Mary Elizabeth Thomas Yates

Mary Elizabeth Thomas Yates passed away on June 28, 2022, at Adams Place in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Mrs. Yates was born in Nashville, Tennessee, where she completed Richland Elementary School and proudly graduated from Bellevue High School (Class of ’42). She married Leo Dale Yates, who was stationed at Camp Forrest (Tullahoma, Tennessee), and then she joined him while he was in Ranger training (2nd Ranger Battalion) in Tacoma, Washington, where they were very happy before he was deployed. While her husband served in Europe during World War II, Mary was a telephone operator for the Southern Bell Telephone Company in Nashville. After her husband returned from military service, they lived for short periods in Indiana and Illinois, until they permanently settled in Nashville where they raised their three children. Mary enjoyed cooking, gardening, needlework, sewing, smocking, singing, and hosting family dinners and weekend cookouts that often included her special apple pies. Mary also enjoyed collecting many types of “treasures” and hosting friends, neighbors, and relatives at her home. Genealogy was a passion, as well as a favorite topic of discussion, of hers. Throughout the years, Mrs. Yates attended the Richland, Westwood, and Woodmont Baptist churches. After staying home to raise her children, she worked for many years at the Sanders Manufacturing Company. Mary is survived by two daughters (Lynne [Kent] and Jan [Tom]), three granddaughters (Maria, Lauren [Mike] and Courtney [Harold]), four great-grandsons (Nate, Henry, Baylen, and Andrew), and many devoted nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband (Leo Dale Yates), son (Dale Alan Yates), parents (James Virgil Thomas, Sr. [Devola Dean Gordon]), brothers (John Marshall Thomas and James Virgil Thomas, Jr.), sister (Ann Thomas Fox), special cousins (Ecce, John, and Russell Gordon, and Mary Fikes Patton), three nephews, and the parents, brothers and sisters (and their spouses), and several nieces and nephews of her husband. She was the last member of the “Great Generation” of her and her husband’s families. A memorial service, officiated by Mr. Mike Gann, was held at the Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Cemetery on June 30, 2022, coordinated and provided by Compassion Funeral & Cremation Services. The family is indebted to the caring and dedicated employees of Adams Place Continuing Care and Stones River Manor Assisted Living who provided Mrs. Yates with exceptionally compassionate care. Those wishing to honor Mrs. Yates may provide a memorial in her name to the Resident Assistance Fund of either Adams Place Continuing Care (1927 Memorial Drive; Murfreesboro, TN, 37129) or Stones River Manor Assisted Living (205 Haynes Drive; Murfreesboro, TN, 37129). Arrangements in the care of Compassion Funeral & Cremation Services, 6949 Charlotte Pike, Suite 104 (615) 857-9955. We are proud to West Nashville & Bellevue's ONLY locally owned & operated funeral & cremation provider.