Graham Stanford Yates

Graham Stanford Yates, 76, passed away at his home Sunday, May 3, 2015, surrounded by family after a courageous, nearly three-year battle, with mesothelioma. Graham was a Wake County native and 1957 graduate of Cary High School. He served his country in the Navy and spent 35 years in sales with both American Home Foods and Stokley USA. His passions were his family, flying, and enjoying life. He lived with an ethic of excellence in everything he did: from serving in church leadership to baking a pound cake to being a Granddaddy. Graham was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Clarence and Mary Smith Yates. Graham is survived by his wife of 55 years, Becky Fuquay Yates, two daughters, Cristy Sloan Yates of Raleigh and Tracy Yates Commerson of San Diego, CA, and two grandchildren, Parker Harrison Yates Commerson and Ellis Rebecca Yates Commerson. He is also survived by his sister, Nancy Orndorff, his brother, Bob Yates, and sister-in-law Sally Fuquay Umbdenstock. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 6 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 7 at 2:00PM in the chapel of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home. Burial Rites will be held in Historic Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation at www.curemeso.org, an organization that specializes in the research and treatment of mesothelioma, or at their mailing address: Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, 1317 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314