Gene was one of our dearest friends as headmaster and neighbor.  He and Mary were greatly loved and we still pray for Mary.  Our son Chase came home fro school one day and stated that "Mr. Yingling had a birthday and had turned 40.  He stated "I had NO IDEA he was THAT OLD!!!  Two of the most giving people we have ever known.  Think of you often.  Love, Carol and Larry

We remember Gene with great fondness as a dear friend, neighbor, administrator of the Christian school our children attended, a loving family man and by far, one of the best Christians whom we had the blessing of coming into our lives.  He was an outstanding family man and we pray Mary and his whole family have sweet memories to carry them through each day.  Along with them, we look forward to our happy reunion with Gene one day soon.  Love, Carol and Larry 

We were so inspired by his many years of faithful service.  He always encouraged people to join the orchestra and play for the Lord.  We enjoyed hearing him share his stories during orchestra rehearsals especially.  He will always be remembered and missed. 

Mr. Yingling was my viola teacher when I was 16. He was probably one of the most difficult, yet most endearing instructors I have ever had the privilege of studying under in my life. He was definitely "old school", but that's what made me love him so much - that and his interesting stories and jokes he would tell at each lesson. So many times I find myself thinking back on a story he told me during a lesson. Many of times, when  I would come to my lessons, he would be composing a huge piece of orchestra music. When I would come in, he'd play my viola part so I could hear it, and then he'd play all of the instruments together so that I could see the creation of all of the musical parts he'd put together so far.....I loved that! Mr. Yingling pushed me hard to practice an hour a day and gave me a chart to stay accountable. He threw me into my church orchestra before I thought I was ready - he knew how bad I sounded, but he knew I'd learn much more much quicker if I came to orchestra practice and played with the group. At first I was terror-stricken, but since he had me sit directly in front of him, I felt I had his constant eye and assistance throughout the circus of what was going on around me. His care and concern for my musical growth was made evident in more ways than one - it extended beyond instruction in the classroom. He would give personal feedback. Sometimes, it hurt, but I knew he meant it for good - always. I'll never forget one of the last things he told me. He had been listening to me play in orchestra, and commented on how much better I was sounding. It was something he had taken the time to single me out to compliment and encourage me - something I was not expecting - which is why it meant so much to me. He was truly a very wonderful, colorful man, and such a true Christian example to me. I thank God for giving me the special opportunity to be under his tutelage for the two years I was with him. Thank you, Mr. Yingling for everything!

So, I guess it's okay to share this story now.
 It was a cold, snowy Saturday night. After a long day of visiting our kids.  We were loading things in the bus for the morning, here asked me to go with him to gas up the bus, to be honest I Really didn't want to. But I went, and filled the bus. Instead of going back to park the bus, he went around the buildings and up the drive? I asked why we weren't parking the bus. He said the bus needed to warm up so it would start easier in the morning. So we got in the road and went down to the Kmart parking lot to "turn around". I was sitting right behind him. The store was closed, parking lot empty, freshly covered with snow. I remember saying it looked cool, all empty and covered in snow.  We were able ½ way across, when he yelled for me to run to the back of the bus! I had no clue why, but he said, GO, Go go! So I got up and started running back, thinking maybe the back door had started to open. I got about ¾ the way back, when I was hit with the side of a bus! The bus I was in!
Next thing I knew, my back was against the wall of the bus, my feet up towards the ceiling, my shoulders wedged between the seat back, and the seat cushion. Before everything stopped moving, I could hear him laughing away. I made my way back to the front, listening to his laughter, the whole way. I said I didn't know you could do a doughnut with a bus, he said neither did I! And you cannot tell Anyone about this.

