Virginia Yates

Virginia Yates, 100, passed away peacefully in her sleep during the morning of February 14, 2021 at Eventide Senior Living Community in Moorhead, MN.

Virginia was born on April 30, 1920, in Forney, TX, to Arthur and Nell Yates. After graduating from Forney High School and North Texas State Teachers College, she started her career as an elementary and music teacher in Forney and, then for nearly 40 years, in Fort Worth. During that career she taught countless children. She continued a friendship with many of them up to the last year of her life. She was also very active in church and professional activities.

During her working life Virginia spent Christmas and summers with her sister and brother-in-law at their various homes in different parts of the country. Through this she became a very special part of the lives of her niece and nephews as well as their spouses, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When she retired she moved to Minnesota to live with her sister and, ultimately, she was her sister’s caregiver during her last years. Prior to that, they served together in church and community activities, travelled to many parts of the United States and other countries and continued to be the home base for their large extended family.

She was predeceased by almost all of her cousins, her sister Lucye Nell and brother-in-law M. L. (Buck) Buchanan, her great-nephews Matthew Buchanan and Michael Buchanan and her best friend of their entire adult lives Frankie Jean (Paul) Linn.

Survivors include her niece, Lynnel (Bob) Boone of Glyndon, MN, her nephews Arthur (Norma) Buchanan of Suffolk, VA, and David (Cindy) Buchanan of Fargo, ND, her special friendship nieces Dottie Linn Cook and Peggy Linn of Fort Worth, TX, numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews and countless former students and friends from a lifetime of being a friend to many.

Her memorial service will be held at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead for family only on Saturday, February 20, at 1PM. For those who wish to attend virtually, a live stream will be available here on Virginia’s page.

Memorial gifts can be sent to David Buchanan, 1001 44^th Ave N, Fargo, ND, 58102 and will be directed to agencies which were important to Virginia.