Paul J. Yates
Graveside funeral services for Mr. Paul J. Yates, 88, of Monterey, formerly of Vidalia, were held at Greenlawn Memorial Park on Friday, May 8, 2009, at 10 a.m. with Bro. Leon Zordan officiating.
Services were under the direction of Young's Funeral Home of Vidalia.
Mr. Yates was born June 13, 1920, in Augusta, KS, and passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at Natchez Regional Medical Center.
He was a resident of Monterey, a cattleman and farmer. Mr. Yates proudly served his country during World War II as a member of the United States Army. He and his two brothers, Franklin and Waldo, enlisted together two years before Pearl Harbor and trained at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Paul trained in field artillery and reached the rank of Sergeant. He was accepted to OCS and reached the rank of 2nd Lt. and he trained artillery spotters for airplane warfare. As a member of the AmericaL Division, he was originally deployed to New Caladonia immediately after Pearl Harbor with the mission to keep Japanese from controlling Australia. After that threat passed, his division was the first one sent to Guadacanal to relieve the Marine division. After that, his division was sent to Vouganville. He participated in the Phillippean invasion with General Douglas McArthur. Paul's division's responsibility was to recapture Cuba. Once on Guadacanal, Paul's plane was about to run out of fuel. It was night.
He was preceded in death by wives, Crystal Whorton Yates and Carnelia Smith Yates; father, Paul Kenneth Yates; mother, Ruth Marie Yates; and brothers, Waldo and Franklin Yates.
Survivors include his daughter, Donna Betts and husband, Chuck, of Agelton, TX; sons — David Yates and wife, Ellen, of Vidalia, and Danny Yates and wife, Jan, of Natchez; granchildren — Brian Betts and Julia, Brent Betts, Dave Yates, Holly McDaniel and Shane, Doug Yates and Angela, and Taylor Yates. Also surviving are seven great grandchildren; and a sister, Cathrine Marie Watson of Boise, Idaho.
Pallbearers were Dave Yates, Doug Yates, Taylor Yates, Brian Betts, Brent Betts, and Shane McDaniel. |
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