Yates—Dolly Margaret (Glenn) Yates, 95, on June 12, 2025, peacefully, at her home on Hicks Lake in Lacey, Wash. She had recently celebrated her ninety-fifth birthday with most of her family in attendance. Dolly was born on April 14, 1930, in Oklahoma City, Okla., her mother having traveled from the Northwest Territories of Canada to be with her family for the birth. When Dolly was about a year old, she and her mother moved back to Canada to be with her father. They lived in North Vancouver and Vancouver, British Columbia; Conklin, Alberta; and for a time in Mayo, Yukon Territory. Dolly’s parents separated in 1938, and Dolly and her mother moved to Tonasket, Wash., for Dolly’s third through sixth grade years. They subsequently lived in Oroville, Okanogan, Wenatchee, and Chehalis, all in the state of Washington. Dolly graduated from Chehalis High School in 1947.
While attending Washington State College, Dolly met David Yates, whom she married in February 1951. They had two daughters, Kay and Laura, and two sons, Glenn and Doug.
The family moved to Lacey in 1966. Dolly worked for a time at Sunset Life Insurance, and later for the Washington Department of Transportation until her retirement.
Dolly and Dave at first attended Lacey Christian Church and Lacey Community Church. They then found a home with Olympia (Wash.) Meeting, where they appreciated the pacifist message and inclusive community of the meeting. Dolly served on the Finance Committee for more than a decade and served as depositor for many years. She also served on the Nominating Committee.
Sometime in the late ’80s when the yearly meeting and Olympia Meeting were discerning marriage equality (then referred to as gay marriage), Dolly and Dave were among those in meeting who were at first unfamiliar with and, initially, uncomfortable with accepting all unions as marriage, but came to accept them without doubts.
Dolly is remembered by Olympia Friends as very practical, gentle, strong, and independent. Dolly and Dave’s summertime ice cream socials at their home on Hicks Lake were open to everyone at the meeting and were loved as memorable events. Dolly was known for greeting the meeting’s children and asking each one how they were with specific questions. The children were fond and appreciative of her attention. In these acts of kindness, she modeled a Friendly respect for children as important individuals in the meeting. She was appreciated for knitting baby blankets, which were gifted to many of the meeting’s children.
Dolly was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, David Arthur Yates, in 2017; and a daughter, Laura Marie Yates.
She is survived by three children, Kay, Glenn, and Doug; eight grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
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