Winston F. "Skip" Yates

Winston F. "Skip" Yates, 78, of Ammon, passed away November 11, 2021, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

He was born in San Diego, California, on July 17, 1943. The Second World War was going on, and his father, Gairel, was a belly gunner on a B-17 based in England. When his Dad came home, he started calling his son, Skipper, and the nickname stayed with him. When his Dad came back, they always attended the Church of Christ wherever they lived.

They built their house in Southern California, called Colton. Skip had lots of land to play and run around in. His family always had a vegetable garden from which they canned and froze their food for the coming year. When Skip helped in the garden, he was able to sell corn and other things from his wagon he pulled behind him in his neighborhood.

Skip and I met in the Youth Group at the Riverside Church of Christ where once or twice a month the young people would get together and play ball, or make homemade ice cream for the rest of the church in the heat of the Summer. Afterwards, we would have a sing song. Sometimes we made hamburgers together while the sun set a little later.

Skip and I dated a few times and he dated others as well. He was already on his way to college as soon as he graduated from high school.

Skip had plans to go to Abilene Christian College. He just could not get this mind-set out of his head. I mean driving alone to a place he had never been! His parents had a great confidence in him. They also were confident in the preacher and his wife, Bill and Ann Young, and this gave them confidence as well.

When Skip graduated in 1965, computers were just beginning to make a noticeable difference in the work environment. This was just what he needed. He had graduated with a degree in Math Science. When he accepted a job at Northup and got himself settled, he began looking up the people he knew before he had moved.

His parents and my parents were friends, and Skip’s mother offered a suggestion to look them up. They did not know I was still living at home. He just came to visit my parents. So to see me there was a bonus to him, I’m sure.

We renewed our friendship, and even though it was 80 miles from his apartment to my house, he began showing up each weekend. And not long after, we decided to marry. Remember this was before cell phones, and long-distance calling. We would write each other at least twice a week.

I want to add to the question we get so often when people ask, "How do you make a marriage last so long?" We will, in unison say, "It takes our love of the Lord, first and foremost, and second, our love and commitment to each other a must."

Although our lives have not all been great, some was pretty bad. But together, we love each other now more than when we first began.