Monty Yoakley Obituary

Monty Carlton Yoakley, 81 of Greenwood passed away Wednesday, March 25, 2015, from having jammed 197 years worth of living into an 81 year old shell of a body. He drifted holding the hand of his "biker chick" wife, Peggy Yoakley, about whom we have no proof at all that she is not an actual angel on earth. He was born June 30, 1933 in Harlingen, TX to the late Carlos and Curtis Ann Yoakley.
As a child, he was so poor he "could not afford to pay attention," and often carried to school a "hickory nut and a ball peen hammer" for his lunch. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran of the Korean War. He tried to enlist at 17, writing "my word" on a paper in his shoe so he could stand on his word to the recruiter that he was old enough. When they required more than his word, he waited until he was 18 and enlisted for real. He served time on the USS Taylor DDE468, one of four Destroyers in the 7th Fleet. While aboard ship, he was the store keeper, which made him popular with his shipmates as he was a man that could get things. He was a vocal presence, and the Captain's Talker during hostile situations. Always one to find the best in any situation, he said he had the fondest memories of standing on the flying bridge, watching the moon and stars across the sea. And of the women of Japan, who he recalled to have been quite hospitable to him.
He was a member of the Black Widows Motorcycle Club and the Reapers Motorcycle Club in which he was the First President. He built motorcycles from the ground up, rode them from the sky down, and was the best riding buddy that ever lived.
He was a retired supervisor of Dixie Cup/American Can Company. The company changed names, corporate ownership, structure, style, and location during his 42 years of employment. Monty never changed once, other than agreeing to move from Texas to Arkansas halfway through the ride. He was a loyal worker who would not miss a day of work as long as he was able to sit upright. He retired with a gold watch and the respect of his coworkers. Only one of those meant anything to him.
While in Texas, he and his first wife, Dorothea Fairchild, with whom he still remained friends, had three children. Always the overachiever, he then signed on for his second full family, marrying his second wife, Barbara Jean Yoakley and eventually adopting her two children as his own. He began forging a father/son relationship with her youngest by eating figs off the tree in the back yard with him and teaching him the majesty of being able to pee outside.
During his early times in Arkansas, he ran a small farm with Barbara, with whom he remained dear friends to the end, on Backbone Mountain in Greenwood, Arkansas. There, he raised enough food in a gloriously haphazard garden and a random and confusing collection of critters to feed his family and to have for others in need. He raised chickens, pigs, goats (which became pets and lawnmowers), rabbits (they were "fast breeders"), stray dogs, a dry milk cow, and an old mean "Free Range" rooster named "The Governor." He cut at least 7,000,000 ricks of wood with his family and an old MacCullough chainsaw that slung oil like water hose. He built sheds that lasted as long as they were needed, and pretended not to have a broken heart on every occasion it was "time" to harvest any of the livestock. He taught the kids that the secret to life was to leave things better than you found them.
The family moved closer to town in Greenwood as his kids got involved in sports and cheer. He set the standard of a sports parent, never once criticizing their performances and always telling them how much he enjoyed watching them.
He was a master vacationer, squeezing enough out of tight finances and tax returns to drive Barbara and the kids across the country several times, first in an orange Volkswagen Bus, and later in a windowless cargo van turned into shag carpet lined luxury cruiser. They camped along the way, ate tons of PB&J and laughed until they cried at least once daily, by rule.
Never one to be satisfied with accomplishment, Monty married his third wife and his soulmate, Peggy Yoakley, and became the beloved patriarch and mentor for a third family. He continued to deftly fill those roles for all three families through his final day.
Monty was preceded in death by his tonsils, approximately 35 removed skin cancers, one of his heart valves (which in true Razorback fashion was replaced with a valve from a pig heart), a portion of his femur, his left hip, the bones in his big left toe, his prostate and several pints of blood left on engine parts and tools over seven decades of fixing things.
He was also preceded by his parents, Carlos and Curtis Ann Yoakley, his son, Danny Yoakley, and his life long best friend, brother and fishing partner, Blackie McGee.
He is survived by dozens of people who will always consider him their best friend, as well as his Wife, Peggy, and her children, Tracy Feikema (her Husband Ben Feikema and their children, Ethan and Evan Owings, Raylee and Beau Feikema); her son, Jason Reames (and his wife, Michael Ann Reames and their children, Hannah Tedford, Jake Reames and Max Reames); his daughter, Theresa Parnell (and her children, Troy and Tony Fernandez); the children of his late son Danny Yoakley (Amanda Yoakley, Krystal Nava, Jessica, Jennifer and Billy Yoakley); His daughter, Lisa Michna (and her children April Jackson and Cody Walding); his daughter, Tammy Remagen (and her children Britney Christine Carpenter, Corie Janelle Porter and Danielle Lee Davis); his son, Deric Yoakley (and his wife Lori Yoakley and their children Aidan Laird Yoakley and Willem Carlton Yoakley); his son-in-law, Aubrey Remagen; his brother and sister in law, Mike and Julie Freeland; and his brother and sister in law, Walt and Vickie Hoppensteadt.
A Celebration of Monty's life will be 5:00 PM Saturday, April 4, 2015 at the Black Widow Clubhouse. If you have a motorcycle, ride it. If you need directions, it may not be your kind of party, but you are welcome anyway. If you are one of those lucky folks that remembers him, and cannot make it to the Clubhouse, you are asked to celebrate Monty's life in your own way. Raising a glass of your favorite drink to his memory would be appropriate. His favorite drink was "a drink with a friend," so bear that in mind.
Inurnment of his ashes and military honors will be at the Ft. Smith National Cemetery at 2:00 PM Monday, April 6, 2015. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Fentress Mortuary. In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Peachtree Hospice 2910 Jenny Lind Road # 4 Ft. Smith, AR 72901.