William Gregory Yates
August 27, 1950 — October 7, 2019
William Gregory Yates, 69, of Columbus, GA, passed away Monday, October 7, 2019, at his home in Columbus, GA.
A private service for family and friends will be held at McMullen Funeral Home in Columbus on Thursday, October 10th, at 5:00 P.M. The family will receive visitors at McMullen Funeral Home immediately following the service from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Mr. Yates was preceded in death by his father, Charlie Yates, Jr. and two sisters Kathy Gail Yates and Diane Mida Yates.
Mr. Yates was born in Bainbridge, GA, but grew up primarily in Panama City, FL, before moving to Columbus, GA, for his Senior year at Hardaway High School. Upon his graduation from Hardaway High School in 1968 he attended Columbus College where he earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration. He later earned his CPA certification. While at Hardaway he met the love of his life, Deborah Riviere. Mr. Yates had a distinguished business career serving several major companies in top-ranking financial positions including Royal Crown Companies, Burnham Service Corporation, The Concrete Company, and Russell Corporation. He culminated his career as Executive Vice President - Administration and CFO of the W.C. Bradley Co. His broad-based business experience, coupled with his reputation for integrity, made him a trusted advisor to the Chairman, President and CEO of the W.C. Bradley Co. during a time of great transition in the business. He was an unselfish team player with an appreciation and empathy for everyone. He was respected and loved by everyone who worked with him.
Married to his ‘Best Friend", Debbie Yates, for 48 years, Mr. Yates was devoted to his family and to being a loving son, husband, father, grandfather and brother. He enjoyed an active lifestyle and was known as an outdoorsman who loved to fish and quail hunt and was also a competitive athlete who excelled in all sports. He was named MVP of his basketball team at Hardaway in 1968 and became a member of the inaugural baseball team at Columbus College. He loved playing tennis throughout his life and was the Team Captain of several teams. In 2012, he was awarded the local and state male captain of the year.
He particularly enjoyed spending time at the beach with his grandchildren who often looked to "Granddaddy" for his good advice that helped lead them to make the right decisions. An extremely humble, gentle man with a great sense of humor, he was a wonderful Dad to his children modeling Servant Leadership in his personal and professional life. His children felt like he was one of the smartest people they ever knew because he always seemed to have the answer. He always led them in the right direction teaching them to "listen to your heart" and "do what your heart says." Always fiercely protective of his family, Mr. Yates went from brother to father figure to best friend for his younger brother who considered him his Guardian Angel. His family feels that his lifelong reputation for Integrity was one of his greatest assets and he could always be relied upon for his honesty, forth rightness and loyalty.
Mr. Yates is survived by his mother, Ramona Franklin Thames; his loving wife, Deborah (Debbie) Riviere Yates; and two children, daughter Leah Yates Kersey (Cam) of Columbus, and son William (Will) Gregory Yates, Jr. of Columbus. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Cameron Yates Kersey and Ella Reid Kersey and his brother, Charlie Jeffery (Jeff) Yates (Jill) of Columbus. Other key family members are Hal Riviere, Jr.(father in law - deceased), Jo Sue Riviere (mother in law), David and Danny Riviere (brothers in law), Jennifer Knight (sister in law) and many nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to: Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, 9935 D Rea Road #212, Charlotte, NC 28277.
3874 Gentian Blvd
Columbus, GA, 31907
A private service for family and friends will be held at McMullen Funeral Home in Columbus on Thursday, October 10th, at 5:00 P.M. The family will receive visitors at McMullen Funeral Home immediately following the service from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Mr. Yates was preceded in death by his father, Charlie Yates, Jr. and two sisters Kathy Gail Yates and Diane Mida Yates.
Mr. Yates was born in Bainbridge, GA, but grew up primarily in Panama City, FL, before moving to Columbus, GA, for his Senior year at Hardaway High School. Upon his graduation from Hardaway High School in 1968 he attended Columbus College where he earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration. He later earned his CPA certification. While at Hardaway he met the love of his life, Deborah Riviere. Mr. Yates had a distinguished business career serving several major companies in top-ranking financial positions including Royal Crown Companies, Burnham Service Corporation, The Concrete Company, and Russell Corporation. He culminated his career as Executive Vice President - Administration and CFO of the W.C. Bradley Co. His broad-based business experience, coupled with his reputation for integrity, made him a trusted advisor to the Chairman, President and CEO of the W.C. Bradley Co. during a time of great transition in the business. He was an unselfish team player with an appreciation and empathy for everyone. He was respected and loved by everyone who worked with him.
Married to his ‘Best Friend", Debbie Yates, for 48 years, Mr. Yates was devoted to his family and to being a loving son, husband, father, grandfather and brother. He enjoyed an active lifestyle and was known as an outdoorsman who loved to fish and quail hunt and was also a competitive athlete who excelled in all sports. He was named MVP of his basketball team at Hardaway in 1968 and became a member of the inaugural baseball team at Columbus College. He loved playing tennis throughout his life and was the Team Captain of several teams. In 2012, he was awarded the local and state male captain of the year.
He particularly enjoyed spending time at the beach with his grandchildren who often looked to "Granddaddy" for his good advice that helped lead them to make the right decisions. An extremely humble, gentle man with a great sense of humor, he was a wonderful Dad to his children modeling Servant Leadership in his personal and professional life. His children felt like he was one of the smartest people they ever knew because he always seemed to have the answer. He always led them in the right direction teaching them to "listen to your heart" and "do what your heart says." Always fiercely protective of his family, Mr. Yates went from brother to father figure to best friend for his younger brother who considered him his Guardian Angel. His family feels that his lifelong reputation for Integrity was one of his greatest assets and he could always be relied upon for his honesty, forth rightness and loyalty.
Mr. Yates is survived by his mother, Ramona Franklin Thames; his loving wife, Deborah (Debbie) Riviere Yates; and two children, daughter Leah Yates Kersey (Cam) of Columbus, and son William (Will) Gregory Yates, Jr. of Columbus. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Cameron Yates Kersey and Ella Reid Kersey and his brother, Charlie Jeffery (Jeff) Yates (Jill) of Columbus. Other key family members are Hal Riviere, Jr.(father in law - deceased), Jo Sue Riviere (mother in law), David and Danny Riviere (brothers in law), Jennifer Knight (sister in law) and many nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to: Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, 9935 D Rea Road #212, Charlotte, NC 28277.
VIsitation
OCT 10. 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EDT)
McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory3874 Gentian Blvd
Columbus, GA, 31907
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Gregory Yates, please visit our flower store.