Our dear wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Alta (Dolly) Charlotte Hoke Yates, age 84 passed away 24 February 2020. Alta was born 10 August, 1935 in Washoe, Carbon, Montana to Jesse and Alta Copple Hoke.
Right away Alta’s older siblings fell in love with their new little sister and started calling her “Dolly”. She loved growing up in Washoe, Belfry, and surrounding areas in Montana.
In high school Dolly attended a dance where a tall handsome cowboy across the dance floor winked at her and they tied the knot October 19, 1952 in Red Lodge, Carbon, Montana. Later they were sealed in the LDS Cardston, Alberta, Canada Temple. They began their family and land and livestock operations in Carbon County, Montana in the shadow of the Beartooth mountain range and in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents.
Looking for God’s little acre they bought a guest/dude ranch in Haugan, Montana where they outfitted and guided hunters in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area. After four years they returned to ranching in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming but not before they participated in 100 years of Montana statehood by participating in the Montana centennial train that made its way to and from the New York World’s Fair in April 1964.
Retiring from ranching in Wyoming they then took a leap of faith and moved to Salem, Utah in 2014where they fell in love with their new found neighbors and friends.
Dolly loved traditions, playing games and celebrating holidays with her family; including her LDS ward family and foster children. She enjoyed flowers, gardening, embroidery, art, and teaching candy making to grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved sending Christmas cards with a special poem and homemade candy to long distance friends and family. Her pantry and freezer were full of freezer jams and homegrown food.
She is survived by her sweetheart, Ralph Yates of Salem, UT; daughters Linda (Marvin) Tilley of Deaver, WY and Lena (Kenny) Seng of Spanish Fork, UT; sons Joe (Janine) Yates of Payson, UTand Scott (Marianne) Yates of Burley, ID; daughter-in-law, Dana Yates of Burley, ID, along with 25 grandchildren and 42 great grandchildren.
Dolly was preceded in death by sons Wesley Yates and Yancey Yates as well as grandsons Trent Tilley and Jason Birch.
We wish to thank her Hospice caregivers, and other aides for their loving and gentle care during this time of need.
A viewing will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Chapel, 60 S. Main, Salem, UT on Thursday, February 27thfrom 1:45-2:45 pm with a funeral to follow from 2 – 3 pm.
An additional service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, 1026 Avenue East, Powell, WY on Saturday, February 29th with viewing from 10-11 am and funeral 11-12 pm. Interment to follow funeral at Belfry, Montana Cemetery.
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