OBITUARY FROM POST-TRIBUNE, APRIL 21, 2008:

Thomas Philip "Cotton" Yates, age 73, passed away Saturday, April 19, 2008 at home. "Cotton" was a lifelong Northwest Indiana resident and a graduate of Hobart High School in 1953. He was an avid Hobart Brickie Football Fan and a retired bricklayer with 50 years of service affiliated with Bricklayer Local #4. Cotton was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

He is survived by his loving wife, Florence "Red" Yates; 6 children: Cathy (Jim) Spiller of Portage, Thomas Yates II of Hobart, Scott Yates of Valparaiso, Joel Bogdan of Portage, Michelle (Bill) Taylor of Lake Station and Amanda (Alex) Hurst of Portage; 17 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, 2 brothers: Jack Yates of Texas and Don Yates of Kentucky.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:00 a.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel, 5341 Central Avenue, Portage, with Rev. Lonnie Lawson officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Portage. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel, 219-762-3013, or online at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.

This information was obtained from: http://legacy.post-trib.com/obituaries/posttribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=108080924.