Geraldine Camille "Gerry" (Wangsness) Yates

Geraldine Camille "Gerry" (Wangsness) Yates, 98, a longtime civic leader, died on April 11, 2016, at Chandler Post Acute & Rehabilitation.

Mrs. Yates was born on March 16, 1918, in Garretson, South Dakota. After graduating from Garretson High School, she attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and art. She moved to Bigelow, Minnesota, in 1939 to teach English. There, she met her future husband, Ronald Yates. They were married in May 1940 and moved to Ronnie’s family farm in northern Iowa. In 1942, they moved to her hometown, where they raised their children on the family farm.

She later taught high school English in Valley Springs, South Dakota, and then Garretson. While teaching in Garretson, she organized the Sioux Valley Speech and Forensics Conference with other high schools in the county. When she retired in 1972, Garretson High School recognized her achievements by creating a special award in her honor, the "Geraldine C. Yates Special Distinction Award in Speech, Forensics and Debate." After retiring, she and Ronnie moved to Arizona City, where they became involved in numerous community organizations and activities and just had fun. They were instrumental in the creation of Central Lutheran Church. After Ronnie died in December 1986, she became the founding director of Sunland Visitor Center. She also assisted in obtaining a long-term lease of the old Toltec School, now the Santa Cruz Valley Historic Museum. She retired again in 2003, at age 85.

At that point, she said she was ready to sit down and read some good novels. She was a frequent visitor at the Arizona City Public Library, checking out, on average, seven novels every week. Her goal was reading one a day, after she completed her two daily crossword puzzles (four on Sunday). She also enjoyed listening to Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns games, along with every University of Arizona Wildcats basketball game. She moved into Chandler Post Acute & Rehabilitation in the fall of 2012. She celebrated her 98th birthday with family and close friends.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her identical twin sister and a daughter, Margaret "Peg" Snesrud. She is survived by a daughter and two sons, Cynthia "Cindy," Ronald James Jr. "Jim" and Robert "Bob," all of Arizona City; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life and memorial service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Central Lutheran Church in Arizona City. A private ceremony will follow to commingle the ashes of her and her husband in the Central Lutheran Church Memorial Garden. A luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall.

Memorial donations may be made to Santa Cruz Valley Historic Museum or Hospice of the Valley.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.