Letha Yarrow was born August 10, 1922, to Frank and Mary E (Fowles) Yarrow. Letha and family were members of the Uniondale Baptist church where she was baptized at the age of 10. She and her siblings, Julia Yarrow and Marvin Yarrow, attended Mount Vernon rural school for their elementary years in southern Clay County. She graduated from Clay Center Community High School in the class of 1940. She went on to Brown Mackie College in Salina and graduated in 1941. She came back to work at the Clay County Welfare office as a typist.
On July 15, 1942, Letha married Clarence (Bud) Woodhams in Baltimore, Md. where they lived for a year. In1943, Bud joined the Navy and after he was shipped out to the South Pacific, she moved to Santa Monica and worked for the King Jewelry Company as the bookkeeper and cashier. She lived with her cousin Ruth Yarrow. There she joined the Trinity Baptist church and became an active member.
In 1946, following WWII she and Bud moved back to Kansas and started farming in the Lady Smith community. At this time, they had 2 dear sweet children: Mary Jo, born in 1947 and Michael James, born in 1952. They joined the Bethany Chapel Wesleyan Church in rural Clay County, built a new house and in her words, “Life was good!”
In 1964, the family went through a tragic time with the car accident that took the lives of four members of the family, including her husband, Bud. Her nephew, Carroll Ray Adams, came to live with Letha, Mary Jo and Mike. Letha went to work at C&W Rural Electric from 1965-1968. In 1966, tragedy struck again as son, Michael, was killed on July 21, in a hunting accident. In the fall of ’66, nephews helped move her house and her to 1313 Dexter in Clay Center. In 1968 she went to Forrest Home Christian Camp in California to work at the camp office for the summer.
On June 20, 1969, Letha married Orville Lloyd at Bethany Chapel Wesleyan Church and they lived in his country home at the farm until they moved to Clay Center in 1973. During that time, they joined the Clay Center Baptist Church. Letha welcomed his family as her own and joined both their families into one big family. They both loved to travel together and went to many places including Hawaii, Europe, Canada, South Pacific, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, Holy Land and Mediterranean and their last trip was to China.
In Spring of 1999 Letha and Orville moved to Presbyterian Manor and lived in an independent living apartment. Orville passed away in 2002 and Letha continued to live there until she moved into the Manor in July of 2018 where she was active and loved by all.
She was involved in many church activities as well as the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels and Extension Homemakers.
In addition to her husband’s Letha is preceded in death by her parents; son, Michael James Woodhams and sister Julia (Yarrow) Adams.
She was loved by so many and leaves behind:
Daughter: Mary Jo (Marjo) Ruhl and husband Phillip of Stockton, CA
Granddaughters: Manya Shumar and husband Logan of Stockton, CA
Michaelia Peterson of Chicago, IL
Great Granddaughters: Charlie and Grace Shumar of Stockton, CA
Stepchildren: Clione Case and husband Gary of Clay Center
Douglas Lloyd and wife Charlene of Newton, KS
Gale Lloyd and wife Lorrie of Clay Center
7 Step Grandchildren
11 Step Great Grandchildren
Brother: Marvin Yarrow of Clay Center
Nephews and Nieces and many other beloved family members and friends.
Funeral Services: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church in Clay Center, KS
Burial: Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Clay County, KS
Visitation: March 17, 2023 from 5:00-8:00 PM at Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home
Memorials: Memorials can be made to the Clay Center Utility Park and Zoo c/o the funeral home
