Keith Odaville Yates' Obituary
Keith Odaville Yates
1922 ~ 2007
Keith Odaville Yates, 85, passed away November 29, 2007 in St. Helens, Oregon at Cherrywood Adult Foster Care Home. He was lovingly cared for by Anka and the staff at the home and by Longview Home Health and Hospice.
Keith was born February 24, 1922 in a sod house on the prairie near Broadwater, Nebraska to Odaville and Elizabeth Maude Jenkins Yates. Later his family moved to Bridgeport, Nebraska where he graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1940.
After High School he attended and graduated from Kemper Military School in Booneville, MO. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and proudly served his country in WW II as a technical sergeant with the 411th Air Service Squadron in India where he was an airplane mechanic.
On March 14, 1944 he married his high school sweetheart, Yvonne Irene Childs in Bridgeport.
After his discharge from the Air Corps, he and Yvonne moved Spokane, Washington where he attended Gonzaga Law School at night on the GI Bill and worked at The Music Box, a music store in Spokane during the day. He graduated and passed the bar in 1950.
That summer, a wrong turn at Dodge Junction near Pomeroy, Washington turned out to be fortuitous as he met Dayton attorney John Wallace with whom he practiced law until 1957. The he soloed as lawyer in Dayton until he retired from his profession in 1992. During his career, he also had the honor of serving the community as prosecuting attorney, the city attorney for 28 years and a school board member; Keith and Yvonne loved living in Dayton where they made their home for 50 years.
For recreation, Keith loved playing golf at Touchet Valley Golf Course in Dayton. He was part of several volunteer work parties over the years keeping the course in good shape. He was also active in the Dayton Kiwanis Club.
He and Yvonne were members of the First Christian Church in Dayton and the College Place Presbyterian Church in College Place, Washington.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years in 2006, as well as his parents and a brother Robert Yates in 2006, and a sister, Shirley Moon in 1999.
He moved to St. Helens in 2005 to be near his daughter. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Kathleen and Scott Bauska of St. Helens, Oregon; Tom and Carol Yates of Hood River, Oregon; Jeanette and Mike Lightfoot of Walla Walla, Washington and Bob and Darbie Yates of Dayton. Twelve grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be held at First Christian Church in Dayton on Saturday, December 8 at 11:00am. Rev.Robin Peterson of College Place Presbyterian Church will officiate. A gathering time with light refreshments will follow the service. Private burial will be at the Dayton cemetery. Remembrances can be made to Longview Home Health and Hospice at P.O. Box 2067 Longview, Washington 98632; First Christian Church, Dayton, Washington or the Dayton Kiwanis Club.
Columbia Funeral Home ~ Directors
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