Richard Warren Yarling

This line, from the musical Annie, has been a multi-decades running joke between Richard Warren Yarling and his youngest granddaughter, Rebecca. Mr. Yarling, who passed on Saturday, October 19th, loved singing that line to his granddaughter almost every time he saw her ever since she was about 4 years old.

This little story is one of many that represents the joy Mr. Yarling brought to his family and friends. Loved by everyone who knew him, he spent his life charming others, from fellow sailors during his years serving during World War II to his hospice nurses in the final years of his life. No one loved him more, of course, than his family.

Mr. Yarling was a lifelong fan, alumnus, and supporter of Indiana University and could be found watching any IU sport available, as was the case on the day of his passing, cheering the football team onto their 7-0 record. Richard was continuing his birthday celebrations that morning, decked out head to toe in IU apparel. His family recalls how chipper and excited he was for the day’s game against Nebraska, so much so, his granddaughter posted his photo on social media, where the staff at Indiana University, quickly posted their own wishes for his 103rd birthday. This post amassed over 7,000 likes, almost 1,000 happy birthday wishes, and numerous shares on Facebook and Twitter. While Mr. Yarling was a quiet man, he secretly loved the attention, and his family was happy to see so many well wishes in the wake of this sad time.

Richard lived an incredibly long life to 103 years of age. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, James Yarling, his youngest daughter, Sharon Yarling, and the love of his life, his wife Helen. He is survived by his oldest daughter, Linda Hammel, his three grandchildren: William Hammel, Kathryn (Bryce) Stacer, and Rebecca (Casey) Matz, as well as 6 great grandchildren: Evan Richard Stacer, Caitlin Stacer, Chelsea Matz, Ryan Stacer, Oliver Matz, and Zoey Helen Matz.

Richard is remembered as being intelligent, quick witted, loving, playful, and fun. Born in 1921 in Shelbyville, Indiana, he spent his youth helping with the family farm. He would jokingly describe that once his younger brother arrived, his life was never the same. He often joked that he tried to trade his little brother for a rabbit. In his teens, he was a member of the Shelbyville High School band and met the love of his life, Helen Weyreter. In his junior year at Indiana University, Pearl Harbor was bombed and Richard was allowed to join the Navy’s V-7 program. This is allowed him to finish his courses and attend Navy’s Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University in New York City in the spring of 1943. He married Helen ion July 29, 2943 while wearing his uniform. He served on the destroyer U.S.S. Chauncey D.D. 667 as its radio/radar officer until December, 1945. Richard recounted some of his experiences during the war and is also honored with a plaque in Fredericksburg, Texas at the Pacific War Memorial and Nimitz Museum.

Following the war, he completed his law degree, also from Indiana University School of Law, where he served as the Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Indiana Law Journal and was awarded the Order of the Coif, a prestigious legal scholarship award. Richard began his law career as a civil trial lawyer with the firm of Smith and Yarling in Indianapolis, later founding the firm Yarling, and Tunnell, now known as Yarling Robinson, LLC. Richard’s career demonstrates his commitment to civil service as he served as an Indiana Deputy Attorney General, a Marion County Sheriff’s Department attorney, and Chairman of the Trial Lawyers Section of the Indiana State Bar Association.

Richard’s three grandchildren remember him as being playful, funny, and loving. Richard would spend hours playing backgammon with William and Kathryn, talking sports with Kathryn, and lovingly enduring all sorts of performances from Rebecca, including the aforementioned song from Annie. Grandpa Duck to his grandchildren, he was always quick to display his humor whether that was jumping in the pool fully dressed after an afternoon of chores, performing “Sisters” from White Christmas with his brother, James, or just bringing merriment to any family gathering. He would spend afternoons with his young grandchildren playing high tea or singing and dancing around the house with an umbrella to “Me and my shadow” and the “good morning” bird song were two favorites, which brought countless giggles. Even after losing his wife in 1991, Richard, while a little quieter, still showered his family with love and attention.

After semi-retirement, Richard could be found spending winter months in Florida with his brother, sister-in-law, and family, and when in Indiana, he still went to the office to work at the law firm with his daughter and law partners. Richard eventually moved from Indianapolis to Brown County to live near his daughter Sharon. The whole family enjoyed spending time together in Trafalgar Indiana, swimming in the pond, fishing, and enjoying the seasons and wildlife that could be seen from the house. Richard, ever the spice of life, even installed a fire pole in his house! The grandkids loved that!

Among all of life’s adventures, Richard always supported Indiana University throughout his life. He loved going to football games and basketball games. His youngest grandchild, Rebecca, recalls how special it felt to experience football games through the Varsity Club, going “underneath the stadium” to eat and get to their seats. She and her sister, Kathryn, frequently performed the fight song at home for their parents and grandparents. Once Richard could no longer attend games, he was an avid fan who would listen, watch, or follow any Indiana University sport even once he moved to Texas to be with family.

Where others might have felt defeated by loss and setbacks, Richard persisted and lived through so much: being WWII vet, starting a business, the death of his wife at such a young age, the deaths of countless others including his son-in-law, John, his own daughter, Sharon, his brother, Jim. Because of this, Mr. Yarling is remembered by his family as being one in a million: intelligent, joyful, and resilient.

Despite all the memories, there will never be enough space to capture everything that made Richard one of the unique beings to be among us. His family is comforted that Richard spent the last day of his life by celebrating the milestone of being 103 as well as seeing IU’s historic run in college football. And just like Annie sings, his family knows he is “only a day away” and will always be remembered.