Capt. William Kirby Yates, USN, Ret. of Mystic, Connecticut, died peacefully on Sunday morning, February 15, 2009, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in New London from complications of the flu. He was 85 years old.
Bill graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1947 and had a distinguished career in the Navy including command of the USS Snook, the USS John Adams, the Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT, and Chair of the Dept. of Strategic Warfare at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Following his retirement, he pursued a 10 year career in civilian defense industries while also devoting himself to peace and justice concerns, including the Nuclear Freeze movement and Witness for Peace.
A beloved member of St. Marks Episcopal Church since 1967, Bill was unwavering in his commitment to his church and community. He was a founder of the Memorial Garden at St. Marks and chaired their recent renovation campaign. He was a founding contributor and treasurer of the Mystic Flag Committee, as well as a founding contributor of the Mystic River Park. He enjoyed renovating his former home at 99 River Road in Mystic, and studied to become a Master Gardner in the process.
Bill is survived by his wife, Pauline M. Yates; four children, Steven K. Yates of Peachtree, GA, Mary Kirby Yates Gillispie of Santa Barbara, CA; Kathleen B. Yates of San Jose, CA, and John B. Yates of Washington, MA; as well as five adult step-children, 16 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held in his honor on Wednesday, February 18th, 1:00 pm, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church,15 Pearl Street, Mystic.
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