Roy Junior Yates
Roy and I met in church 38 years ago. For me it was love at first sight! We were later married in that church, and were eventually blessed with four children – two girls and two boys.
During our 33 years and eight months of marriage, I would often joke to others that the only reason I married Roy was because I wanted babies with beautiful, big, brown eyes like his. He would just grin, but sure enough, all four have Roy’s eyes.
Roy never met a person who didn’t like him, never let a friend down when he could help him, never said an unkind word to anyone or put them down, and he never walked around with a frown on his face.
Roy loved people, especially children and babies, and they loved him. He taught Sunday School for three-year-olds for many years. He was tender, loving, kind, gentle, soft-spoken, funny, giving, thoughtful of others, hard-working and goofy.
Roy was the greatest father in the world. He was an extraordinary Papa to our nine grandchildren. He was my husband, the love of my life – my soul mate. And I miss him.
Deborah J. Yates
Sidney Thomas (Tommy) Yelverton
July 20, 1933 – April 4, 2006
Tommy was born in Wayne County to Atlas and Lillian Yelverton. His mother died when he was six weeks old. He grew up on a farm in Faro with his brother and two sisters.
When he was 20 years old, I met him and we were married in October of that year. We were together for 51 years, and during those years we had a lot of happiness, also many good times and sad times.
It was all worth while. We were blessed with a precious and loving daughter, Cindy, in 1959.
We were a happy family of three that enjoyed vacations from Florida to New York to Illinois, and we all enjoyed going boating and fishing.
At the age of 42, Tommy had a heart attack. From then until his death he had open heart surgery, a heart valve reworked, endocarditis, hernia surgery and back surgery. During this time, we started talking about being organ donors. It was our decision that all three of us would be more than willing to be donors.
Before his death, he was in constant pain due to the many surgeries he had. There was a lot of pain in his legs and feet.
Tommy was a loving and caring husband and an exceptionally good father. Words cannot describe the love he had for his daughter.
We miss him each and every day and because of the donor program, someone somewhere has a better life.
Our memories of him will live forever in our hearts. We miss him very much.
Cramier Yelverton, wife
Cindy Yelverton Darwin, daughter
