Dr. Edgar L. Yandell

Dr. Edgar Leroy Yandell, Jr. entered into rest on July 24, 2021. He leaves behind his mother Rosemary Yandell, brothers John (Jack) (Jane) and Dr. Allen Yandell, and children Edgar Leroy Yandell III (Tri)(Kelly), Shannon Egan, Daniel (Jennifer) O’Connell, and Holly (Sean) Joiner. He leaves behind 9 grandchildren – Cole and Kenneth Beckman, Marie Roll, Erin and Eileen Egan, Madeline and Caleb O’Connell, and Brittany and Evan Joiner, a niece (Arrah Ford), and four nephews (Christopher, Brad, Luke, and Michael Yandell). He was preceded in death by his father Edgar Leroy Yandell Sr., his daughter Tammy Beth Yandell Roll, and second wife, Brenda Gail Yandell.

He also leaves behind his high school sweetheart who became his beloved wife of 12 years Rebecca Nelson Yandell whom he adored, and she him.

Dr. Yandell received his B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Tennessee. He went on to receive a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University (1973). He went on to a career in engineering and process supervision and improvement. Over the course of his career, he improved his skills and improved processes, doing what he could with what he had, but always asking what he needed to do more, and setting about acquiring that.

Edgar was a Captain in the 82nd US Army Airborne Division Combat Engineering Unit. He earned an Airborne Tab and a Ranger Tab. He was deployed to Guatemala to assist in the earthquake relief, building bridges to restore transportation.

After the military, Edgar went into manufacturing, and worked in the printing industry for multiple companies. The story is told that one his bosses introduced him as “the smartest man he ever knew.” He developed a passion for statistical process control, which he developed in to a consultancy that benefited many companies thereafter.

Edgar loved UT and Vanderbilt University football, basketball, and baseball, but his main loves were his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family, and his dog Naiya.

Graveside services will be on July 28, 2021 at 9:30am at Bellevue Memorial Gardens in Grovetown, Georgia and will be officiated by Dr. Michael Yandell. The family will receive friends thirty minutes prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, please send any donation to Tunnel To Towers or your local church.