A. J. Yeats

A.J. "Jay" Yeats, 73, of Grants Pass died Jan. 27, 2009, at his home. He was born Dec. 27, 1935, in Bridgeport, Texas, to Alva and Dora Yeats. He served in the Navy for 20 years and was honorably discharged. On Jan. 13, 1959, in Warner Haven, Calif., he married Donna Rainboth, who survives. After retiring, they moved to Grants Pass from San Diego. On Aug. 4, 1979, he earned his diploma in welding technology from Rogue Community College. On June 13, 1981, he received associate's degrees in heavy equipment maintenance repair and vocational teacher education. He then worked part-time as a teacher for RCC. In 1989, he started working for Rogue Valley Mechanical, and, in 1999, he retired. He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association. He enjoyed fabricating, fishing and hunting. In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Deborah Yeats of Grants Pass; two sons, James Yeats of Fairfield, Calif., and David Yeats of Lodi, Calif.; two brothers, Jim Yeats of Lubbock, Texas, and David Yeats of League City, Texas; a sister, Barbara Wade of Bedford, Texas; four grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, a great-grandchild and two stepgreat-grandchildren. A granddaughter, Jennifer Boyd, died in March 1982.