Marie Yeager

Marie Yeager, 63, of St. Joseph, passed away on August 12, 2008 surrounded by family and friends. She was born in Germany on February 6, 1945 to Alex and Zinaida Niedbajlik. The family moved to this country in 1952. Marie married Thomas C. Yeager on August 13, 1966. They had three children. Marie is survived by her husband, Thomas; two sons, Christopher (Danielle) Yeager, and Jeffrey (Kelly) Yeager; four grandchildren, Kaelyn, Kennedy, Rileigh, and Talan Yeager; her mother, Zinaida; two sisters, Olga Martin, and Nancy (Jim) Exl. She was preceded in death by her father, Alex; her daughter, Christine; and her brother-in-law Gary Martin. She was a member of the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana. Marie graduated from Hobart High School in Hobart, Indiana in 1963. She went on to study nursing, and graduated as a registered nurse from the Mercy School of Nursing in Gary, Indiana in 1966. She practiced nursing in the private practice of Dr. John Carter and Dr. Rudy Bachelor. She also worked in the oncology department at Lakeland Regional Health Center in St. Joseph; she retired from the hospital in 1998. Marie had a great love for all of God’s creations. She loved gardening among the wild birds and butterflies that were attracted by her flowers. Her dogs, Sam, Flash, Buff, Penny, and Pepper never failed to bring her joy. She enjoyed relaxing with all types of needlework. Marie was soothed by the beauty of nature, especially the water, and she loved walking on the beach at sunrise. Her love of water and nature extended into fishing and boating on Lake Michigan. Marie was also an avid fan of the Notre Dame football team, and enjoyed attending home games. Marie was a dear friend to many and touched the lives of everyone who had the fortune to encounter her. She will be missed by many and continued to be loved by all. Friends may call from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 17, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Monday, August 18, at noon CST at Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, 8600 Grand Boulevard, in Merrillville, Indiana. There will be visitation at the church beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Monday; burial will follow at St. Mary’s Eastern Orthodox Cemetery in Gary, Indiana. Arrangements in Merrillville are entrusted to Burns Funeral Home in Crown Point. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Southwest Michigan, P.O. Box 305, St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to share a memory or send a condolence message online may do so in the guestbook at www.starks-menchinger.com.