Guy King Yeatts
Guy King Yeatts, aged 98, passed away on July 2, 2024, in Danville, Virginia after a very brief decline in health. He was born on September 13, 1925, in Dry Fork, Virginia, to Charles Samuel Yeatts and Addie Stowe Yeatts. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his 11 siblings and countless cousins. He enjoyed his childhood in Dry Fork surrounded by his large family. Many of the stories he passed down through the years were centered in Dry Fork. He would always call it home. Guy had a highly developed sense of humor, often practiced on his siblings and children. It would last a lifetime. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the US Navy to fight in World War II. He was assigned to the USS Blair, for escort duty in the Atlantic, and later to the USS Thomas E. Fraser, where he saw combat in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Guy personally downed a kamikaze airplane as it attempted to crash into the battleship USS New Mexico. Guy was extremely proud of his service to his country and often spoke as if it were the best time of his life. In 1946, he returned to Dry Fork where he completed high school, and he later received a degree in Distributive Education from Richmond Polytechnic Institute, now part of Virginia Commonwealth University. In 1949, he met and married Hermine Sniegon. After several lean years in Richmond, he and Hermine moved to Princess Anne County, Virginia where he began his career in education. This would be the start of a lifelong love of helping children young and old become all they could be. In 1956, he moved his family to Danville as a teacher, where he later became an assistant principal at George Washington High School. In 1963, he received a Master of Education Degree from Duke University. After over 10 years at G.W., he moved to the central office of Danville Public Schools as Assistant Superintendent. He is remembered fondly as helping the school system's employees navigate from being first-year teachers all the way to retirement. His favorite part of his job was to visit special education classrooms and spend time on the floor playing with the children, all while wearing a suit and tie. After retiring in 1990, he served as interim superintendent of schools in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
Faith and family were the most important aspects of his life. He lived by the teachings of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, practicing love and compassion throughout his almost 99 years. In addition to his parents and siblings, he was preceded in death by his wife Hermine, daughter Patricia Yeatts Stowe, and his grandson Matthew Stowe. He is survived by his son, Guy Steven Yeatts, daughter Clara Lee Yeatts, grandsons, Justin Stowe (Jamie), Patrick Stowe (Morgan), Samuel Rippe (Emily), his son-in-law Michael Stowe, and 5 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his close companion, Katie Eubanks.
The family would like to thank his special caregiver, Aremis Smith, and the staff of Roman Eagle Rehabilitation and Health Services for their caring and compassion during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to the charity of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on July 5, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at Norris Mt. Hermon Chapel, 3995 Franklin Turnpike, Danville, VA 24540, with Reverend Joey Yeatts officiating.
A visitation will be held on the same day before the service from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. also at Norris Mt. Hermon Chapel.
Norris Funeral Services, Inc. & Crematory, Mt. Hermon Chapel, Danville, VA is respectfully serving the Yeatts family. Online condolences may be made at www.norrisfuneral.com
