Jack Dean (Sr.) Yates

Jack Dean Yates was born to John and Goldie (Mitchell) Yates on May 22, 1938 at Tecumseh, Nebraska.  He grew up in Johnson County and attended Tecumseh Public Schools. 

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy July 11, 1955 at the age of 17 years and 2 months and served on eight different naval destroyers until his honorable discharge on August 6, 1963.  Jack served during the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  He was one of a group known as the Tin Can Sailors.

Jack was united to Joan Gardner on July 28, 1956 in Sidney, Iowa.  This union was blessed with six children.  After his military service ended, Jack worked as a truck driver for many years for Hubbard Feed and Tams Feed, delivering livestock feed from Fremont and later Cook and Syracuse to farmers in a four-state area.  In his spare time, Jack worked on and collected old cars, enjoyed hit and miss steam engines and old antique steam locomotives. He especially loved spending time with his family and being on his porch swing. 

Jack passed away at the age of 81 years, on November 22, 2019 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  He will be dearly missed.

Jack is survived by his wife of 63 years, Joan Yates of Tecumseh, sons, Lawrence Yates, Jim Yates and Christopher Yates all of Tecumseh, daughters, Sheila Yates-Vuu and husband Thang of Lincoln and Cindy Bowersmith and husband Dale of Nebraska City, grandchildren, Billie Trueax, Elizabeth Yates, Claudia Williams, Amanda Hobbs and husband Josh, Brian Vuu, Natasha Dobbins and husband James, Jessie Tharp and Brandon Mills and wife Ashley, great-grandchildren, Trinity, A’Lexus, Asher, Jimmy, Beckett, Emery and Mackenzie, brothers, Ronald Yates of Fremont, Denny Yates and wife Betty of Columbus, Garland Yates and wife Evelyn of Tecumseh and Terry Yates and wife Sharon of Cedar Bluffs, sisters, Linda Ramsey of Firth and Fern Crom of El Dorado, CO, sisters-in-law, Mary Jo, Sue and Donna, other family members, Ronnie Uchytil, Noemi Sahs  and Ron Boden and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, son Jack Yates, Jr. (Nov. 7, 2009), great-grandson, Phoenix Dobbins, brothers, Harvey and Dave Yates, sister Louise Trauernicht, sister-in-law, Mary Yates and brother-in-law, Terry Crom.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska with Rev. Hugh Giesbrecht officiating. 

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family greeting friends from 4- 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska.

Memorials may go to the family’s choice.

Interment will be in the Spring Creek Cemetery, rural Tecumseh, Nebraska with full military rites by the Navy Funeral Honors Team and the Tecumseh American Legion Post #2 and VFW Post #8221.

Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.

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