Mr. Richard T. Yates

Richard T. Yates, 86, of Sykesville Richard Thomas Yates, 86, of Sykesville, died Monday, March 5, 2012, at Carroll Hospice's Dove House in Westminster. Born April 23, 1925, in Baltimore, he was the son of the late Donald Roscoe and Isabel Doretta Miller Yates. He was the husband of Mary Louise Dawson Yates, his wife of 53 years. He was drafted into the Army on Aug. 30, 1943, and went to boot camp at Camp Gruber in Muskogee, Okla. Upon graduation, his crew became the replacement for the 42nd Rainbow Division Infantry. He was then rolled into the 79th Division. In February 1944, he participated in training maneuvers in Arizona and then in Kansas for cold weather training. In April 1944, his division went to Knutsford, England, and trained with live ammunition and then to Southampton as backup for the 90th division. Three days later they were called up, and one week after that, they went to Utah Beach in Normandy. The 79th went on to Cherbourg, France, where he saw his first action. Following the Battle of La Haye du Puits, which lasted six days, he was sent back to England until November 1944. He was then transferred to a hospital at the University of Virginia and was a patient until March 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Medal. By using the GI Bill he started school in 1947 and worked for the Army as a civilian in the inspector general's office until 1986. He had worked as a contract specialist for the Department of Defense. He moved to Carroll County in 1963 and became involved in politics. He had served as a Carroll County Commissioner from 1994 until 1998. He was a member of Freedom Lodge No. 112 A.F.& A.M, was former commander of VFW Post No. 4952, and an accomplished pilot. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are daughter and son-in-law Julia Ann and Stephen H. Sothoron, of Sykesville; sons and daughter-in-law Donald Richard and Danielle Marie Yates, and Kenneth Yates, all of Sykesville; grandchildren Christopher and Casey Selby, Jennifer Sothoron, Karah, Kristin, Karlie, Kelli and Jesse Yates; and nephews Richard and Donald Baum. He was predeceased by a sister, Jessie Adelaide Baum. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Haight Funeral Home & Chapel, 6416 Sykesville Road, Sykesville. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Westminster. Memorial contributions may be sent to Carroll Hospice Dove House, 292 Stoner Ave., Westminster, MD 21157. Online condolences may be offered at www.haightfuneralhome.com.

Mr. Richard T. Yates

April 23, 1925 - March 5, 2012