Ida Mae Yonkers Marshall

Ida Mae Yonkers Marshall went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025. She is now reunited with her late husband of sixty years, John D. Marshall, who passed away exactly five months before, on August 7th, 2024. She missed him dearly and lived her last days not knowing that she would join him so soon. Ida was born on Cub Lake Plantation in DeSoto County, Mississippi, on November 15th, 1943 to Irving Manly Yonkers and Florence Amelia Osborn Yonkers. She was the second-oldest child and the oldest sister in a very tight-knit family of five children. As she was growing up, she was very involved with her father’s ministry. She would often help sort through boxes of donated clothes to find the right sizes for children and families in need. The family was involved with weekly Bible Clubs and Bible Camp in the summers. She graduated from Clinton High School in Clinton, Mississippi in 1961. She then went on to Jackson Commercial College in Jackson, Mississippi and completed their business program. When she was still in high school, she met John Marshall. He was the leader for her youngest brother’s Royal Ambassadors group at Morrison Heights Baptist Church there in Clinton. They married on November 27th, 1964. John had graduated from Southwestern Seminary earning his master’s degree in Religious Education. Together, they served in many churches throughout Mississippi and in Tallahassee, Florida in their forty-plus years of ministry. Ida was a true helpmate to John and supported him in each church. She taught Sunday School classes, was involved with the Women’s Missionary Union, helped with vacation Bible School and many other ministries over the years. While serving at First Baptist Church in Laurel, Mississippi, Ida and John were given the gift of their one and only daughter, Melanie, born on January 23rd, 1986, whom they treasured. Three years after she was born they moved to Tallahassee, Florida when John felt called to accept the position of Administrative Pastor at First Baptist Church Tallahassee. When it came time for Melanie to begin school, Ida was committed to homeschooling and said there were no “do-overs” and she wasn’t going to leave her daughter’s formation up to chance. She poured so much of herself into this pursuit, embracing a philosophy of a lifelong love of learning and sought to instill this in her daughter. She proactively sought out homeschool groups to be a part of, from 4-H field trips, studying native Florida plant species, to TeenPact at the Capitol, NCFCA Speech & Debate, and everything in between. Ida was a researcher and often said, she knew she couldn’t teach everything, but as long as you know where to go to find the information you need, you’ll be in good shape. She also took great joy participating in activities at the barn where Melanie had her horse, and could thoroughly clean a water trough like no one else could. She would find so much beauty in the small ordinary things…from First Love Dianthus flowers lovingly placed in a bud vase on the bedside table to a cup of tea served in a delicate teacup, she looked for the good, true and beautiful and celebrated it as an integral part of life. Her sense of humor and laugh were infectious. Ida was a fierce prayer warrior. If you ever encountered Ida, you most likely know she didn’t just say she would pray for you. She would stop everything and break into prayer then and there. She never placed any other book on top of her Bible; if she had a stack of books, her Bible was always on top. She felt that nothing should cover the Word of God. She loved books and never had enough bookshelves. She would also frequently say, “You can never out-give God.” Family was always a priority to Ida. She treasured her sisters, Terrell and Mary, and being the older sister, she was always very protective of them. Times together were full of such laughter and joy. There was hardly a day when she didn’t talk with them. On January 5th, 2019, John and Ida welcomed their adored grandson, Duke Marshall Anderson. He was their pride and joy and they both loved him dearly. They enjoyed attending his cello concerts and always looked for ways to encourage him and let him know how much he was loved. She would often say, “There’s our special boy.” Ida was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by her family…her daughter, Melanie and husband, CJ Anderson, her grandson, Duke Marshall Anderson, her dear sister Terrell Yonkers, her brothers Robert (Bob) Yonkers and Charles Yonkers, her brother-in-law David Dockery, and countless other friends and family. She is now reunited with her husband, John and younger sister Mary Yonkers Dockery who preceded her in death. In our devastation, shock and grief, we have hope because we know she is with our Lord. We as believers know this world is not our home; we’re just a passin’ through. She has now joined the “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews 12:1 and we are comforted to know we will see her again in Heaven one day - where there is no pain or fear or loss. Thank You, Lord. Visitation will be from 1:00pm - 2:00pm with funeral to follow at 2:00pm on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at Bevis Funeral Home, 200 John Knox Road in Tallahassee. Food will be provided during the visitation hour. Burial to follow at Tallahassee Memory Gardens. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.

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Ida Mae Yonkers Marshall

November 15, 1943 - January 7, 2025