Charles Yates

Charles Clancy Yates slipped the surly bonds of our material world on March 13, 2018 in Bossier City, Louisiana, at the age of 94. Charles was born on February 5, 1924 in Rutherford, Tennessee to Hattie Bell Yates and Clancy Yates. He graduated from Rutherford High School in 1942. After a brief stint working for the War Department in Washington, D.C. (and not yet of draft age), Charles enlisted in the United States Army. Based on his aptitude, Charles was transferred to the Army Air Corps and mustered into pre-aviation cadet training. After an accelerated course of academic study and flight training, the Air Corps commissioned him a 2nd Lieutenant in 1945 and assigned him to a B-24 aircrew as a Navigator. Charles flew all around the world during his early years in the United States Air Force and also participated in the Berlin Airlift. He made Captain in 1950 (Major in 1953) flying B-29s, B-47s, and B-52s as bomb commander over the course of this 27-year career in the Air Force (he retired in 1969 as Lt. Col.). In 1950 Charles met and married the love of his life, Janice Walton. They proved inseparable over the course of the next 67 years. After his service in the Air Force, Charles attained a Master of Arts (in history) from Northeast University in 1972. After Charles and Janice moved to Germantown, Tennessee, he worked at the local public high school for twenty years (retiring in 1993 as vice principal). Charles and Janice spent the last fifteen years of their life back in Bossier City, entertaining grandchildren and great grandchildren and serving others. Always active in his church and his various communities, Charles served in numerous veterans and civic organizations. He joined the Tennessee Genealogical Society in 1988 and spent incalculable hours over the years unearthing and restoring the fragile threads of kinship that connect the present and the future with the past. Charles was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Bell Yates, his two brothers, Gilbert Yates and Edward Yates, his cherished sister, Ruth Taylor, and his beloved wife of 67 years, Janice Olene Walton Yates. Charles is survived by his six children; Laura DeHabermann and husband Dink of Bossier City, LA, Jenny Russell of Rockwall, TX, Charles Yates Jr. of Magnolia, TX, Timothy Yates of Memphis, TN, Marie Jones and husband Kent of Romance, AR, and Ramona Yates of Nashville, TN. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Jennifer, Angela, Heather, Amber, Rusty, Chad, Tara, Tess, Marsha, and Janice and 23 great grandchildren. Charles accepted his inevitable passing with the assurance that his final flight placed him in position at last to “truly touch the face of God.” In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Mission Program of Carriage Oaks Church of Christ, where he was a member. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 10 a.m. at Carriage Oaks Church of Christ (5661 Shed Rd. Bossier City, LA 71111), and a graveside service is scheduled for Sunday, March 25, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery (351 Bradford Hwy Rutherford, TN 38369).