School secretary 2nd victim of meningitis

DUNDEE — The second Tuscarawas County resident to die of bacterial meningitis this month was Heather Yoder, a secretary at Dundee Elementary.

Yoder, 45, of Sugarcreek, died Tuesday.

“Her energetic and positive spirit were a blessing to our staff, students and community,” schools Superintendent James Millet said in an email. “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Garaway School community go out to the Yoder family.”

Millet said the district will provide grief counselors at its high school and Dundee Elementary when school resumes Jan. 2.

He said the district has been in contact with officials from the Tuscarawas County Health Department, who have conferred with the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control for appropriate protocols in dealing with bacterial meningitis. There is no recommended testing or treatment for anyone in the Garaway district.

“There is no infectivity concern for our building, per the health department. However, we are exceeding health department cleaning guidance and taking extra cleaning measures during our break,” Millet said. “We are using an industrial disinfecting machine at Dundee Elementary and subsequently at our other buildings.”

He noted that Yoder was not sick while school was in session.

NewPointe Community Church near Dover is notifying people that Yoder attended the 11 a.m. service at the church on Christmas Eve.

Ryan Freeland, 14, of Port Washington, a freshman at Indian Valley High, died of bacterial meningitis on Dec. 15.

Health department officials say there is no reason to believe that Yoder and Freeland had any contact with each other. Also, preliminary testing indicates that they were infected with different types of bacteria that can cause meningitis.

According to Yoder’s obituary, she was married and had three children.