Obituary for Sarai Lea Yates
Early Sunday morning on October 6, 2013, Heavenly wings were granted to Mrs. Sarai Lea Yates of Blackstone, VA at Southside Community Hospital in Farmville, VA.
Mrs. Yates was born to the late Mr. Moses Foster and Mrs. Lillian Hawkes (Buddy) of Blackstone, VA on July 1, 1946 in Spartanburg, SC. She was educated in South Carolina public schools; graduated from Luther H. Foster High School in Nottoway, VA; and attended Rutledge Community College in Spartanburg, SC.
Mrs. Yates began her Christian journey at an early age at Sigsbee Church of Christ in Spartanburg, SC. She was a faithful member of Church of Christ in Blackstone, VA. She made sure that her sons new Christ as well.
Mrs. Yates began her working career at an early age in South Carolina. From managing and recovering restaurants in South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, she enjoyed restoring restaurants from the negative to the positive. Meeting and greeting was her thing as she made friends with all of her customers especially the morning shift. The love and passion of food led her to Shoney’s, Hardee’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s. Not quite ready to fully retire from McDonald’s, she went back again because she got to set her own hours. After 40 plus years in food service, Sarai retired for good in April 2013.
She was a member of the Eastern Star Martha McCain Chapter #462.
Some of the happiest times of her life were spent with her beloved family members as she traveled up and down 85 and 95 corridors. She enjoyed music, movies, dancing, shopping, “taking” pictures, Hallmark TV shows and “Walker Texas Rangers”, cooking, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at her house. She really loved her family and her extended family that her sons encountered throughout their lives through sports, schools, and neighborhoods. Full of life and jokes, she was known for “not” holding her tongue and did not care if you liked what she said or not. That was Sarai Yates for you as she sipped on her Dr. Peppers and dared you to drink one. She enjoyed eating at Red Lobster and IHOP on any occasion.
Mrs. Yates leaves in possession of her precious memories three sons that she raised firmly after the death of her late husband, Mr. Irvin Dennis Yates, Jr.: Mr. Conte Vincente LaMonte Tee Yates, Sr. of Blackstone, VA; Mr. Irvin Sir Leakco Yates, III (LaTonia) of Baltimore, MD; and Mr. LaToro Poindexter Yates (Stephanie) of West Orange, NJ; A niece as a daughter: Mrs. Kim Boykins (Keith) of Spartanburg, SC; A grandson as a son: Mr. Conte Vincente LaMonte Tee Yates, Jr. “Squirt” of Blackstone, VA; Ten grandchildren; Five great grandchildren; Three brothers: the late Mr. Rush Foster, Sr.; Mr. Robert Foster of Hoboken, NJ; and Mr. Jeffrey Foster (Evelina) of Queens, NY; and Four sisters: Ms. Norma Bates; Ms. Regina Gilyard; Ms. Pearl Foster; and Ms. Julie Foster of New Jersey. And a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and multitude of friends whose lives she touched in some way during her life. May her words of wisdom, jovial spirit, and caring heart be forever imbedded in our lives.
Family will visit with friends on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of Christ, 256 Brunswick Rd., Blackstone with private burial.
W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home of Blackstone in charge of arrangements
Family will visit with friends on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of Christ, 256 Brunswick Rd., Blackstone with private burial.
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Mrs. Yates was born to the late Mr. Moses Foster and Mrs. Lillian Hawkes (Buddy) of Blackstone, VA on July 1, 1946 in Spartanburg, SC. She was educated in South Carolina public schools; graduated from Luther H. Foster High School in Nottoway, VA; and attended Rutledge Community College in Spartanburg, SC.
Mrs. Yates began her Christian journey at an early age at Sigsbee Church of Christ in Spartanburg, SC. She was a faithful member of Church of Christ in Blackstone, VA. She made sure that her sons new Christ as well.
Mrs. Yates began her working career at an early age in South Carolina. From managing and recovering restaurants in South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, she enjoyed restoring restaurants from the negative to the positive. Meeting and greeting was her thing as she made friends with all of her customers especially the morning shift. The love and passion of food led her to Shoney’s, Hardee’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s. Not quite ready to fully retire from McDonald’s, she went back again because she got to set her own hours. After 40 plus years in food service, Sarai retired for good in April 2013.
She was a member of the Eastern Star Martha McCain Chapter #462.
Some of the happiest times of her life were spent with her beloved family members as she traveled up and down 85 and 95 corridors. She enjoyed music, movies, dancing, shopping, “taking” pictures, Hallmark TV shows and “Walker Texas Rangers”, cooking, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at her house. She really loved her family and her extended family that her sons encountered throughout their lives through sports, schools, and neighborhoods. Full of life and jokes, she was known for “not” holding her tongue and did not care if you liked what she said or not. That was Sarai Yates for you as she sipped on her Dr. Peppers and dared you to drink one. She enjoyed eating at Red Lobster and IHOP on any occasion.
Mrs. Yates leaves in possession of her precious memories three sons that she raised firmly after the death of her late husband, Mr. Irvin Dennis Yates, Jr.: Mr. Conte Vincente LaMonte Tee Yates, Sr. of Blackstone, VA; Mr. Irvin Sir Leakco Yates, III (LaTonia) of Baltimore, MD; and Mr. LaToro Poindexter Yates (Stephanie) of West Orange, NJ; A niece as a daughter: Mrs. Kim Boykins (Keith) of Spartanburg, SC; A grandson as a son: Mr. Conte Vincente LaMonte Tee Yates, Jr. “Squirt” of Blackstone, VA; Ten grandchildren; Five great grandchildren; Three brothers: the late Mr. Rush Foster, Sr.; Mr. Robert Foster of Hoboken, NJ; and Mr. Jeffrey Foster (Evelina) of Queens, NY; and Four sisters: Ms. Norma Bates; Ms. Regina Gilyard; Ms. Pearl Foster; and Ms. Julie Foster of New Jersey. And a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and multitude of friends whose lives she touched in some way during her life. May her words of wisdom, jovial spirit, and caring heart be forever imbedded in our lives.
Family will visit with friends on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of Christ, 256 Brunswick Rd., Blackstone with private burial.
W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home of Blackstone in charge of arrangements
Family will visit with friends on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of Christ, 256 Brunswick Rd., Blackstone with private burial.
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