Memorial services for Bill Yelvington, 84, of Athens will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 at Eastern Hills Church of Christ, Athens with Dan Rogers officiating.
A family graveside service at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Athens will precede the memorial service.
Mr. Yelvington died Sept. 2, 2013 in Tyler after a brief illness.
Bill (also known as “Red”) was born in Athens on Dec. 1, 1928 to the late James Claude and Laura Hall Yelvington.
Bill began a 40-year radio broadcasting career at age 17 at Athens station KBUD with groundbreaking boogie-woogie and blues show. Later, he would host “Radio Rodeo” each afternoon. He took a break from radio from 1954-1961 while serving as Washington D.C. chief of staff for U.S. Congressman John Dowdy. After returning to Athens from Washington D.C. he was employed by the United States Postal Service until retirement in 1988. Bill graduated from Athens High School in 1947 then attended Henderson County Junior College and Kansas State Teachers College. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was a Jaycee, president of Athens Lion Club in both 1962 and 1974, and was named Outstanding Alumnus of Henderson County Junior College in 1972. Many happy times were spent at the family weekend cabin at Pottawatomie Gun and Rod Club (now Fly-In Lake) and cattle ranching at “the farm” near Cross Roads. He was an active member of Eastern Hills Church of Christ.
Mr. Yelvington is preceded in death by the mother of his children, Beverly England Yelvington; second wife, Sue Browning Boswell; sister, Dorothy Petty.
He is survived by sons, The Rev James Claude “Jerry” Yelvington, Austin, Brad Yelvington, Lexington, Ky.; stepsons, Allen Boswell and wife Kim, Barry Boswell, all of Athens; stepdaughters, Susan Kelley and husband Don, Athens, Dr. Betty Boswell, Greenville, N.C.; brother, Jim Yelvington, Shreveport, La.; dear friend, Dorothy Ellis, Tyler; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Thursday 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please remember Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701 and Eastern Hills Community Care Food Pantry,
P O Box 1997, Athens, Texas 75751.
You may leave a message of condolence or light a memorial candle for the family at www.carroll-lehr.com.