Clarence Eugene Yeakley - Uncle Gene

Found in my email on October 2, 2014, this was an unexpected blessing. It has been more than 50 years and yet Wayne felt that it was important to reach out and share this memory. I am so glad he did. 

Hello Ann;  I wrote the following note to you last night and then couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to post it. I’m kind of long winded and tried to shorten my story to you and still make sense. I liked your Uncle, and though didn’t know him all that well, found him a man easy to be around. Not all of the NCO’s treated the lower grades all that well he did. Anyway, here it is:

.Hello; My name Is Wayne Lee Derrick, age 73, retired here in Spokane, Washington. I served in the USAF from August 1959 to August 63.

I was stationed at Mather AFB from July 60 until discharge and in the same squadron as your Uncle Clarence.

In early July my wife and son left California early to return home and find us a place after my discharge. For reasons I don’t remember (probably getting the car repaired) I was riding back and forth to work with Clarence for a couple days. Another friend stopped by my office and asked if I wanted to stop at the NCO club for a beer and told me he could drop me at home. I agreed and after telling Clarence we went on our way. It was the day of his accident. On the way home we drove by the scene and saw the two vehicles. By all that is logical I should have been with him and would have been killed also.

If you would like more information about that day and for that matter about the work and position he held please contact me. I will be more than happy to talk to you. I hope you receive this email as that day has never left me.

I had an experience today while driving outside the city which startled me and it brought back the memory.

Regards

Wayne

C is for Clarence Eugene Yeakley - Uncle Gene

My uncle Gene was the second youngest child of Ernest Marvin Yeakley and Nancy Ellen Jones. He was born in Oklahoma on May 30, 1923 and died in Sacramento, California on July 18, 1963. He was five years younger than my mother.

This is the photo taken after Ellen's death. In the back, Noel, Don, Marvin (my grandfather), Jay Dee, and Lee. In the front, Gene, Ruby (my mom), Ruth and Lola Mae. Not the best picture but the only one I have with Gene. 

Uncle Gene never married. His whole life was about the Air Force. He served in World War II and Korea. He always wanted to be a pilot but never passed the physical because his eye sight was not good enough. So, instead, he rode in planes, taking care of the photographic equipment. Since my grandfather was a photographer, Uncle Gene came by it naturally.

When I was small, he would pop in unexpectedly and spend weeks with our family. He was always fun to have around. He would bring gifts for my mom. My brother has the tea set he brought her from China. If you hold the teacup up to the light, a geisha appears. He brought her scrimshaw from India. He had interesting stories and I loved it when he arrived. After he left us, he would head to Washington to visit Aunt Lola and her family.

He was 40 years old when he died, way too young. He was killed in an auto accident when two young kids, sharing the driver's side seat belt, lost control of the car, hitting him head-on in his lane. The whole family gathered in Sacramento to say goodbye. 

The family at the cemetery. 

Ruby (Yeakley) Rhea, Paul Curtindale, Ernie Rhea behind Paul, Ruth (Yeakley) Edmonds, Marlin Rhea, Jay Dee Yeakley behind Marlin, Marie (White) Yeakley, Jerry Curtindale, Noel Yeakley, Alta (Rogers) Yeakley, Lola Mae (Yeakley) Curtindale, Vivian (Crawford) Yeakley, Don Yeakley. 

Uncle Gene should have been in this picture. I wasn't because I took the picture.