Cleola L. Yeager

Cleola Yeager was born September 23, 1929, in Sidney, Ohio, entered heaven peacefully in her sleep to open her eyes to see Jesus her Lord and Savior on Monday, February 5, 2018. She was a gift of God to her parents Theron Harold and Mary Sophia Fogt Springer and was born again in Holy Baptism and publically confirmed her faith in Jesus Christ at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sidney. In her professional life, Cleola worked for Dayton Power and Light, Grandview Mobile Homes, and three department stores (Selber Brothers, Sanger Harris, Foley’s), retiring from Macy’s where she worked in the children’s department and would always give the kids paper and crayons to draw her a picture while their parents shopped. Cleola was gifted by God to be exceedingly generous. She gladly shared her faith, showed others God’s love with baked goods like angel food cake, brownies, blueberry muffins, banana nut bread, and many kinds of cookies. It was nothing for her to leave brownies on the window sill of the neighbor’s house, share angel food cake with the UPS man, take food to the nursing home, and leave cookies and Kool-Aid for the garbage men during the hot summer days. Just like in Hebrews 13:2, do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it, as she did this. Music was a special love of hers, as she played the piano every day, as well as being an active part of the Trinity Lutheran Church choir for nearly 40 years. One of her favorite songs was Living for Jesus. ("Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do, Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me. Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, my dearest treasure the light of his smile, Seeking the lost ones, He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.") She was also active with Meals on Wheels, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, East Texas Quilters’ Guild, Whitehouse Homemakers, Keep Whitehouse Beautiful, English as a Second Language, Bible Studies and as a volunteer for Trinity Lutheran’s Early Childhood Ministry. A few of her favorite verses include: Revelation 2:10 Be ye faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. John 14:2 Let not your hearts be troubled: In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I will go and prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Matthew 6:25-27 Do not worry about your life what you will eat or drink; or about your body. Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or gather into barns and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? She is survived by her four daughters: Nancy & David Stanton, Jupiter, FL; Gloria & Hal Bouknight, Missouri City, TX; Sally & Galen Miller, Spring, TX; Polly & Tom Lowry, Lindale, TX; along with three grandchildren: Hilary Kohlschmidt, April Miller, Thomas Miller, two great grandchildren: Vinny and Izzy Kohlschmidt; one sister, Mary Louise Gerber, Botkins, Ohio, many cousins, and her Forever Family of Trinity Lutheran Church. A celebration of her earthly and eternal life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. If desired, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2001 Hunter St., Tyler, TX 75701 or Meals on Wheels, 3001 Robertson Road, Tyler, TX 75701.

Cleola L. Yeager

September 23, 1929 - February 5, 2018