Yoder, Beverly A. 'Bev'

Beverly A. “Bev” Yoder, 77, of Iowa City, died Monday, Aug. 12, 2013, at Windmill Manor in Coralville. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City. Pastor Barie Tritle will officiate. The eulogy will be written by Jan Dougherty and will be read on her behalf at the service. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Lensing's.

Instead of flowers, memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church, Iowa City Hospice or Hospice Compassus - for their Music Therapy Program.

Bev was born Jan. 6, 1936, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the daughter of Dale and Margaret (Dougherty) Swan. Raised in Mount Pleasant, Bev graduated from high school in Kalona and attended Iowa City Commercial College. With her fiance being in the U.S. Navy and stationed on the east coast it was difficult to set a wedding date around his military obligations, so Bev announced that “if Dean can't come to me - then I'll go to him.” The couple married Aug. 24, 1955, in Baltimore, Md. Dean and Bev would have celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this month.

She worked as a secretary in the business office at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for 32 years, retiring in 1997. Bev was a member of First United Methodist Church in Iowa City and gave of her time as a volunteer for Iowa City Hospice. She was a great fan of and cheered on the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Bev is survived by her husband, Mervin Dean Yoder; son, Mark Yoder (Stacy) of Chino Hills, Calif.; daughter, Deanna Squires (Jay) of Solon; brother, Duane (Sharon) Swan of Erie, Ill.; four grandchildren, Blaine Yoder (Jaclyn), Brittany Lohmeier (Jeffre), Jaysson Squires and Courtney Squires; and two great-grandchildren, Linley Lohmeier and Reid Yoder.

Bev was preceded in death by her parents and a grandson, Brandon McWilliam.

Condolences may be sent to the family at .

Published in The Gazette Aug. 14, 2013.