William "Bill" Yarbrough Jr.

He was born on September 11, 1931. He graduated from Central High School, Mars Hill College, and Wake Forest University. He was a basketball player, the demon deacon mascot for the cheerleading team and a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. After college, he worked for Colgate Palmolive followed by Stuart/AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. He was a member of the Jaycees, Sportsman’s and Charlotte Pharmaceutical Clubs for years, and after retirement, he stayed active in his high school reunions, Eagle Lake Fishing Club and Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Bill was a wise businessman and investor. He began working at age 10 to help his mother, and worked his way through college. At Colgate he was their top salesman for four straight years. He worked for Stuart/AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals for over three decades. During this time, he and his wife owned and managed a vacation rental quadplex in Surfside Beach for over 30 years. He also volunteered his time with the property committee at SAPC, where he was a generous longtime member.

He was a wonderful loving caregiver to his family. He had providence for God, and was filled with joy, laughter and pilgrimage. He will be greatly missed by many people.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Nell Turner, of Charlotte, NC and his sister, Carolyn Y. Woodson, of Raleigh, NC. His survivors are his former wife and lifelong friend, Jenny Yarbrough; his daughters, Dallas (Frank) Bonavita and Carol Yarbrough; his grandchildren, Madison Bonavita and Joey Bonavita; his half-brother, David (Rebecca) Yarbrough; and his cousins, Nelson (Mary Elizabeth) Furman, David (Marilyn) Furman, Doug (Molly) Furman, Frankie (Lua) Turner, Buzz Latane, Paul Turner, Anita DeAngulas, Tim (Sonya) Turner, and Susan (Bruce) Satzger.

Bill’s body will be donated to the Wake Forest School of Medicine. There will be a celebration of life at Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 28. The family will receive friends following the service at the church. A burial for his remains will be at Elmwood Cemetery in downtown Charlotte later this year for immediate family members and close friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church or Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region.

Special thanks to our caregivers, and his best friend, Tom Wood.