NOVEMBER 21, 1923 – DECEMBER 23, 2009
ANDERSON, SC -- Services for William Clyde Yates Jr., 86, will be held at 1 pm Tuesday, December 29, 2009, in the Chapel of The McDougald Funeral Home, with committal with Military Honors at M.J. “Dolly” Cooper Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends beginning at 12 pm at the funeral home.  The Reverend Dr. Jack Couch will conduct the services.
Mr. Yates passed away early in the morning Wednesday, December 23, 2009. Born on November 21, 1923 in E. St. Louis, Ill., he was a son of the late William Clyde Yates Sr. and Mary Teresa Beecher Yates. He served his country in World War II in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific Theater as Quartermaster aboard the USS Cuttlefish. After the war he served briefly in the U.S. Border Patrol, then returned to his home state and attended Western Illinois University on the GI Bill, obtaining bachelors and masters degrees in chemistry. After a brief stint teaching chemistry and general science in Illinois public schools, he went into private industry. He did chemical marketing research for Phillips Petroleum and Cities Service oil companies, eventually moving with his family to the Atlanta area in 1965. He retired in 1983, dabbled briefly in real estate, then moving with his wife to Anderson in 1987.
He remained involved with World War II Veterans groups and Submarine Veterans groups. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Navy League of the United States, and U.S Submarine Veterans Holland Club. He served as S.C. State Commander of Submarine Veterans of World War II for five years (1995 through 2000), and was Public Affairs Officer in the National Office in 2000. He was also a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Hejaz Shrine Club.
Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Alice Mae Belles Yates of Anderson; brother, Robert W. Yates of Springfield, Ill.; son, Dr. Steven Yates of Greenville (formerly of Columbia); daughter and son-in-law, Leigh Ann Yates-Brown and Stephen Brown of Woodstock, Ga.; grandchildren, Justin and Dylan Henry of Woodstock; sister-in-law, Verna Winterbottom of Greenville; brother-in-law, Gene Belles of Davenport, Ia.; niece, Kathy Laurens and her husband Dr. Richard Laurens of Greer and their children; nephews Brent Winterbottom of Columbia and Robert Winterbottom of Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Memorial donations in his name may be made to the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Association, 4124 Clemson Boulevard, Suite L, Anderson, SC 29621.  A message of condolence may be sent by visiting www.mcdougaldfuneralhome.com The McDougald Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements.