William Yarbrough

Solemn Tribute Veteran by Judy Jenkins the Henderson Gleaner
His back is a ramrod straight as an 86 year-old back can be ,his eyes fixed on his subject and his face a study in admiration and respect, William Yarbrough steps smartly to the casket and salutes the individual within. It matters not if the deceased is a male or female old or young ,black or white or shades in between. The person lying beneath The floral offerings is a veteran of military service either wartime or peacetime. Yarbrough wearing his starched khaki uniform with a dark brown stripe down the side of the trousers epaulettes on the shoulders may or may not have known the individual . When a veteran local veteran passes on William is there at the funeral home paying his final tribute and expressing his condolences to the family. Sometimes he walks from his apartment in the Henderson Housing Authority complex at 840 North Adams and sometimes he catches the city bus.
For years he was part of the American Legion Washington Post 40 burial detail ,but now William goes solo via the US Department of Defense military funeral honors program That framed certificate is important to him as his certificate of special congressional recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community signed by US representative Ed Whitfield.
Until it disbanded William was commander of the American Legion Lawrence Washington Post 205 here. Washington a friend of William’s was a local African-American who was serving his second tour of duty in Vietnam when he was killed .
William, who grew up in the Sebree the seventh son of an African-American mother and a father with Cherokee blood, volunteered for duty at the close of World War II and served as a military guard in the occupied Germany .
He had to watch his back he says “because for a lot of people the war wasn’t over .”There were occupational forces who were attacked and sometimes slain.
Later he was assigned to Fort Bliss in Texas near the Mexican border . There he ran the black mess hall Following his three years of active duty he was in the Army reserve until Six years after President Harry Truman signed an executive order outlawing racial segregation in the American military.
William rarely seen without a crisp white dress shirt and dress slacks wasn't the only one in his family of ten children to join the Army two of his much older brother served in World War I, Williams said though they never wanted to talk about their experiences. Another brother served in World War II.
William learn responsibility early in life doing the family laundry on a washboard in the washtub When he was only eight years old. He boiled the water used lye soap to clean the garments.
He also cooked at eight, making a beef stew that was a favorite with his parents and siblings who were still at home. He wasn't forced to do those things, he said his mother did domestic work for others And I didn't think she should have to come home and work some more .
Over the years William was a funeral home employee , managed the bar at Ellis Park and worked for the US Post Office being the first man of color to become a postal clerk in Henderson
he never married. His mother and baby sister had long illnesses and he cared for them until they're passing .
His mom couldn't read or write and he did those things for her. When she ordered clothing from the Sears catalog during Williams childhood he filled in the forms and because I didn't have a tape measure ,I used of string to provide sizes .You can bet he'll be at South middle schools Wonderful more Veterans Day program today is an event he tries never to miss I'll catch the bus The 7 AM bus and go over there As writ Mr William Yarbrough 91 of Henderson died on Tuesday, at Henderson Nursing and Rehab.
Mr Yarbrough had worked for Reeder Funeral Home and Ellis Park
He was preceded in death by his parents William Yarbrough and Lucille Mcfarland and one grandson.
He is survived by his daughter Alicia Diane Butler and 2 grandchildren 6 great grand and 3 great great grandchildren
He was a humble caring man who will be missed by all those who knew and loved him/
At Ease Soldier