Mary M. Yankaway

Mary M. Yankaway was born March 16, 1951, in Osceola to the late Freeman and Susie Lavada Reese. Mary or as many called her, “Tessie”, lived in Atlanta, Ga., and passed in Lafayette, Ala.

Tessie was the oldest of four children. She went to Rosenwald High School. Growing up she worked at the steel mill and in the hospitality industry. She was kind, compassionate, generous, talented, brilliant, funny and beautiful. She loved to travel, dance and listen to the Blues.

Tessie had two loving children, Terry and Yolanda. Tessie enjoyed life to the fullest until she had a stroke in 2021 that slowed her down until Sept. 15, 2022.

Leaving behind to cherish her memories are her two children, Terry Tyler (Scarlett) of South Bend, Ind., and Yolanda Smith (William) of Atlanta, Ga.; one sister, Emma Tanner (Ray) of South Bend, Ind.; one brother, Charles Reese of Los Angeles, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Terrionne, Terryck, Terrence, Krystal, and Terry Jr. (Krista), all of South Bend, Ind., Willie and Jaleel of Sioux City, Iowa, and Quanesha of Atlanta, Ga.; many loving great-grandkids, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends; a special cousin, Shirly Johnson; and a companion, Ronald Jones.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Freeman Reese; and four grandchildren. We all love and miss her dearly and she will always be in our hearts.

Visitation will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, from noon until 1 p.m. at Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home & Cremation, 634 W. Main Street, Blytheville, AR 72315. Funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. Interment will be at Whiteside Cemetery in Osceola.

PLEASE WEAR A MASK. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Services are provided by Gary Wolfe at Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home & Cremation, 634 W. Main Street, Blytheville, AR 72315, 870-900-0010.