C. Taylor Yoakam

Memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in the Chapel on December 18, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

Memorials: Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.

Taylor graduated from Classen High School and in 1954 from the University of Oklahoma where he was a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He then served in the United States Army for two years before marrying his beloved wife, Joan Minnema, of Traverse City, MI in 1958.

Taylor’s entire career was spent in the Oil & Gas business. He worked for City Service, JM Huber, Northern Natural Gas, Mesa Petroleum and T. Boone Pickens, and finally as a private gas consultant. The Yoakam’s had a cabin at The Palo Duro Club for many years and made great memories there. In retirement, they moved to Scottsdale, AZ because Taylor loved the sun and warm weather. They had a house in Leland, MI where they spent the summers when Arizona became too hot. When the long drive to Michigan became too much, they bought a condo in Prescott, AZ and spent their summers in the Arizona mountains. Taylor was a Buscadero and dressed up in period cowboy dress as “Tex” to entertain tourists in Prescott. The Yoakams moved to Fort Worth, TX in 2017 to be near family.

Taylor loved his family, his friends, traveling the world, vintage cars, piloting his boats, oil painting, “It’s 5:00 somewhere”, and was a huge fan of John Wayne. He loved America and was a patriot.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Joni, his daughter Teri Winton (Chris), son S. Coler Yoakam, grandchildren, Ben Thatcher (Cathy), Asa Coler Yoakam (Katie), Dorothy Yoakam, Beau Yoakam, his brother Coler Arthur Yoakam, Jr. (Joan), brother-in-law John Allen Minnema (Foy), nieces Anne Yoakam, Sarah Yoakam, MD, and nephews Rob Minnema, Tom Minnema Jeff Minnema and Coler A. Yoakam, III. Grateful thanks to Overture Home Care of Fort Worth, Stephanie Jeffers, Jasmine, Kim, Ashley, Jamie, Paige~your love for dad and our family has been a blessing.