Geraldine Matney Yates, “Geri” as she was known by many, passed away Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at the Pikeville Medical Center following an extended illness. Born in Buchanan County, April 11, 1940, she was the daughter of the late Nelson and Delphia Owens Matney. Geri never met a stranger and befriended everyone based upon their own merits and she saw decency and goodness in each person. She was a talker (old southern style) and she adored stories of growing up in Buchanan County, always living in Vansant.
Geri and Rush did a lot of traveling. She loved the Lord and family more than anything else and committed her entire adult life to being a good mother, mamaw to her grand and great-grandkids. She considered her role as a wife, mother and mamaw as her greatest accomplishment in life. Geri was feisty, yet gentle, loving and kind to everyone she met. She was very proud, but humble and hospitable to everybody, never failing to make every- one around her feel like family. Her home was a hangout for kids when her daughter was growing up through high school. She was a devoted member of Victory Baptist Church and was a greeter, helping with vacation bible school and serving the Lord any way she could.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of almost 52-years, Rush J. Yates, of Vansant; sister, Lillie Helen Matney and brothers, Ford and Granville Matney.
Those left to cherish her memory include her only daughter, Rita Michelle Yates Long, and husband, Larry Dean; grandson, Jason Matthew Long; granddaughter, Lindsey Nicole “Nikki” Adams and husband, Nathan; great-granddaughters, Callie and Maddison Long and Emma Adams, all of Hayesville; niece, Diane Matney Necessary and husband, Johnny, of Bristol, Tenn.; half-sister, Judy C. Lester and husband, Lloyd, of Abingdon, Va.
Graveside services will be held privately at a later date. Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy, Va. is honored to serve the family.
To plant a tree in memory of Geraldine Geri Yates, visit the Tribute Store: www.grundyfuneralhome.com.