Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271888
Title: Mary E. Yonker
Date: 1/27/1938-12/14/2020
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 1/27/1938
Summary: Mary Ellen Yonker, 82, Stanley, ND, went home to be with her Lord and Savior December 14, 2020, at Mountrail County Medical Center in Stanley, after suffering a stroke. A private family service was held December 19, 2020, at the Springan Stevenson Funeral Home Chapel in Stanley, Cremation will take place with burial at a later date. Mary Ellen Spenser was born on January 27, 1938. She was raised in Columbus, OH, by her mother and stepfather, Mary Rebecca and Clayton Miller. Clayton was always the man she referred to and loved as her father. When asked about the ten years between her and her next oldest sibling, Clayton would only respond, “there was a war to fight in between,” a reference to his military service. She met the love of her life, Garrett William Yonker, Jr., while attending Moody Bible College in Chicago, IL. They were married on July 2, 1960, in Columbus. Their daughter, Mary, was born September 29, 1964 in Chicago. Mary was the traditional minister’s wife, following her husband across the country as he was a pastor in Chicago, IL: Rapid City, SD; Stanley, ND; Kenmare, ND; Weiser, ID: the parish of Lisbon, Rutland and Forman, ND, before retiring. During that time, she was very active with the church Sunday School progams and women’s ministry groups. She also worked in various fields, including earning her insurance license while they were in Idaho. After retiring they moved back to Stanley to be with their family, where Mary joined her daughter at the Mountrail County Promoter. Mary enjoyed her years in ministerial service with her husband, Garry. After retirement, they continued to worship together at First Baptist Church in Stanley. After Garry passed in 2019, she continued to love her time in the church and with the women’s circle. Mary and Garry were proud Blue Jay fans and until the past few years could be found at nearly every home sporting event. More than anything, Mary would love when her great-grandchildren would come to visit. She could not wait to go and buy some toy and treats to share with them. She loved to spend time just watching them play and cherished every hug and kiss she could get. Mary was a member of First Baptist Church in Stanley and a past member of Stanley Lions Club. Mary is survived by her daughter, Mary (Dale) Kilen of Stanley; granddaughter, Amanda (Zach) Peterson of Bismarck; great-grandchildren, Carter, Jozelyn and Abel Peterson; brother, Bill (Linda) Miller of Columbus, OH; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Garrett; her parents, Mary and Clayton Miller; her mother- and father-in-law, Mary Margaret and Garrett W. Yonker, Sr.; brother, Harold Miller; and brother-in-law, Art Yonker. She was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. God bless her memory.
Red ID: FND_I_79383 Image ID: 538723 Image Notes: FND001 271888

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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