Nina L. (Lehman) Yarnell

Nina L. Yarnell, beloved wife, mother, teacher, and enthusiastic participant in local community services, died after a period of declining health on August 16, 2023 at the Danbury Long Term Care Unit in Wooster. She was 99. Born to Russell and Arlene (Eby) Lehman on the Lehman family farm in Canaan Township June 22, 1924, she loved her life as a farm girl. She attended Creston School and graduated in 1942. After graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper at the Rittman Bank until 1945. She attended Bowling Green State University briefly before marrying returning POW Army Air Corp Staff Sgt. Robert S. Yarnell in 1946. They built a home on the corner of the Lehman farm and raised their four children.

Nina was active in the Canaan Methodist Church, the Canaan Grange, the Creston Book and Music Club, and she served eight years on the Norwayne School District Board of Education. In 1967, Nina returned to college in order to become a teacher. After attending the Wadsworth extension of Kent State University, she qualified for a teacher’s certificate and began teaching fifth grade at Sterling Elementary School in 1968. She taught full time and attended night classes at Akron University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1973. She loved teaching and believed students could achieve their best focusing on their learning strengths and working around their weaknesses.

Retiring from teaching in 1983, she joined her husband Bob in developing Meadow Lake Park, a campground on twenty acres of the old Lehman Farm. During winters, they stayed at their second home in Florida. They became avid and competitive players of shuffleboard, golf, Bridge and Euchre. Additionally, they traveled to Central America, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Ms. Yarnell wrote a memoir on the occasion of her 90th birthday, Planted in the Country, which is available at the Creston Library.

Nina was preceded in death by her husband Bob, an infant son Dennis Lehman Yarnell, her brother Jay Eby Lehman and her grandson Brian Beery. She is survived by her four children: Sandra (Richard) Beery, Stanley Yarnell (Victor Rowley), Sharon Yarnell (John Liston, deceased), and Scott Yarnell (Shelly); by three grandchildren: Laura ( John) Ballou, Julia Liston (Joe Walsh), and step grandson Brant Lemley; and by one great granddaughter ; (Lyla Ballou) and two step great grandsons (Paul Lemley and Axel Lemley) as well as by many cousins, nieces and nephews. Her children agree that she was funny and entertaining, loving and kind, opinionated, and competitive.

In memory of Nina, donations can be made to Norwayne Local Schools, Yarnell Scholarship Fund, 350 S. Main St, Creston, OH 44217; Creston Canaan United Methodist Church, 166 S. Main St, Creston, OH 44217; or LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Rd, Wooster, OH 44691.

A Celebration of Life/Memorial Service will be held on October 8. Details will follow later. 

Murray Funeral Home is handling arrangements and information will be available on their website : murray-funeral-home.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nina L. (Lehman) Yarnell, please visit our floral store.