I’ll never forget the smell of my first trumpet-it was an old one with a black wooden case and a blue felt lining.  I’ll also never forget this man. He was my first music teacher, and he taught me how to play that old dinged up trumpet. Mr. Yingling was “old school” and connected to another world from a bygone era. It was a military one with spit and polish and we became his makeshift cadets at 8 years old.. Anyone that had the privilege to sit under this man in band or music class had a great childhood and a classical musical education To all of us that knew him, his stories are still fresh in our minds decades later. We’ll never forget them. There was the 5th Army band stories about shaking the windows on State Street as they marched by, their mouthpieces sticking frozen to their lips as they played outside in frigid Chicago winters. There was the alleged Black Horse Troop photo with all the horses standing 3-legged, and the poor little bass drummer who rolled down the street still strapped to his drum. Mr. Yingling loved to share stories and he loved music. He drove us to do our best and sometimes we felt that we were actually in the 5th Army band 😉 I also remember his profound love for particular classical pieces. It must have hurt his ears to endure our renditions of music he could play flawlessly. He was a perfectionist. Sometimes, after we’d butchered a piece to the best of our abilities, instead of rehearsing again, he’d roll out his big reel to reel machine and just play the song, while standing in front of the class smiling and watching our reactions as he thoroughly enjoyed it with us. I’m not sure how a man so qualified ended up teaching a bunch of grade school kids to buzz in their mouthpieces for the first time. As I look back, that was the contrast that made it so interesting. He must have been frustrated at times but still injected every class with his own unique humor and gave it everything he had. There are so many good memories that are a part of 

This Puritan era hymn came to our attention today & the first thought was of Gene and the way he lived:

Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give. 

If life be long, I will be glad,
That I may long obey;
If short, yet why should I be sad
To welcome endless day? .  .  .

My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But 'tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him. 


Mary, we’re praying for you and your family.

Pastor Don & Carolyn Voegtlin


Gene was a wonderful gentle man, a faithful servant of God and lived his life with honor, respect and strong faith. He was a dear friend to Jim and me, always there to help and encourage, always bringing a smile and a kind word. He will be greatly missed. Prayers and heartfelt thoughts for dear Mary. What a wonderful testimony you both were together as you served the Lord! Praying for God’s strength, grace and compassion for you, Mary, as you face the difficult days ahead. You are a strong lady, admired and loved by all who know you. Take comfort In God’s wonderful promise that you and Gene will be together again for all eternity. ❤️

Our hearts are heavy at the loss of our dear friend, Gene but rejoice with his family that he is "absent from the body, present with the Lord." He was the headmaster of the Christian school our children attended from third and fifth grade through high school. He was our next door neighbor for 24 years.  He and Mary raised a family to be so proud of! He was a sweet, kind, generous and fun loving child of God.  Our young son, Chase, came home from school one day to announce that "Mr. Yingling had a birthday and turned 40.  "I had NO IDEA he was that old." We love and cherish our friendship through the years and know our Heavenly Father "holds Mary and family "in his righteous right hand."  Much love, Carol and Larry Magnuson, Fort Mill, South Carolina.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for His name sake. Psalm 23. 

Father! Father! Father!  There is no answer but you will always be in my heart. 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  You have given me a new life and shown me a walk of life. 

Peace! Peace! Peace! No more suffering and you are leading orchestras in heaven. 

I’ll see you again in glory someday. 

I love you,
Jimmy

Best example of a man of character & a father,  that a first-born son could  have ever hoped for.   I only wish I had gotten out of my own stupid, selfish & rebellious way sooner,  matured faster,  & listened to more of his advice along the way.   Now I have twice the incentive as before...TWO fathers in Heaven that I will be in the presence of  someday.  See you soon, Dad.

Reflections on a man for which  I am honored to have known, and only ever heard spoken of with great admiration from all who knew him.
Mr. Yingling took a stubborn red-headed, freckled faced kid (who had flunked my recorder class in 3rd grade, and only joined band because my parents made me), and turned her into a musician in a matter of a few years.  He was a light in a time of darkness for me.  By the time I graduated high school,  I was able to play the flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, saxophone....pretty much any woodwind instrument I could pick up.  Without music and his encouragement, I would not be the person I am today.  I thank God for bringing him into my life, and his devotion in requiring me to do my best.  He used to say "Practice makes perfect!"   
Mr. Yingling, today I raise my flute, and play exercise 17a, (his favorite piece when challenging to move up a chair in high school band) as he is now in Heaven leading the music of angels.  Your legacy lives on with all of the lives you so greatly touched here on earth.

