Obituaries

Mary Heady Yates

Photo of Mary Heady Yates
Mary Heady Yates passed away Monday, August 16, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. Her life work was dedicated to the welfare of her community and her family. Mary organized the local chapters of several philanthropic organizations including T.T.T. and P.E.O. and served in executive positions at each. Mary's professional life included work in the insurance industry and she was the long time director of the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and served on the board. She also coordinated the 1980 U.S. Census for the Western Arkansas district. Mary's life intersected with politics as her late husband, Jack Yates of Ozark, served in the state House of Representatives, State Senate, and was district prosecuting attorney and Mary herself was elected to the Franklin County Quorum Court in 1975 where she served with honor. Mary was also instrumental in the successful effort to keep Turner Memorial Hospital (now Mercy Hospital Turner Memorial) open and continuing to provide critical healthcare services to the community. Mary was also instrumental in Arkansas State Highway 23 (The Pig Trail) being designated a Scenic Byway. Also notable were her successful efforts at raising money for the restoration and renovation of the historic cabins at White Rock Mountain. After being a widow for 23 years, Mary fell in love with Bob Lasiter who became her loving partner until her death. Mary is survived by her partner Bob and her four children: Jack, a college professor, and his wife Carole who live in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and their two children, Elizabeth and Benjamin; Ted, an attorney, and his wife Margaret who live in Cape Girardeau, Mo., and their three children, Pierce, Meg and Adeline; Pat, a teacher in Little Rock, and her husband Steve Davison and daughter Cate; and Geniece, a high school teacher and her husband Tim Buckley, of Fayetteville, along with their two children, Beth and Patrick Buckley. Memorials may be made to Ozark Botanical Garden, 4703 Crossover Rd, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-750-2620 or at www.bgozarks.org.

Published August 18, 2010

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