Ray O. Yoder, 87, Fairbury, died at 10:05 pm Friday, May 10, 2013 at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Forrest with Pastor Tom Krieger officiating. Burial will be in Forrest Twp. Cemetery with full military rites conducted by the Forrest American Legion.

Visitation will be 4:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesday at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury and 9:30 to 10:15 am Wednesday at the church. The family suggests memorials be given to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Forrest; Brian Munz Safety Complex or SELCAS both in Fairbury.

Mr. Yoder was born October 31, 1925 in Forrest, IL the son of Wesley and Clara Steidinger Yoder. He married Maxine L. Zehr on May 17, 1964 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Forrest. She survives in Fairbury.

Other survivors include his children: Brian R. Yoder, Kirkland, Washington; Pam L. (Melvin) Likens, Urbana; Greg A. (Kimberly) Yoder, Fairbury; three grandchildren; Marie Likens, Nathan and Tabitha Yoder; one brother; Merle (Itsuko) Yoder, Forrest; two sisters; Iola (Bob) Aberle and Phyllis Gerdes, both of Fairbury.

He is preceded in death by two brothers,two sisters and one half brother.

Mr. Yoder served in the US Army with the occupational forces in Japan at the conclusion of WWII. After the service Ray and his brother, Gene operated a trucking business in Forrest. He later continued on his own hauling powdered milk for Forrest Milk Products for 25 years. Ray also farmed for over 47 years.

He was a member of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church Forrest; Fairbury VFW; Forrest American Legion having served on the honor guard; and was a lifetime member of the NRA. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.