Ida Mae Yeager

Ida Mae Yeager, age 94, went to be with The Lord on July 10, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Born in Geronimo, Oklahoma, on October 21, 1919 to parents Ida and Wilfred Myers, Ida Mae was a remarkable woman whose gentle and loving spirit endeared her to everyone she met. She was raised in a family of educators where she developed a life-long love of reading and learning. As Valedictorian, she completed high school at age 16 and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Mathematics and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After a short time as a teacher, Ida Mae was called to a very different life. With the onset of WW II, one of her college professors recommended her for a civilian position working for the Department of Defense. Ida Mae accepted the challenge and traveled alone by train across the country to Maryland at age 21. She would spend the next 4 years using her skills to calculate bomb trajectories for American pilots.

At a USO party, she met another Oklahoman, US Army Officer Charles C. Yeager, who would become the love of her life. They were married May 28, 1946 and that marriage happily continued 46 years until Charles' death in 1993. The couple had three children - Charles Allen, Stephen, and Linda. Charles' military career allowed Ida Mae and her children to travel extensively, living in many cities across the United States and Europe. Her love of history and culture caused her to view the many moves as an opportunity to enrich her family's life experiences. Ida Mae was always the rock of the family, holding things together through all the travels, new homes and new schools.

When Charles retired, the family settled in Austin, Texas. Eldest son Charles (Charlie) continues to live in Austin. Her son Steve and his wife Bonnie live in Houston. Her daughter Linda Hamblin and husband Stan reside in Midland, Texas. She is also blessed to have grandchildren - granddaughter Kim and her husband Larry Flathmann of Torreon, Mexico; granddaughter Laura and her husband Bert Waite of Philadelphia; granddaughter Krissy and husband Billy Jones of Houston; and grandson USMC Captain Aaron Hamblin and wife Jennifer of New Bern, North Carolina. There are also four incredible great-grandchildren (Tyler Hamblin, Savannah Mae Hamblin, Stanley Waite and Karina Flathmann.) She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and other extended family members.

In addition to her husband, Ida Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Ida and Wilfred Myers, and her sister Mildred Alford.

Ida Mae's long life was characterized by her calm, patient and loving demeanor. She chose to be an optimist with one of her favorite sayings being: "In the long run, the pessimist may be proved to be right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip." Ida Mae took the time to listen and always accepted you just the way you were. She was an outstanding cook and seamstress. In addition to being a homemaker, she worked for the IRS for a number of years, continuing a life theme of applying mathematical talent. She had a passion for reading, and instilled that passion in her children and grandchildren. As she read aloud to her kids, they often had to remind her not to read ahead and leave them hanging. She typically devoured 25 library books a week with a fondness for Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Well into her 80's on her weekly trips to the library, Ida Mae would carry her bags of books as a form of exercise, refusing help from the library staff. She did crossword puzzles in INK. Everyone wanted to be her bridge partner because somehow, no matter what her cards were or how the defense conspired against her, she was always managing to make 3 no trump! She regularly beat her adult children to the answers on Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. Even through age 90, she would park on the street blocks away from her beloved Hyde Park Baptist Sunday school class so that "seniors" who needed to park closer could have available space. She loved her Red Lobster fried shrimp and her Chez Zee's Aztec corn soup with cheesecake for dessert (and she always ate dessert first.)

In her later years, she loved to take long car journeys with her "baby" sister, Ruby Starr, to see the country she loved and to maintain connections with her extended family. Their trips were mapped and planned to maximize the educational opportunities and scenic enjoyment. But what they loved the most was their irreplaceable time with their friends and family. Through the years, Ida Mae reached her goal of visiting every state in the union.

In the past four years, she suffered several health setbacks and lived in Westminster Manor. The family is very grateful for the loving care she received there.

We are all secure in Ida Mae's current presence with her Lord Jesus in heaven. She was a woman of faith who lived that faith on this earth and in her relationships. The family loved her dearly and will miss her greatly.