Bobby Gene Yates

Born June 24, 1934 in Caldwell County, he was the son of the late Edgar Lee and Lela Mae Greene Yates. He had retired as the former owner of People’s Barber Shop in Conover and was a member of Calvary’s Hill Freewill Baptist Church in Catawba. Bobby was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He will always be remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and a caring friend to many.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Edgar Yates Jr. and Billy Joe Yates.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Betty Irene “Rene” George Yates of the home; daughter Tammy Yates Craig and husband Robbie of Claremont; sons Michael Yates of Claremont and Eddie Yates and wife Michelle of Claremont; grandchildren Heather Smith and husband Justin, Samantha Minton, Kelsey Lowman, Michael Yates Jr., Summer Yates, Shawn Craig and wife Becky, Brandon Craig and wife Em, K.C. Craig, and Caleb Humphries; great grandchildren Reese Hefner, Riley Hefner, and Ruby Smith; sisters Mildred Sherrill of Hickory, Pauline Bivens of Drexel, and Barbara Ramsey of Granite Falls; brothers Glenn Yates and wife Brenda of Granite Falls and Jerry Yates of Dudley Shoals.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 5, 2013 at Calvary’s Hill Freewill Baptist Church, 1914 Robert Rufty Lane, Catawba, NC 28609. Rev. Larry Cooley will officiate. Burial will follow at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at Sunset Cemetery in Granite Falls with military rites.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 4 at Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home in Newton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Conover School, 108 7th Street Place SW, Conover NC 28613.