Grover Lee Yankie

Yankie, Grover Grover Lee Yankie of China Spring, joined his family circle in heaven on May 22, 2005, surrounded by most of his earthly loving family. Services will be Thursday, May 26 at 10:30 AM at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with Rev. Ross Davis and Rev. Paul G. Smith officiating. Rev. Smith was the former Pastor of First Baptist Church of China Spring while Grover was growing up. Burial will follow at China Spring Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be Wednesday, May 25 from 6 to 8:00 PM in the Garden Room at the funeral home. Vocalists will be Ms. Patsy Conley of Madisonville and childhood and longtime family friend, Mrs. Regina Cash Talbert of China Spring. Grover was born on October 16, 1954, to H. A. “Boots” and Opal Anderson Yankie and named for his paternal grandfather who was originally from Yazoo City, Mississippi. He grew up working on the family dairy farm and was the sixth generation of the Whitfield-Yankie clan to farm the cherished homestead on Live Oak Creek near China Spring. Grover attended First Baptist Church of China Spring and China Spring schools where he enjoyed sports, especially track, football and boxing. He later attended MCC. Grover was a hard worker and excelled in several different occupations such as carpentry and mechanics, as well as detective work. He particularly enjoyed driving an 18-wheeler across this nation as well as into Canada and Mexico. Taking his father with him on some of these trips gave him tremendous pleasure. He had a great love for his Harley which he handled with unusual expertise. Genealogical research shows that the Yankie family enjoyed making music dating back to the Revolutionary War days, and Grover carried on this family tradition as he played his “Beatle Bass” in a local band beginning in his high school days. Perhaps his greatest pleasures in life were the children he shared with Ms. Patsy Conley and their grandchildren. We will miss Grover Lee’s jokes, storytelling and love of history that was passed down from his father and shared with all of his family. He loved to read, was an avid hunter and fisherman and was proud of his sure aim. Grover was preceded in stepping into eternity by our beloved father, H. A. “Boots” Yankie, grandparents, Grover Leo and Zola Whitfield Yankie, C. R. and Evalena Anderson and granddaughter, Macy Nicole. Grover’s life took many twists and turns, but he held fast to the profession of faith he made as a child. May the circle be unbroken! Surviving to cherish Grover and his memory are his mother, Mrs. Opal Yankie Davis and step-father Rev. A. L. Davis of China Spring and Rapid City, S. D.; daughter, Laurie Yankie Jimenez and husband, Mario of Waco; son, Christopher Lee Yankie and wife, Charon of China Spring; sisters, Gay Yankie Sidarous and husband, Lewis of San Antonio and Nancy Yankie Sidarous and husband, Hani of Waco; brother, Wayne Andreson Yankie and wife Mollie of Nashville, Tennessee; uncle, Leo Alton Yankie and wife Evelyn; aunts, Mrs. Mable Anderson Alexander of Fort Worth and Mrs. Grace E. Pundt and husband, William M. of China Spring; eight grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be cousins, Thomas Lee Yankie, Bruce Pundt and Brian Duffer; uncle, William M. Pundt; longtime friends, Harry Freedman and Larry Nix, and family member and friend, Anuel Lee Davis, Jr. Honorary pallbearers are uncle, Leo A. Yankie and cousins, Grady Mike Yankie, Steve D. Pundt, Dwain Gray and Eddie A. Alexander with lifelong family friend Mr. Charles T. Burt. Special thanks and appreciation are extended to Grover’s caregiver, Ms. Jackie Mangrum for her support and friendship. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey