Lois Yackel

Lois Jo Yackel, 88, loving and devoted mother and thoughtful soul, died peacefully on Saturday, September 7, 2019 in Pennsylvania with family by her side.

Lois was born October 7, 1930 in Luray, Virginia to Freda Ruth and George Campbell. She was the baby in the family following Alice, Julian, and Jean.

Lois was a graduate of Temple University School of Oral Hygiene in Philadelphia. She also attended Berea College in Kentucky and Maryland State Teachers College in Baltimore. While studying at Temple she met and later married her love, Robert F. Yackel (Bob).

They practiced dentistry and raised their six children in Drexel Hill, PA for decades. She was preceded in death by her husband and siblings. Lois is survived by all her children (and their spouses): Lisa, Beth, Amy, Robert, Peter, John, 10 grandchildren, and many friends. Her children were first and foremost always.

Her family and friends called her by several nicknames: “Lowie”, “Jo”, “Dolly”, “Jo-Jo”, “Sunshine”, “Monkey”, and “Co-Co”. She loved to laugh, paint ceramics, garden, arrange flowers, eat tomatoes and popcorn, play tricks, and more than anything else--help others. She loved to make people smile.

While her children were growing up, she and Bob spent fun summers camping with family across the United States and Canada in various national and provincial parks. After Bob’s passing Lois lived with several of her children either in Pennsylvania or Colorado. During the summers she did various farm chores which provided many new friendships and gave her a deep sense of joy and purpose.

She had a huge loving heart and is already deeply missed.

She will be buried at Beahm’s Chapel Cemetery in her home town of Luray, VA, next to her beloved mother.

In lieu of flowers, Lois would have wanted either of these two things: contributions to The Wounded Warrior Project ( https://communityfundraising.woundedwarriorproject.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.personalCampaign&participantID=1348 )because of her love for veterans or taking the time to do something to make someone else smile.