Joe Elton Yates

Joe Yates, 78, of Fayetteville, Ark. went home on Feb. 3. Joe was born on August 15, 1938 to parents Dovie and Elton Yates in the front bedroom of a house without electricity or running water on the Yates homestead in Cherokee City, Ark., on the west side of Benton County. He attended the one room school house at Cherokee City until he went to Gentry High School. He left high school at 17 to join the U.S. Air Force where he trained as a missile technician and served at US installations in England and Scotland. After his discharge he returned to Arkansas and earned his GED. He then earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Geography at the University of Arkansas and completed most of his coursework for a PhD at the University of Oklahoma. He taught college at the State College of Arkansas (now the University of Central Arkansas) in Conway before joining the Arkansas Department of Planning where he and a colleague published the award-winning Atlas of Arkansas, a comprehensive publication of vast amounts of data concerning demographics, economics, development, agriculture, infrastructure and other data. Recruited by then-governor David Pryor he became head of the Department of Building Services where he had responsibility for all state owned facilities. Later he returned to Benton County where he engaged in a number of business pursuits before being appointed to complete the unexpired term of county assessor. He then successfully ran for county tax collector where he served for a number of years and mentored a generation of elected county officials. After serving as collector he ran for and won a seat in the Arkansas senate as one of only three Republicans in the 35 member body. While in the senate he also served as vice president of the Arkansas Poultry Federation, later serving as president of that group. During his time in the senate he served as chairman of a number of committees, including the powerful Joint Legislative Audit Committee. He was happy to have lived long enough to see the Republican Party win control of the Arkansas House and Senate. Upon his retirement from the senate he joined the University of Arkansas as associate dean in the College of Agriculture where he managed the construction of the Center for Excellence in Poultry Science, widely acknowledged as the leading facility of its kind in the world. Following his retirement from the University he served as a Commissioner for the Arkansas Workers Compensation Commission. Joe was one of a trio of former legislators who organized and directed the Huckabee administration when Governor Huckabee assumed office following the tumult of the last days of Governor Jim Guy Tucker's administration and he had many exciting stories of the days around that succession. He loved to fish, hunt, garden, take pictures, chase birds, and barbeque. He was an accomplished woodworker and was preparing to take up leather craft. He restored and won many prizes with his Model A Ford. He built a canoe for his grandchildren. In the last few years he was a common sight in his neighborhood, riding his scooter out to get the mail, his newspaper and to visit his grandchildren. He and Judy spent a few winters in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in their RV, cruised around, including a trip through the Panama Canal, and traveled the west with friends. He made it to the Hershey Auto Show and Swap Meet several times, covering every square inch of the swap meet on his scooter. He was looking for a new cruise itinerary for a trip this spring. He married the former Anita Ratcliff on August 28, 1960. He and Anita welcomed four children, including a set of twins, between 1962 and 1965. Anita preceded him in death in 2001. He married Judy Sugg Harrison, a classmate of his and Anita, in 2003. He was predeceased by a son, Patrick Shawn, a brother, Thomas Yates and a sister, Kathleen Fulton. He is survived by his wife, Judy, sons Christopher (Elizabeth), and Adam (Mindy) and daughter Robyn, two grandchildren, Linley Anita Yates and Hayden Christopher Yates, a sister Judy (Bill) Rife, three stepchildren, Tim, Bobby and Lori Harrison, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. He has a great many friends collected throughout his life since he rarely met anyone he didn't like. His family thanks his daughter Robyn for the care she provided in the last few months and expresses its love and gratitude to our stepmother Judy for the care and love she bestowed on him in their life together. His was a remarkable life and he leaves a legacy in his family, the work he did and the lives he touched that is matched by few. While the last couple of years have been difficult, he still looked forward to new things and adventures but his home going is celebrated. He said many times that RIP was not rest in peace but Rejoicing in Paradise and that's what he is doing today, surrounded by family and friends in the eternal presence of his Savior. Arrangements are by Wasson Funeral Service of Siloam Springs. The family will receive visitors from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. with a 1:30 p.m. funeral service, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at Fellowship Bible Church, 1051 W Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers. A graveside service will follow at 4 p.m. at the Dickson Cemetery in Cherokee City. You may send a note of condolence or share memories of Joe at www.wassonfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Arkansas Children's Hospital. www.giving.archildrens.org.