A Living Legacy: Wilbur Yoder

WILBUR YODER grew up on a farm west of the Iowa Mennonite School, now Hillcrest Academy. After four years at Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Virginia, he worked in Cleveland’s inner city, before returning to Iowa. A 1962 graduate of IMS, Wilbur returned to his alma mater in the fall of 1973.

At IMS, Wilbur taught courses in Christian Family Living, served as guidance counselor, and took charge of boarding students, many of whom came to Iowa through High Aim, the program he had been a part of while in Cleveland. He was also an instructor in Math, Bible, Photography, and Psychology, along with coaching cross country for nine years. In 1989, Wilbur became the ninth principal in the school’s 44 year history. 

According to Frank Yoder’s book Opening A Window to the World, it was this experience and his familiarity with both the local community and inner city settings that made his time at IMS so instrumental in bridging the gap between students from all backgrounds and worldviews. His counseling experience also gave him a unique perspective on high school students and the problems they encounter. It was this understanding of community and his commitment to interpersonal relationships that seasoned his administrative approach. His opinion was to “develop disciples and teach young people to follow Jesus Christ. That is not limited to just one group.”

Wilbur led IMS through numerous milestones and events, including the school’s 50th anniversary in 1995 and the school’s most ambitious building project, The Exceptional Endeavour Campaign. The $6M project included a new auditorium, Celebration Hall, classroom additions, the installation of an elevator, and various other improvements. 

Wilbur retired as principal in 2007 after 33 years of employment at IMS. Add that to the four years he was a student, he has impacted the lives of over 1,650 students and 215 faculty/staff. That doesn’t even take into account the numbers of parents, grandparents, and community members also involved. Wilbur and his wife, Helen, have four children: Chad ‘89, Melanie ‘90, Anthony ‘93, Annette ‘98, and many grandchildren.

To recognize and honor Wilbur and Helen’s years of dedicated, exemplary service to IMS/Hillcrest, the atrium between Celebration Hall and Hillcrest Union will be named the Wilbur & Helen Yoder Atrium. The official naming will take place on August 17, 2023, as part of an open house for the new Middle School. The public is invited to attend and celebrate Wilbur and Helen along with their classmates, family, and friends at 7:00 PM.