Harold Ward Yohe

Harold Wayne Yohe went home to his Lord and Savior and to be with his loving wife 14 November 2015, whilst at the Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, Nebraska. He was born 26 May 1922 to Earl Willard and Fern Francilla (Huff) Yohe in Bostwick, Nebraska. The family then moved to a farm near Paxton, Nebraska when Harold was a young boy. In 1940, Harold graduated from Grainton High School. As long as he could remember, Harold loved the game of baseball. As a young child in a poor family during the Depression era, he would find a way to practice even by himself; he carved his own baseball bat, and pitched and batted a ball against a wooden fence. He grew to be a talented player and in 1941, the St. Louis Cardinals recruited him to be a rookie pitcher. Shortly after he accepted, Pearl Harbor was bombed and he chose instead to enlist in the army to help with the war effort. He served as a medic in France and Germany as well as an M.P. in Denver, Colorado. In 1946, he was honorably discharged from the military and he returned to the Paxton, Nebraska area. He received a degree as an electrician and in 1948, he met Marjorie Jeane Ward, who became his future wife, when he worked as an electrician on the Wards farm near Hayes Center, Nebraska. On 24 September 1948, Harold and Jeane wed in Omaha, Nebraska. To their union, two children, Mary Lee and Gerald Ward were born. Harold and Jeane chose McCook, Nebraska as the place to raise their family. Harolds love of baseball never waned and he remained committed to the sport by serving as a little league coach and pitching for several teams in the McCook area. He also loved to build and race stock-cars, ride his motorcycle on long weekend trips, and play on a bowling league. An avid member in his church, he enjoyed teaching Sunday school classes and leading bible study discussions. Over the years, he and Jeane were members of the First Baptist Church in McCook, and later attended the Bethel Missionary Church in Culbertson, Nebraska. Harold and Jean also loved to help out missionaries with orphanages and donated clothes as well as dehydrated fruit, which they made in their home. Harold also loved animals and over the years, took in many feral cats who resided in his neighborhood. Being a devoted husband, he loved and took care of Jean after she was diagnosed with Alzheimers, as long as he could. He was a loving father and grandfather, always taking pride in his childrens and grandchildrens accomplishments. Harold was known for his sharp wit, his infectious smile and he was the first to befriend a stranger. Preceding him in death are his parents and wife, sister and brother in-law, Jean and Quigley Wilson of Salt Lake City, Utah. Brother in-laws Robert Ward, Lamoine McKillip and Kay Schuman all whom lived in Hayes Center, Nebraska. He is survived by his daughter Mary and son in-law Paul Nichols of Culbertson, Nebraska and son Gerald and daughter in-law Beth (Bolin) of Chadron, Nebraska. Also included are the following sister in-laws Ruth Ward. Betty McKillip, Hazel and Jack Loomis of McCook, Nebraska; Irene and Richard Oglesby of Sherman, Texas; and, Becky and Dick Busboom of Dannebrog, Nebraska. He has 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services are Saturday, 21 November 2015 at 2:30 p.m. CST at Herrmann-Jones funeral chapel in McCook with Reverend Richard Karr officiating the services. Interment will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be Friday from 9:00 am till 7:00 pm with the family greet friends from 5 pm till 7 pm. Memorials may be made to Gideon International in his name. Friends may leave on line condolences at herrmannfh.com Funeral Service

Saturday, November 21, 2015 2:30 PM