While attending college at Fairhaven Baptist College beginning in 1981, Gene was the Music Director of Fairhaven Baptist Church. He was a superb Music Director, but more than that, Gene and the other members of his family were some of the kindest warmest people I remember. Gene was an honest man as well. While I was attending classes, my wife Kathy decided to take piano lessons from Gene. After taking lessons for months with limited progress, Gene kindly recommended that Kathy discontinue her lessons as she looked like a Praying Mantis with palsy as she attempted to play. We still laugh over the memory of that mental picture!

May God comfort Gene’s family with the wonderful memories he has left them with!

Greg & Kathy Peterson

A friend, a teacher, a mentor and so much more!

When I walked into band with a flute, he quickly replaced it with a tuba. Then gave me back the flute for a semester so I could meet my wife! For ten years he kept changing me from instrument to instrument until I had played almost every instrument in the orchestra. 

Today, I play in the city orchestra with Amanda and our three children and have also had many opportunities to direct the city orchestra. This would not be possible without the influence of such a wonderful man. His life lives on in us as we follow the Lord. 

Though I do not think he was overly happy when we made plans to move to Brazil, he still encouraged us to follow the Lord. Every thought we have of him encourages us to press on serving the Lord.

Thank you to all of the family that allowed him to become a large part of our lives. We are praying for you. May the God of all comfort be near you. We love you all!

I will miss seeing Gene when I visit Tennessee. He was always very kind to me, and I always appreciated his humor. I enjoyed seeing him and his beautiful wife at Temple Baptist and especially enjoyed watching him conduct the orchestra! His talented shoes will be a challenge to fill. 
My prayers are with Mary and the family, that God will comfort you all and give you His peace through His  Spirit. His arms of love are eternal ❤️ 

Honor had just finished first grade at central school in Chesterton.We decided she was not going back.Gene and Doby Carlin rang our doorbell,were invited in,and told Chris and me about a new school about to start, based on the Word of Christ. Thanks to Gene and what he and others Lisa was converted, and through the years,the us were led to the Lord!  THANK YOU Gene, and thank you LORD!

Gene. Thank you for teaching me how to play my trombone (way back in 1999!!!) I remember the first time trying to play that instrument which I thought was quite a disaster! But you stuck with it and encouraged me to play. You sometimes did make me nervous when I first started playing in the orchestra but you were a truly devoted faithful servant of the Lord. It was an honor being your student. I am still a student of that same instrument today. It was also an honor being under your conduction as a member of the Temple Baptist Church Orchestra for almost 20 years. We are praying for you Mary. My wife and I love you very much and look forward to seeing Gene again someday in glory.

We love the Yingling family. We came to Knoxville and joined the Temple Baptist church just  few months before the Yingling’s. Dr Yingling was a great encourager and help to me in the Men’s Sunday school class . He was my visitation partner as well as a great friend. We will miss him very much. We stomped the same grounds in Chicago as he did when we first landed there from India and had lot to talk to him about that area. He was dedicated soldier of the Lord and his enthusiasm for the Lords was contagious.
During my heart surgery stay in the hospital he came to visit and pray for me,
He often called and checked on us during these quarantine days.
We were looking forward of getting together for a meal after the quarantine. Now we just have to wait till we get to heaven and enjoy the heavenly Manna with him.
We have pleasant memories of him. We are and have been praying for Mary and the family members. May God grant you the strength and comfort during these times .
Jessand Grace Enochs


What is the measure of a man?Is it the amount of money he has?The possessions he owns & the power he holds?Is it the professional success he’s achieved over the years?I don’t believe it is any of these things.The true measure of a man is how much love he gives;how selflessly he shares whatever he can to help others;how consistently he lifts up those around him with a kind word, a funny joke, a compliment, a humble ear or the very shoes off his feet. By this measure, my Dad was immeasurable.I lost my Dad.But only in body, not in spirit.This is by far the most painful and heart-ripping & life-altering experience I’ve endured.But I do my best to remain grateful & comforted knowing how much my beloved Father positively affected the lives of others.He was the most sincerely altruistic person I have ever known with no attachment to material things—he would literally give you the clothes he was wearing.My Dad loved to make people laugh.All he ever wanted to do was make other people feel comfortable & make sure they were not feeling left out.A heart of gold is what every family member & friend has said about my Dad.And it’s incredible to see just how boundless his reach has been.My Dad left an impact on every person he met, even strangers (who didn’t stay strangers very long because he was just so friendly).The love my Dad spread on this Earth continues to grow & will live on, and that is the ultimate measure of any human being.Only when we get to Heaven will we know how many lives he touched & just how deeply.I only know that I am one of them.For I was hand picked by him and my mom.What a great man of God & servant to all-great or small.I love you Dad!Now & Forevermore.You have fought the good fight,You have finished the race,You have kept the faith."You have remained Faithful! I will see you in Heaven someday! 

