bankruptcy, construction, commercial and insurance litigation. He was a trusted adviser to his clients in cases involving insurance coverage, insured third party liability claims, as well as professional liability claims against directors/officers, attorneys, accountants, and insurance brokers/agents.

Jim was a member of the Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland Bars. He was a Mediator, trained under the auspices of the Superior Court of Delaware, and on the panel of approved Mediators/Arbitrators for the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Prior to joining White and Williams, Jim was the Managing Director of the law firm Tighe, Cottrell & Logan in Wilmington. He also served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable George Farrell, III, Superior Court of New Jersey, Salem County, NJ. He was a former member of the Board of Trustees for Congregation Beth Emeth, was a committee member for its Capital Campaign, and for a time taught children in their Sunday School. Jim also was a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware Paralegal Certification Program.

Jim loved nature and animals and was an avid student of history. He enjoyed camping, hiking in the woods, and his cats and dog. As a child there were occasions when stray cats would follow him home from school, they would take up residence and he would care for them.

In addition to his wife and children, Jim is survived by his brother William L. Yoder, III (Trish); Kimberly Franciosi (Frank) and Elizabeth Chismark (Kurt), and nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be 12:30 pm, Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at Congregation Beth Emeth, 300 W. Lea Boulevard, Wilmington, DE 19802. Shiva will be observed 7:00 pm Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Yoder residence.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Jim's life is welcome to make a contribution to the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Congregation Beth Emeth, or Faithful Friends, 12 Germay Drive, Wilmington DE 19804.

SCHOENBERG

MEMORIAL CHAPEL