Obituary for Steven Allen Yoder
Steven Allen Yoder passed away unexpectedly at his home on September 30th, 2023, at the age of 62. He is survived by his mother, Louise; sister Gayle Stielow and brother Fred; and daughter Jessica and son Steven Drysdale. He is preceded in death by his father, Frederic Allen.
Steve was born on February 12, 1961, and grew up in West Des Moines, IA. In his early years, he was a talented hockey player, playing alongside his father who coached and refereed, while his younger brother, Freddie, followed in his love of the game. Steve was a devoted fan of the Grateful Dead, a passion he shared with his sister, Gayle and her late husband, Dan. He moved to Springfield, MO, in his twenties, where he was a seasoned outdoorsman and expert fisherman. He loved hunting for morel mushrooms in the spring, and for deer in the fall. One of his greatest passions was wandering trails and creek beds in search of ancient Native American arrowheads, which he collected and proudly displayed in his home. He regularly donated to wildlife conservation, and was a season pass holder at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield for over 30 years.
Steve was married to Nita Drysdale for several years, but spent a lifetime as co-parents to two wonderful children, Steven (35) and Jessica (32). He cherished his son and daughter, as well as his grandchildren, Chloie (10) and Kaedon (8), born to Steven and Amanda Drysdale.
Steve proudly held a variety of jobs over his lifetime, but he was happiest in his most recent role as Guest Ambassador at Culver’s restaurant, where he proudly greeted customers and ensured they felt the warmth of his caring and gregarious personality. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, customers, and all who knew him.
A memorial breakfast is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 14th at Culver’s restaurant: 1815 E Primrose St Springfield, MO 65804.
A celebration of Steve’s life will also be held 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 14th at Living Memorial Park: 4323 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804.
Donations to Steven’s memorial fund may be offered on GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/steven-allen-yoder), or in person at Culver’s.
Steve was born on February 12, 1961, and grew up in West Des Moines, IA. In his early years, he was a talented hockey player, playing alongside his father who coached and refereed, while his younger brother, Freddie, followed in his love of the game. Steve was a devoted fan of the Grateful Dead, a passion he shared with his sister, Gayle and her late husband, Dan. He moved to Springfield, MO, in his twenties, where he was a seasoned outdoorsman and expert fisherman. He loved hunting for morel mushrooms in the spring, and for deer in the fall. One of his greatest passions was wandering trails and creek beds in search of ancient Native American arrowheads, which he collected and proudly displayed in his home. He regularly donated to wildlife conservation, and was a season pass holder at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield for over 30 years.
Steve was married to Nita Drysdale for several years, but spent a lifetime as co-parents to two wonderful children, Steven (35) and Jessica (32). He cherished his son and daughter, as well as his grandchildren, Chloie (10) and Kaedon (8), born to Steven and Amanda Drysdale.
Steve proudly held a variety of jobs over his lifetime, but he was happiest in his most recent role as Guest Ambassador at Culver’s restaurant, where he proudly greeted customers and ensured they felt the warmth of his caring and gregarious personality. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, customers, and all who knew him.
A memorial breakfast is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 14th at Culver’s restaurant: 1815 E Primrose St Springfield, MO 65804.
A celebration of Steve’s life will also be held 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 14th at Living Memorial Park: 4323 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804.
Donations to Steven’s memorial fund may be offered on GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/steven-allen-yoder), or in person at Culver’s.