Patricia Pat Lillian Atherstone Yates

Pat was born on the home ranch, south of Keyes on what is now Hwy 99. Shortly before her 90th birthday, the entrance to the ranch was officially recognized as Atherstone Road which crosses Golden State Boulevard just south of Taylor Road.

Pat was the daughter of Harold “HB” and Amarcia Lillian “Lil” Atherstone, a pioneering family that purchased their Turlock property in 1911, and then moved from Sonora to Turlock in 1916 to raise many varied crops in the fertile valley soil.

She was the third born of four children to HB and Lil. Her older brothers David and Harold (aka: Red and Bill) have pre-deceased her. Her youngest brother Robert (aka Mike) lives in Modesto.

Pat attended Keyes and Fair Acres grammar schools, and Turlock High School.

In 1937 she married the love of her life, William Raymond “Ray” Yates and settled in Denair in 1939, where they farmed. In 1950, they purchased their house in “town” (Denair) where she still lived upon her death.

Never one to remain idle, Pat worked as a saleslady for J.C. Penney for 10 ½ years and followed this with several years at the Bonanza 99cent store. She also served as a Senior Aide at Denair Elementary for 6 years and the Denair Library for another 6 years.

With her husband Ray, she started the Denair Senior Citizens Club in 1972 and held many offices throughout the years, until Ray’s untimely death in 1991. She also belonged to the Take off Pounds Sensibly group for over a decade, and had a special fondness for Denair Friends Church and the camaraderie of the congregation.

Pat’s favorite hobbies included needlework, especially crochet and embroidery, and she made many beautiful tablecloths and bedspreads. She also enjoyed sewing; gardening; music and playing her piano. She spent many hours reading, and loved to travel, which were often just simple trips to the hills to camp and fish with Ray.

Growing up on the ranch and being the daughter of a cat fancier, Pat loved animals of all kinds, and as all of her family and friends know, she was never without a cat in her house. Her Elizabeth now resides with her great-nephew, Nathan.

Pat and Ray now rest together at Turlock Memorial Park

A Memorial Service is being held Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 11:00am

Denair Friends Church

4043 N. Gratton Road, Denair, CA

Donations to Denair Friends Church or the Denair Fire Dept. are requested in lieu of flowers

Arrangements under the direction of Whitehurst, Norton & Dias Funeral Service, Turlock, CA.