JOHN "JACK" YATES obituary

John "Jack" William Yates, 82, died Sunday, April 18, 2004, at a Havre hospital of natural causes.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Holland and Bonine Chapel with the Rev. VaunDalee DeLong officiating.

Burial with full military honors will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Vets Club immediately after the services at the graveside.

Jack was born Jan. 13, 1922, in Gold Butte to Reginald Spencer and Grace Elizabeth (Barnes) Yates. He grew up in Wild Horse, Alberta, and attended school at Wild Horse and Medicine Hat. He graduated from Sunburst High School in 1940. He served with the U.S. Army 191st Tank Battalion in World War II from September of 1942 to September of 1945. He received the Purple Heart. After his honorable discharge, Jack attended Montana State University in Bozeman.

Jack met Marcy Baringer in Bozeman and they were married June 18, 1946, in Miles City. Jack then completed his second year of education at Bozeman. After college, the couple moved to Havre, where Jack worked as the head teller for the First National Bank. He also sold insurance for a short time, and worked at the Credit Bureau for six years. He then worked for Hill County Electric for 15 years and the Havre Job Service for five years. He retired in 1986.

Jack's hobbies included reading, World War II history, playing cards and spending time with his family. He was very active in the Shriners, the VFW Club and the Veteran Honor Guard. He was a life member of the VFW and DAV and a member of the American Legion. He was a life member of Masonic Lodge #55 Royal Arch and Demolay. He had donated over 22 gallons of blood to the Red Cross.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents and one grandson.

Survivors include his wife, Marcy Yates of Havre; son, Spencer (Zonia) Yates of East Glacier; daughter, Loree (Tony) Martin of Bigfork; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and sister, Ethel (George) Cote of Summerland, British Columbia.

Memorials in Jack's honor may be made to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2472, Spokane, WA 99210-2472 or to the Havre-Hill County Library, 402 Third St., Havre, MT 59501.

Services and arrangements are under the direction of Holland and Bonine Funeral Home.