Carol Jean Yonkey

Carol Jean (Taylor) Yonkey shuffled off this mortal coil to be with her Lord and Savior on February 10th, 2023, after nearly 85 years of a very full and exciting life with her family by her side.

She was born in Clinton, Tennessee on May 3rd, 1938, to William McAdoo Taylor and Eva Jane Haynes as a sickly child that “wouldn’t live to her 20’s”. Almost 85 years later, and under her own terms (which she coordinated personally with God) she took her last breath and passed quietly away from her earthly body.

Carol had five siblings that she dearly loved to boss around and attempt to herd. She married C.E. “Ed” Yonkey on October 6th, 1958, at Sinking Springs UMC in Clinton after meeting him at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland and immediately falling deeply in love. Ed was a career Army soldier and Carol willingly took on the life of a soldier’s wife, allowing her to travel extensively around the United States and to Germany.

She was a Girl Scout leader for her oldest daughter, Vivian, a Cub Scout leader for her only son, David, and a mother hen for her youngest daughter, Lisa. She was always their biggest fan. She was Mrs. Claus for over 15 years while Ed played Santa and was the Captain of the Chase Crew while Ed flew his hot air balloon, the Zephyr, all over East Tennessee and the rest of the southeast. She even got the chance to be a member of the ground crew for the massive balloon owned by Malcom Forbes. Carol was the glue that held her family together and the “wooden spoon” that kept them in line. She never met a stranger and always made room in her heart and her family for everyone she met.

She was preceded in death by her parents; the love of her life, C.E. “Ed” Yonkey; her brothers, David and William F. Taylor; her oldest daughter, Vivian R. Yonkey; and her son-in-law, Phillip W. Luster.

She is survived by her son, David “Dave” E. Yonkey (Liz) of Killeen, Texas; her youngest daughter, Lisa R. Yonkey Luster of Elizabethton, Tennessee; “almost adopted” son and daughter, Mike and Dana Dalton of Brooksville, Florida; five grandchildren, Erica B. Yonkey Heckman (Lucas) of Winters, California, Jonathan D. Yonkey (Valerie) of Harker Heights, Texas, Dalton W. Luster (Katie) of Lenoir, North Carolina, Christine M. Luster (Cain) of Johnson City, Tennessee, and William M. Luster (Kayla) of Elizabethton, Tennessee; and six great grandchildren that she loved much more than she loved their grandparents.

Due to her allergies, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to one of the causes that were near and dear to her heart like Alzheimer’s research, heart or lung associations, or to your local church.

A memorial service, immediately followed by a covered dish luncheon, will be held at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 225 Princeton Road, Johnson City, Tennessee, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 18th, 2023. All of Carol’s family and friends are invited to bring a dish and join us as we celebrate her extraordinary life well lived.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family via www.morrisbaker.com

Morris-Baker Funeral Home, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, is honored to serve the Yonkey family.