Larry Gene Yates
Larry Gene Yates of Forsyth, Mo., died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, at the age of 84.
He was born Feb. 14, 1938, (or the 21st according to his family), in Cobden, the son of Henry and Vivian Garner Yates. He was the youngest of four children.
He graduated from Cobden High School in 1957. He enlisted into the U.S. Air Force in 1958 and married the love of his life, Kittie Ballance, in August of that year.
They started their 64 years of marriage and his 20-year military career at Loring AFB in Limestone, Maine.
Other places called home for Larry and his family while serving in the military were Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc, Calif., Wheeler AFB in Wahiawa, Hawaii, Eglin AFB in Valparaiso, Fla.; Spanish/American AFB in Zaragoza, Spain, and Offutt AFB in Bellevue, Neb.
He served isolated tours of duty in Thailand, Vietnam and Korea and several other temporary duties.
While serving in Thailand he was well known for his Christian service. When off duty he devoted much of his time to the orphanages sponsored by the Thailand area wide Churches of Christ.
After retiring from the military in 1978 he and his family returned to his hometown of Cobden.
He attended Shawnee Community College and received his associate of arts degree at the age of 40. He worked in transportation and maintenance at Cobden ISD and did appliance repair in his spare time until he retired again to Forsyth, Mo., in 2010.
He was a worker for the Lord during his entire adult life, serving as an elder and deacon and in any capacity where he was needed in the Lord’s church. He was a member of the Forsyth, Mo., Church of Christ. A better husband, father, grandfather and friend cannot be found. He was loved by all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, JoAnn Yates-Ellis.
He is survived by his brother, Dean Yates of Anna; a sister, Alice Jackson of Joliet; his wife, Kittie Ballance-Yates; children Alan Yates and Misty of Cobden, Cynthia Anderson and Robert of Hewitt, Texas, and Dale Yates and Cathy of Anna; grandchildren Nathan and Kristen Anderson, Holly and Eric Bender, Benjamin and Paige Yates, Reece Anderson, Mason, Maggie and Miles DeLashmutt; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service is planned Saturday, Aug. 27, at 2 p.m. at Forsyth Church of Christ at 137 Spring St. in Forsyth, Mo.
Graveside services with military rites will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, at the Cobden Cemetery.
Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden is in charge of local arrangements.
To visit his memorial page and to leave online condolences for his family, visit the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home website at rendlemanhilemanfh.com.