Leota Yerian

Leota Yerian passed away quietly Tuesday morning, December 4, 2007 at Lexington Park Nursing Facility, Topeka, Kansas, where she had been a resident for the past 5 ½ years. She was born September 6, 1922 near Litchfield, Nebraska to Walter and Mary Harris. After graduating from Litchfield High School at the age of 16 she taught school at various Nebraska communities including Pleasant Valley, Clear Creek, and Lone Elm. She received a Certificate in Religious Education from Manhatten Bible College in 1945. While there, she met Gilbert Yerian. They were married August 2, 1944 in Litchfield and together they entered ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that spanned 40 years. They served in various communities including Vining and Lawrence, Kansas, Smithville, Sweet Springs, Marceline, Grant City, and King City, Missouri, Wheatridge, Colorado, Weeping Water/ Murray and David City, Nebraska retiring in 1984. Leota served on the District Christian Women's Fellowship (CWF) in Missouri and State CWF in Colorado and Nebraska in various capacities. After Gilbert's retirement, they moved to Broken Bow where she worked as a clerk at Ben Franklin's for several years. She was a member of First Christian Church and the PEO Sisterhood in Broken Bow. Gilbert died in 1988. In June of 2002 Leota moved to Lexington Park to be near her daughter.

Leota is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Heckman of St. Joseph, Missouri, Jeanne (Lary) Dodge of Topeka, Kansas, and Karen (Scott) Rash of Arvada, Colorado, eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren, one brother Edgar (Irene) Harris of North Platte, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she is also preceded in death by her parents, one brother Wilford Harris and one great grandson Carter Heckman.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary, 542 S. 9th Ave., Broken Bow, NE 68822 with burial in the Broken Bow Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Memorials have been established to Guillain-Barre' Foundation, P. O. Box 262, Wynnewood, PA 19096 or Lexington Park, 1031 S W Fleming Court, Topeka, KS 66604. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is in charge of Topeka arrangements.