Othalene Yates

A graveside service for C. Othalene Yates of Nacogdoches, Texas will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 9, 2021 at New Bethlehem Cemetery with Bro. Marion Coon of Open Range Cowboy Church officiating.

Mrs. Yates was born on January 27, 1927, to parents Lemuel Byrd Woods and Emma Bell Clemons Woods. She attended Indian Rock School until the High School closed, then graduated from East Mountain High School, Class of 1944. In 1945 she met Richard Ruel Yates in Longview, Texas. He was stationed at the Harmon General Military Hospital, now the site of Le Tourneau University. They were married July 21, 1946. They were blessed with two boys, Richard (Rick) and Don.

She retired from Mayo Clinic after forty years of service in the research and publication department. She and Richard eventually moved to Nacogdoches, TX to be near their son and family. They enjoyed traveling and being with friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother W.E. Woods, husband, Richard Yates, son Donald Wayne Yates, son Richard R. Yates, II, grandson Damon Ruel Yates, brothers-in-law Herbert Yates, Bert Woodruff and Joe Miller, and sister-in-law, Ruth White.

She is survived by her grandson Dustin Yates and wife Terese, daughters-in-law Mary Yates, and Glenda Yates, granddaughter-in-law Suzanna Yates Grimmet and husband Ryan, granddaughter, Amy Marie Yates Lovgren, great grandchildren Devin, Dayton, Dawson, Drew and Savanna Yates, and Brett Alena; brother L.B. Woods, Jr., sisters Bobbie Woodruff of Kilgore and Wanda Miller.