Mrs Yingling ,
You are in my thoughts and prayers. I have such fond and wonderful memories of Mr Yingling my 7th grade teacher to my band teacher. We go so far back 44 years. Now he’s with Jesus and reconnecting with the Reeds. You both have lived your life for Jesus and are a great example of a Godly Christian couple. May the Lord comfort you with precious memories. With love, Kristal Aiello 

I will be praying for you Mary. You and Gene have been like second parents to me. I’ve been playing in the orchestra for 25 years now and have such fond memories, especially of all the stories he told and retold and retold every year we had new students join us! I love you.

What a faithful man of God he was! Praying for Mary and all the rest of the family. May the God of all comfort fill you with peace.

I've known "Mr. Yingling" for years, and look forward to seeing him again, in Heaven, someday. 
He was a memorable guy, and lots of fun. He "tried" to teach me how to play the trumpet, but I was so bad, I never could get it (I've now passed the trumpet on to my son, who's sounding much better). Yet, during those lessons, he was so encouraging---even though it was a hopeless effort!  (We both would laugh at how bad I was!)
However, a few years ago, I crossed paths with him, and I handed him my singing CD that my wife & I had recently recorded.  A few weeks later, he called me up and told me how much he loved the CD! He asked me when we'd be recording another, and he told me to put him on the "pre-order" list. (That was the last time that I talked with him, and once again, he was encouraging me---which was probably his real motive for the call).  
Now, Mr. Yingling's passing is one more reason why Heaven will be such a wonderful place to look forward to...

Mary,  I am sooo sorry for you loss.  My deepest condolences.  I have been where you are and only God can see you thru this.  May He give you the Peace and Strength to get you thru the coming days and the years to follow.  I Love you and I appreciate both of your ministries.  I do so appreciate you two visiting me so soften during my time of grief.  Thank you so much and may God Bless you for your service to Him.


The Yinglings are dear to our hearts! Bro Gene taught me pedagogical lesson that  spilled over into other areas of life. He did so with a level of encouragement that is beyond amazing. He helped students find the confidence needed to succeed. He taught my wife to teach music to elementary students; and my wife claims to have zero musical talent. She will tell "Mr Yingling stories" for years to come.  We are blessed to call you our friend! Until we meet again in Glory! our prayers are with your family. 
Tim, Natalie and Victoria

Dear Gene, I thank our God for allowing your friendship,...so precious  into our life. Your love,... taught us compassion and kindness for others. Your name,... will always be spoken with utmost respect. Your work,... will live on thru those who come after you...we miss you dear brother. Rest on until we meet again, we will carry on until then.🌹

Mrs. Yingling, my maiden name is Elizabeth Evans. I attended Crown from 1999-2004. Several of those years I played in the church & college orchestra. My first job on work scholarship was to organize the music folders and filing cabinets. I still have the book you gave me as a Thank You. I remember once during Messiah practice he went down the row of flutes and had us play the run for All We Like Sheep. When I got done, he said that was perfect and asked if I could do it again. I said no and I could not do it again. I often remember the army band stories he would mention as well as the jokes about bass clarinets being part of a rather large bumblebee. If we started playing our own thing he would tell us to "Quit dinkin around." I am thankful for the time I spent serving in the orchestra under Mr. Yingling.   You and your family are in my prayers. 

OBITUARY

Eugene Leon Yingling

7 August, 1934 – 24 May, 2020

Sherwood Chapel & Memorial Gardens

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