Mary A. Slabach

Mary Alice (Yoder) Slabach passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Friday, February 10, 2012 from complications of bladder cancer. She was born to Nathaniel Yoder and Clara S. “Granny” (Miller) Yoder in Goshen, IN on December 6, 1936. She married Wilbur L. “Willie” Slabach on September 15, 1957 at the Methodist Church in Middlebury, IN. She is survived by her husband of 54 years; two daughters, Leila (Andre) Veenstra of Goshen, IN, Clarissa “Clare” Slabach of Topeka, IN; two sons, Friedric “Fritz” Slabach of Wawaka, IN, Cletus (Beth) Slabach of Wabash, IN; nine grandchildren, Abraham Slabach of Elkhart, IN, Brittany Slabach, Tufts University Boston, MA, Alice Veenstra of Hammond, IN, Jason (Angela) Veenstra of Syracuse, IN, Jessica (Travis) Mahoney of Elkhart, IN, Rebecca, Jennifer, Christina (Watson) Slabach of Wabash, IN and Nicholas Slabach of Lagrange, IN; three great-grandchildren, Taylor, Victoria and Zackary Slabach of Elkhart, IN; two sisters, Katie Caldwell of Wolcottville, IN and Florence (Bob) McKinley of Peru, IN; two brothers, Daniel (Bea) Yoder of Sarasota, FL and Lawrence Yoder of Riverside, CA. She was preceded in death by her parents. She was a member of the American Dairy Goat Association. In the eighties and nineties she was known as the “Goat Lady” of the Midwest. She had received numerous national awards for dairy herd improvement. She was employed at Tower Ribbon in Topeka, IN from 1986 and retired in 2009. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10 am at Yeager Funeral Home in Ligonier, IN with Pastor Daniel Yoder officiating. Burial will take place at Clinton Union Cemetery in Goshen, IN. Friends may call on Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 2-6 PM and Monday, February 13, 2012 from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at Yeager Funeral Home 1589 Lincolnway South Ligonier, IN 46767. Memorial contributions may be made to Goshen Home Health and Hospice 1804 Mayflower Goshen, IN 46526.