Weldon Terry Yawn

Weldon “Terry” Yawn was a lot of things in this life - the son of WT and Mary Frances Yawn, a 1965 graduate of Alvarado High School, a United States Air Force veteran, a Mean Green alumnus, and a Certified Public Accountant — but his three favorite roles were the 53 years he spent as a husband to Patsy, the 50 years he spent as a dad to Kerry and Jennifer, and the 19 years he spent as Gramps to Kendall, Ana, Emma, and Connor.

Born in Cleburne, Texas on November 4, 1946, Terry grew to love cars, music, and drag racing.  As a young adult, he ran marathons, rebuilt old cars, and never missed an event that his daughters participated in.  In his later years, Terry loved watching “Ancient Aliens”, reading about history and conspiracies, tinkering with gadgets of any kind, and attending all of his grandkids’ events.  He could fix absolutely anything, he took pride in his yard, and he traveled the world to support his daughter’s missionary work.  He loved teaching each of his grandkids how to catch fireflies in the backyard, how to enjoy what he called a “continental breakfast”, and how to drive in his Jeep.

Terry loved to use quotes, mostly from The Godfather movies, but the one quote he used most often was from his father:  “there ain’t nothing sorrier than a man who won’t work to support his family”.  And as a husband, a dad, and a Gramps, that’s what he did.  For 30 years, Terry worked in accounting, first in banking and then for the Internal Revenue Service.  He retired in 2006.  Throughout all of those years, his support for his family was unfaltering.   And his wife, his daughters, and his grandchildren felt that support every day of their lives.

We are thankful that he got many, many years of retirement with Patsy doing things they loved like traveling, walking at the Zoo, spending time with grandkids, going to movies, Christmas shopping, and drag racing.  We are thankful that he was able to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary with Patsy, walk both daughters down the aisle, get to know and love his two sons-in-law Chris and Wes, and, more than anything, he got to see each of his granddaughters graduate from high school and his grandson achieve the goal of being “taller than Gramps”.

Terry was a Christian and lived his faith through integrity and by caring and providing for others.  We believe he is in heaven now.  And when he entered paradise, we believe there was a cold Coke Zero over ice, some Mexican food, and some Oreos waiting for him there.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patsy; daughter Kerry Gain, her husband Chris, and her children Kendall and Connor; and daughter Jennifer Faulk, her husband Wes, and her children Ana and Emma.  He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and loving sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

A memorial service will be held at the DFW National Cemetary in Grand Prairie, Texas in July.  In lieu of flowers, we ask that you please consider making a donation in Terry’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or another charity of your choice.

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