Opal Anderson Yankie

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the final home going of our beloved Mother, Mrs. Opal Anderson Yankie, on Sunday, October 18, 2020, in Waco, Texas. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 21, in the Garden Room of Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home from 5-7 pm. Services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 22, by family friend Rev. Dr. Gerald McKelroy, pastor of Greater Waco Baptist Church, with the assistance of Rev. Mike Copeland, pastor of First Baptist Church, China Spring. Mrs. Yankie was born April 5, 1921, in Waco, Texas to Covus Randolph "Cope" Anderson and Evalena Byrd Anderson. She grew up in lovely Blue Mountain, Mississippi and China Spring, Texas. The family finally settled on Texas though part of their hearts forever remained in Blue Mountain. Our Mother met and fell in love with the young man who lived across from what is now Yankie Road, H. A. "Boots" Yankie, son of Grover Leo Yankie and Zola Whitfield Yankie. They were married September 21, 1940, by the pastor of the Baptist Church in Erath Community near China Spring. This union lasted 51 years until our adored father left us on June 1, 1992. He was a Deacon at that church where is brother, Mike Yankie, directed the singing. Mother and Daddy had four very fortunate children, Gay Annette, Nancy Opal, Grover Lee and Wayne Anderson Yankie. We say "fortunate" because we were blessed with parents who loved us beyond measure and a grandmother, Mrs. Zola Yankie, who continued to live on the Whitfield -Yankie homeplace the rest of her life. We were children who were never "kept" by anyone other than our ever protecting parents or our wonderful paternal grandmother who played a huge part in our lives. Mother was baptized at Cooper's Crossing in the Bosque River at age 11, and became a member of what is now First Baptist Church, China Spring. Mother was a lifelong Christian, a steadfast believer and led her children throughout our lives. She was a role model impossible to live up to, but we did our best under our parent's lifelong good guidance. Mother was the oldest member of the church at age 99 years and 6 months. Mrs. Yankie was a real Southern Christian Lady of impeccable character for whom her role of wife and mother never waivered. She was ever mindful of wisdom and understanding based on the Holy Scriptures, and both she and our father gave unconditional love. She made sure her children were in church every Sunday from the nursery and beyond. Mother taught Sunday School classes and participated in Vacation Bible School. The fact that her daughters, Gay and Nancy, were church organist and pianist, respectively, from an early age was a source of pride for our parents. Wayne also participated in the music programs at various churches during his studies at Baylor and forward. He is quite an accomplished musician (trumpet, piano) to include all aspects of the consummate musician. Grover Lee, our brother who we lost far too soon, was also a very talented musician. Mother is predeceased by her parents, her devoted husband, Hugh Alvin "Boots" Yankie, an infant son, Kenneth Franklin Yankie, her beloved son, Grover Lee Yankie, and a much loved son-in-law, Dr. Lewis S. Sidarous; her siblings: Brewer Franklin Anderson, Jewel Anderson Davis, Mabel Anderson Alexander and Grace Anderson Pundt; her nephew, Ben M. Yankie and Warren Alvin Yankie; niece, Carolyn Kay Pundt Duffer; and husband from 2001-2010, Rev. A. L. Davis, who also died at age 99. Mother is survived by her children, Gay Yankie Sidarous (husband, Dr. Lewis S. Sidarous, deceased) and their children: Monica Ford and husband, Thomas J. Ford, Natalie Sidarous and husband, Dr. Jason McCannell and Jared Lewis Sidarous; Nancy Opal Yankie Sidarous and husband, Hani S. Sidarous and their children, Juliana Opal Sidarous Davis and husband, Anuel Lee Davis, Jr. and their son, Christian; Sharif Hani Sidarous and wife, Laura Whitlow Sidarous and their daughter, Alexandria Zafirah Sidarous; the children of her son, Grover Lee Yankie; Laurie Yankie Jimenez and husband, Mario and family, and Christopher Lee Yankie and family; son, Wayne Anderson Yankie and wife, Mollie Marrable Yankie and their children; Bethany McMillan Yankie, Briana Franklin Yankie, Mariah McClain Yankie, Kaitlin Anderson Yankie and Summer Whitfield Yankie; nephews: Dwain Gray and wife, Susan, Steve Pundt and wife, Linda, Bruce Pundt, Mike Yankie and Edgar Augustus "Eddie" Alexander III and wife, Frances; nieces, Deena Yankie Myers, Joy Dyer, Gwen Estill, Dorothy Knudson, Patsy Morris Yankie Peck and Cynthia Hunt. Pallbearers are family friends, most of whom spent time in Mother's home and her woods on Live Oak Creek at China Spring, and called her "Grandmama." They are Chris Brummett, Jeff Oxner, Lowell Bennett, T. J. Barrett IV, Rusty Haferkamp and Zachary Poe. Honorary Pallbearers are nephews, Mike Yankie, Steve Pundt, Bruce Pundt and Dwain Gray. In 2010, we added a special loving person to our family who will remain so, Lila Williams Fox, along with her husband, Paul, who became the helping hands to Mrs. Yankie. She immediately became an integral part of Mother's life and those of her children in caring for her as a gifted and expert caregiver. We will be forever indebted to her and her family for the level of care and love she has given. The namesakes of Opal Anderson Yankie are Nancy Opal and Juliana Opal, both of whom by happenstance remained here at home base, and so were extremely close to the original Opal. We carry the name with great pride and with a lot to live up to. Boots Yankie took one look at Nancy upon her birth and knew she looked like his Opal. The brightest light, who brought a sparkle to Mother's eyes and a big smile to her face, was the latest addition to our family, a great grandchild whom she held in her arms and knew for three years. She is the daughter of Mother and Daddy's much loved grandson, Sharif and loving wife, Laura. Her name is Alexandria Zafirah Sidarous. Our Mother, Mrs. Opal Anderson Yankie along with our Father, Boots Yankie are and will be missed daily, and there aren't words to express how much. She was a force of nature and the strongest woman we knew. We will need to relearn life without her. Arrangements are entrusted to Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, Waco, Texas. Prescribed masking and distancing requirements will be observed. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.