Born in West Chester, as the eighth of 13 children, Richard “Dick” Yoder literally spent most of his life in the Borough of West Chester. He is a graduate of West Chester High School and as a boyhood dream enrolled in West Chester State Teachers College.

With a teaching career of over 40 years, Yoder is a graduate of West Chester State Teachers College (‘59) and received a Masters Degree in Administration from Villanova University (‘62). He also achieved Post-Graduate studies at Temple University. Yoder began his education career as a teacher and coach in the West Chester Area School District, before returning to West Chester State College, in 1962 as an Assistant Professor of Physical Education, football and track coach. He coached Football for 17 years before being selected Director of Athletics in 1979, a position he served for nine years.

After 38 years, Yoder retired from West Chester University in January 2000. While at WCU, he was a Full-Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, served as a Football Coach, Track Coach and the University’s Director of Athletics. He developed, taught and coordinated the graduate program of Sport and Athletic Administration and also served as Chair of the Physical Education Department, Acting Associate Dean of the School of Health Sciences, and Coordinator of Safety Education.

While Athletic Director at WCU, Yoder served on 11 different National Collegiate Athletic Association committees and was elected to the prestigious NCAA Council and NCAA Football Committee. He was also elected as President of the Eastern College Athletic Conference and served on 13 other ECAC committees.

In 1979, as Director of Athletics, he was responsible for relocating the Philadelphia Eagles to West Chester University for their summer football camp.

Yoder was elected to two terms as Mayor of the Borough of West Chester (2002-10). He deems it a great honor and privilege to have served his hometown community as Mayor. 

As an athlete, he played quarterback and defensive safety for both West Chester High School (Henderson High School) and West Chester State Teachers College football teams (‘55-‘59), under the legendary Coach Glen Killinger. Yoder also enjoyed playing baseball at West Chester High School and the West Chester Community Adult Baseball League.

He is a member of the West Chester Rotary Club and a charter member of the West Chester Sunrise Rotary Club; Charles S. Swope Memorial Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees; Russell Sturzebecker Foundation Board of Directors; W. Glenn Killinger Football Foundation Executive Committee and Board Emeritus on the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame.

Yoder has received numerous accolades throughout his career. Most recently, he was the recipient of the West Chester University Professor Emeritus Award, West Chester University Presidents Medallion Award for Service

Yoder was inducted into the West Chester University’s Killinger Football Hall of Fame and the Sturzebecker Hall of Fame. He was a recipient of the Greater Sunrise Rotary Club’s 2008 Leaders of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award and the West Chester University Alumni Service Award.

Yoder was presented with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Distinguished Achievement Award & ECAC Outstanding Service and Leadership Award and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Recognition and Distinguished Service Award.

In April 2009, he was awarded the West Chester University Distinguished Alumni Award and that same November he was inducted into the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame. The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce awarded Yoder their Lifetime Achievement Award in October 2009 and their “Citizen of the Year Award” in 2015.