Elsa Yoder Arbogast, 98


Elsa Yoder Arbogast, 98, of Harrisonburg, passed away April 2, 2011, at Oak Lea Nursing Home.

Mrs. Arbogast was born April 21, 1912, in Brandon, Colo., and was the sixth child of homesteading parents, Levi and Ella Hershberger Yoder. Her family moved to Midland, Mich., in 1917, where she lived until moving to Harrisonburg in 1936 to attend Eastern Mennonite School. She graduated from Rockingham Memorial School of Nursing in 1944. She practiced nursing many years at Rockingham Memorial, Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community and Sunnyside Retirement Home. In her early years of nursing, she mentored other young nurses and maintained friendships with them throughout the years. She was a charter member of the Harrisonburg Mennonite Church.

On April 20, 1946, she married Olie Arbogast of Onego, W.Va., who died Oct. 17, 2005. She is survived by a foster son, David Thompson of Providence Forge, Va.; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and friends. Many family and friends experienced her generous hospitality, eating around her table.

A celebration of life service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church with Pastor Kathy Hochstedler and Pastor Mark Keller officiating. Private burial will be held at Lindale Mennonite Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Monday (tonight) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Compassion Fund at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Center, 1400 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802.

Online condolences may be sent to the Arbogast family by visiting www.kygers.com.