Vada Schmidt Decker

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Vada Schmidt Decker, 81, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, at Research Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo., as the result of a massive stroke. She was born May 27, 1925, in Fairview, Okla., to Sam C. Schmidt and Leah Koehn Schmidt. She married Harvey Decker on March 2, 1952, by Minister Norman Eicher, Hillsboro, Kan. Harvey survives of the home.

Vada lived most of her early childhood years in Oklahoma. She, with her family, experienced the hardships of the Depression years. At the age of 12, her family moved to Central Kansas. She was converted at the age of 12 and was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, on Jan. 25, 1938, by the late minister Frank Wenger. Her supreme desire was to serve the Lord, her Savior. She remained faithful to these vows until her death. Following their marriage, she and Harvey made their home, at first, in Roseburg, Ore., where Harvey was in 1W service. When service was completed, they moved to Rich Hill, Mo. Later they moved to Hillsboro, Kan. In the year of 1991, they returned to Missouri, making their home at Walker. Harvey is thankful to God for giving them 54 years of happy married life. Sister Vada was of a cheerful disposition, willingly giving herself in service to those about her. She loved her family, children, and grandchildren. She was a lover of nature, especially of the birds.

She will be greatly missed by her family including her husband Harvey of the home; two sons, Rodney Decker and his wife Marj, Nevada, Rick and his wife Kari, Gettysburg, S.D.; three daughters, Beverly Koehn and her husband Jeff, Walker, Brenda Decker, Walker, and Mary Decker, of the home; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; one brother, Clayton Schmidt and his wife Joan, El Campo, Texas; five sisters, Francis Schmidt, Elizabeth Durant, LaVerna Unruh and her husband Chester, Moundridge, Kan., Louise Hiesbert and her husband Byron, El Campo, Texas, Marlene Becker and her husband, Minister L. John., Aurora, N.Y.; two sisters-in-law, Lorene Schmidt, De Ridder, Louisiana, Beatrice Riggs, Hesston, Kan., and a host of relatives and friends. Also dear to her were Mary Enns, and her two children, Jeff and Jessica, who she accepted as family. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, one sister, and one sister-in-law.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Living Faith Mennonite Church, Walker, with Herbert Leatherman, Ron Koehn and Robert Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the Living Faith Mennonite Cemetery, Walker. Friends may call now and until noon at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada. Family visitation will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the Living Faith Mennonite Church. Family memories and sharing time will follow the visitation.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com