Eva A. Baker Yates

Eva A. Baker Yates January 5, 1937 – September 29, 2019 Eva A. Baker Yates, 82, of Wilson went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, September 29, 2019. Eva was born in Kinmundy, Illinois to Fern Monical Baker and Dean Wilbor Baker. Eva met her husband Don, the love of her life, in elementary school. Their families lived just 1 ½ miles apart and their fathers served on the local school board together.  Don and Eva spent much of their childhood at Brown Christian Church, which was the spiritual center of their youth. Throughout their teenage years, Don and Eva were a part of a youth quartet that performed at Brown Christian Church and other churches in the area. Don and Eva raised their three children primarily in Champaign, Illinois and moved to Pikeville in 1975 where their daughters stayed and raised their families. In the late 90’s, she and Don moved to Monticello, Illinois where they were active members of the Monticello Christian Church until moving to North Carolina in 2013 to be closer to their daughters and families. Eva enjoyed traveling around the world with Don, their friends, and family. Some of her favorite places were Hawaii, Mexico, and Australia.  Eva’s passion was knitting and she gifted every member of the family their own afghan.  She also loved bird-watching and dutifully kept the hummingbirds fed year after year. Eva was a talented gardener and filled her home with beautiful greenery.  She was an avid baseball fan and loved her St. Louis Cardinals. She also enjoyed fellowship with her friends from Stoneybrook Christian Church. The family will receive friends Wednesday, October 2^nd from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Joyner’s Funeral Home located at 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway in Wilson.  On Saturday, October 5^th a visitation will be held at 10 – 11 a.m.  followed by her funeral service at 11 a.m.  Both will be held at Roger-Atkins Funeral Home located at 403 South Broadway in Salem, Illinois.  Interment will follow in Phillips Cemetery in Kinmundy, Illinois. Eva is survived by her sister, Phyllis Ritter (Larry) of Kinmundy, Illinois; her daughters, Annette Sullivan of Wake Forest and Debra Travis (Donald) of Atlantic Beach; a daughter-in-law, Deborah Ann Yates of Lena, Illinois; grandchildren, Bobby Sullivan (Rhonda) of Raleigh, Terra Calahan (Chad) of Las Vegas, Nevada, Nichole Andersen (David) of South Beloit, Illinois; Dan Yates of Buckeye, Arizona and Melissa Sullivan (Taylor Jones) of Raleigh and great grandchildren, Jacob Calahan, Lilly Yates, Jackson Yates and Tiegan Anderson. She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-three years, Don Yates; her son, Dean Edwin Yates and her parents, Dean and Fern Baker. In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent in Eva’s memory to Stoney Brook Christian Church, 3502 Airport Boulevard NW, Wilson, North Carolina 27896. Arrangements are under the care of Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson, NC or at www.joyners.net.