Dorothy Helen (Holtz) Yates

Dorothy Helen (Holtz) Yates died September 1, 2019 in Pensacola, Florida just one week shy of her 96th birthday.  Her death was the result of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dorothy was born in Coleman, Texas September 8, 1923 to John and Amanda (Thomlinson) Holtz.  She was the third of the eleven Holtz children.

Dorothy graduated from Coleman High School in 1940 when she was sixteen.  She married William (Bill) Daniel Yates on June 8, 1940. After a few years of living in the Coleman area they moved to California, but she visited family and friends in Coleman often. She tried to never miss a family reunion.  Coleman was still home in her heart.

Most of her life she lived in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California until she retired.  She was active in TOPS, Women of the Moose, and Rebekah’s.  She held many leadership positions in all three organizations.

Dorothy loved animals, fishing, camping, hunting, and gardening.  She would always pet sit her children’s class pets over summer vacations.

Preceding her in death was her husband of 49 years, William D. Yates; her parents John and Amanda Holtz, son Ronald Yates; son-in-law Eugene Hansen; sisters Hazel Fields, Helen Holtz, Grace Griffin, and Mary Brown; her brothers John Holtz and Olen Holtz; her brothers-in-law Marshall Fields, Judd Griffin, Robert Elliott, and Ken Burnett.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Naomi Ruth (Yates) Hansen of Pensacola, Florida;  Naomi’s children: Tamara Hansen, Becky Biggs, Lewis Hansen (Gail), Genia Taylor (Stephen), Sara Allison (Brian), Daniel Hansen (Kalena), and Dallas Hansen; and Ron’s children: Scott Yates (Nikki) and Denise Yates Mednick (Rob); eighteen great-grandchildren; eleven great-great-grandchildren; sisters Faye Hall, Mae White, and Patricia Burnett; sisters-in-law Dorcia Holtz and Nita Holtz; brother Robert Holtz; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are grandson Daniel Hansen, great-grandson Aaron Hansen, nephews John Fields, Burt Ray Elliott, Christopher Brigandi, and Thomas Doherty.

Honorary Pallbearers are her brother Robert Holtz, her grandsons Lewis Hansen and Scott Yates, her nephew Warren Groff, and special friend Dub Meadows.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to a charity that concerns children, animals, or the Alzheimer’s foundation at www.alzfdn.org.

A visitation for family and friends will be 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, in Coleman.  A funeral service will follow the visitation at 11:00 a.m. at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Bob Martin, officiating.  Interment will follow at the Coleman City Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

Please leave kind messages and remembrances for the family at www.livingmemorials.com.