Radford Michael "Mike" Yates

The youngest of four children, Mike grew up surrounded by family and friends in the border town of Laredo, Texas. He happily spent much of his childhood in the great outdoors, hunting, fishing and creating friendships that would last a lifetime.

After graduating from high school, Mike headed to the big city of Austin with many of his buddies, including his best friend and cousin, Freddie Longoria, to attend the University of Texas. While many people lose touch with childhood and college friends as life takes them in different directions, Mike remained a faithful and steady friend for the next sixty years. His Sigma Chi brothers gathered annually, traditionally around the Red River Shootout, to enjoy time together with their wives and celebrate friendships that had endured for decades. Mike and Lil attended their last gathering only two weeks ago.

Mike saw the Lord’s provision many times throughout his life, but one particularly meaningful experience came after graduating from UT, when he chose to serve in the Marine Corps. During Officer Candidate School, he broke his foot on a night march, an injury that prevented him from serving in the Vietnam War. Mike always viewed this unexpected turn of events as God’s protection over his life.

Mike enjoyed a highly successful career as a stockbroker, and it was through his work that he met the great love of his life, Lillian, affectionately known as Lil. The two began their courtship in 1980. After a whirlwind romance, they married just four months later. From that moment forward, Lil never missed a day of thanking God for the gift of her wonderful, loving, tenderhearted husband.

Mike had a strong belief in His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and while he was a lover of people and family, his greatest love was God Himself. As Mike loved to tell the story, he met Jesus after he met Lil. As uncertain newlyweds, they shared the life-changing experience of kneeling together before Jesus and asking Him to come into their lives and lead their marriage. From that moment forward, neither of them was ever the same.

Mike and Lil had the kind of marriage most people dream of and few are fortunate enough to experience. From the beginning of their 46-year love affair to the very end, they were companions in every sense of the word. Mike considered himself the luckiest and most blessed man in the world to have Lil by his side. They genuinely loved simply being together, and they certainly knew how to have fun. Their marriage was a beautiful example to those around them, and together they built a legacy of love and faith that will continue for generations.

Mike spent decades devoted to Alamo Heights United Methodist Church and played an instrumental role in the growth and development of the congregation. His heart for ministry extended far beyond his church home. He was a passionate supporter of the Rafiki Foundation, which provides homes and quality Christian education for children in Africa. He also faithfully supported the Christ Healing Center now called ONE, finding great joy in knowing that people were experiencing healing and a genuine connection with Jesus. His love for this ministry in particular was made even sweeter by the involvement of his daughter Cayce. The two truly were connected in their shared passion for people to know the love of God.

During Mike’s final days on earth, countless people shared stories of the beautiful and meaningful influence he had on their lives. One of his greatest gifts was his remarkable ability to make people feel included. Everyone who knew Mike knew what it meant to be loved and to belong. He had an extraordinary instinct for recognizing the needs of others, often seeming to know what someone needed before they knew it themselves.

If you spent much time with Mike, there was a good chance you would find yourself attending a Bible study, learning about one of his favorite ministries, or, if you weren’t careful, boarding a plane for a mission trip overseas! He was never shy about sharing his faith, and over the years he faithfully led many people into a personal relationship with Christ. Mike often said he was “overly blessed!” He lived with a generosity that reflected that belief, giving freely of his time, resources, encouragement, and love.

Mike was a treasured mentor to many, including his beloved nieces and nephews. He especially enjoyed his close relationships with his sister-in-law, Pat Yates, Lil’s sister Patricia Crawford, her brother Cliff Swartz, and Cliff’s wife Dina, all of whom were dear friends. He had a wonderful laugh, a warm and welcoming spirit, and a rare gift for making people feel comfortable and special.

A lifelong outdoorsman, Mike spent countless joyful days hunting, fishing, and enjoying the salt air. Above all, he was a devoted family man who deeply loved his wife, daughters, and grandchildren and was a steady pillar of strength, wisdom, and encouragement in their lives. Everyone simply loved Mike Yates.

He was preceded in death by his brothers Sammy & Tom Yates and his sister Frederika (Kika) Johnson. He is the last of his siblings to join their parents in heaven. He is grieved especially by his most cherished wife of 46 years Lil Yates, their daughters Cayce (Fiancé Jeff Hawkes) and Kirsten (Jimmy Herrera) and his grandchildren: Jaden, Hudson, Claire, Yates, Britton, JJ, Mary and many nieces, nephews, cousins and beloved friends.

Mike’s life was a beautiful testament to what it looks like to love God wholeheartedly, love people generously, and live with a grateful heart. He leaves behind a family who adored him and countless people whose lives were forever changed by his friendship, faith, and love.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held Friday, October 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, 825 E. Basse Road in San Antonio, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Rafiki Foundation (https://rafikifoundation.org/ ) or ONE San Antonio (https://theonejourney.com/give) , two ministries close to Mike’s heart.

Here is a recording of Mike's service:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16TJBzx2HnLCD9KZaiVnxHQJOYDgdnFNk/view?usp=sharing