Yolanda Jo Late

Yolanda Jo Late was born on Dec. 10, 1928, in Eric, Okla. Born into the world as Yolanda Jo Nunn, she was the baby child of eight brothers and sisters, and was crowned the most beautiful of the Nunn family. Yolanda's parents lived a modest but very loving and extremely prayerful life, growing up in the Oklahoma and Arkansas Baptist life style. Yolanda met the love of her life, John "Pete" Late, in Springdale, Ark., where they attended Springdale High School. At the end of WWII, when John got out of the Army, Yolanda and John were married May 13, 1948. After moving to Odessa, Texas, in 1954, Yolanda began living the life of a car dealer's wife with John owning the Broncho Chevrolet Company. Yolanda quickly became a member of the First Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas, where she devoted almost 60 years of her blessed life to the church. Raising her only child, Steve Late, Yolanda began teaching Christian values to her son at an early age of 4 with Sunday school, Christian Bible School, and of course every Sunday sermon. Yolanda began the happiest moments of her life when she started singing in the choir at First Baptist — a service of singing and praying that lasted over 50 years in the First Baptist Church choir. Yolanda loved hosting incredible lunches and dinners for her Sunday school members, as she was an extraordinary cook with many "secret" recipes. Along with her loving husband, John, and son, Steve, Yolanda was a pillar of the First Baptist Church, and she considered the church her family as well. As Yolanda matured in age, she cooked less and less and relied on the staff at Odessa Country Club to fulfill their cooking needs; Yolanda and John enjoyed their own special table every day except Monday for over 40 years. After her beloved husband, John, went to Heaven, Yolanda moved to Austin, Texas, in 2011, because she wanted to be near her son, Steve. Although Yolanda was living her life in an advanced state of Alzheimer's disease, she quickly gathered friends at her new home, Querencia at Barton Creek. Yolanda continued singing every day of her life. She became the lead singer of their choir, remembering almost every word to all the songs that were played. Yolanda loved her family deeply — her sister, Marie Boyette; and her grandchildren, whom were the apple of her eye, Olivia, Blair and Christopher. Yolanda is survived by her son, Steve Late and wife, Ava Late, of Austin, Texas; and her three grandchildren, granddaughter, Olivia Late of Austin, Texas, grandsons, Blair Late of Hollywood, Calif., and Christopher Late of Corpus Christi, Texas. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until noon Monday, April 21, 2014, at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors in Odessa, Texas. A celebration of life for Yolanda Late will be held on Monday, April 21, 2014, at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas. Dr. Byron McWilliams and the Rev. Curtis Brewer will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be given in honor of Yolanda Late to the Darrell K. Royal Research Fund For Alzheimer's Disease at P.O. Box 5839, Austin, TX 78763, or online at www.dkrfund.org. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Frank Wilson Funeral Home at 4635 Oakwood in Odessa, TX 79761. www.DignityMemorial.com (432) 368-7191.