Vicky Janette Yates
1944 – 2023
Vicky Janette Yates, 79, of Edmond, Oklahoma passed away on September 6, 2023, in Edmond, Oklahoma. She was born August 3, 1944, in Wellington, Kansas to Warren Nelson Harris and Ethelyn Lavon Blackmore Harris.
Warren moved the family from Wellington to Guthrie, Oklahoma when Vicky was 7 years old. Growing up in Guthrie, she met Jim who she described as 'the love of her life'. Vicky and Jim began dating steadily during her senior year of high school while Jim was attending college at Central State University. Vicky graduated from Guthrie High School in 1962 and was married to Jim on June 1, 1964. They were married for 59 years and had 2 sons, Jim, and Chris. They settled in Edmond, and she started helping in her sons' classrooms at Russell Dougherty Elementary, and eventually became a full-time employee of the Edmond Public Schools working as a teacher's aide with special needs children. Vicky retired from her teaching career at Cross Timbers Elementary after 18 years of service so she could start taking care of grandkids. She then took care of her grandkids, while parents worked during the day, for 8 years until they were all in elementary school which was such a blessing to the grandkids and the parents.
Vicky loved going to church at New Covenant in Edmond, traveling around the world, ballroom dancing, playing piano, camping, fishing, and spending time with her family. Especially the grandkids!
She is preceded in death by her parents, Warren and Ethelyn, stepmother, Marjorie Eileen Blackmore, stepmother, Betty Jean Harris, half-sister, Jill Shannon Johnson, and stepsister, Carolyn Sue Webb Hightower.
Vicky is survived by her husband, Jim; her children, Jim and his wife, Tish, and Chris and his wife, Rebecca; her grandchildren, Harrison, Nicole, Teagan and Sophia; sisters Nancy Hopkins and Joy Privette, half-sister Jody West, stepbrother Jim Webb, and many other family and friends.
Visitation will be from 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at Matthews Funeral Home, 601 S. Kelly Ave, Edmond, Oklahoma 73003. Family will be present to greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 15, 2023, at New Covenant Church, 2700 S Blvd, Edmond, OK 73013.
Interment will take place at Summit View Cemetery, 1808 N Pine St, Guthrie, OK 73044 beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for charitable donations to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org