John Yoder

John Franklin Yoder, 84, of Taylor Lake Village, Texas, passed away December 5, 2016. He was born in New York City, NY on May 30, 1932 to Julius Herman Yoder and Barbara Jane Rudisill Yoder. He attended public schools in Forest Hills, Queens, including Forest Hills High School.

He was married to Gayle Diane Iorii Yoder (6/17/1937-1/7/2016) for 58 years until she passed early in 2016. John had a distinguished career in aeronautical and aerospace engineering spanning 35 years, and worked for Martin Aviation, Avco, Lockheed, TRW, and Rockwell International. He earned his Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering and Masters of Aeronautical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

He was a member of the National Management Association (NMA), and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

An avid photographer and lover of classical music and jazz, he had a profound appreciation for contemporary arts and architecture. Frank Lloyd Wright was among his favorite designers. John designed and built theater loudspeakers and occasionally created contemporary oil paintings suggestive of aerospace themes. His favorite charity was the Salvation Army.

He was preceded in death by his mother Barbara Jane Rudisill, his father Julius Herman Yoder, his son Christopher Andrew Yoder (3/20/1958-4/3/1983), and his wife Gayle (6/17/1937-1/7/2016).

He is survived by his son, Michael Stephen Yoder (1959-) of Conway, Arkansas, and his brother, Julius Yoder (1930-) of Marion, Iowa.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Forest Park East Funeral Home on January 7, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.