Patricia Yates

Patricia Ailleen Yates was born in San Antonio, Texas, on March 3, 1953, to Tolola and Juan L. Garcia who preceded her in death. Patricia passed away peacefully on April 10th, 2025, at 6:35pm.

Patricia attended St. Luke's Catholic school where she developed strong roots that produced her unwavering Catholic faith. She later attended and graduated from Oliver Wendell Holmes High School in San Antonio in 1971. She went on to study Sociology at Southwest Texas University and graduated having obtained her degree in 1977.

Tricia, as she was affectionately known as, had a gentle soul yet an admirable strength to her; especially when the Dallas Cowboys were playing. It could be said that a great deal of her strength came from having grown up on the family ranch in San Diego, Texas. Though she was not fond of the hard work she loved her life on the ranch.

She would spend time watching others hunt and work manual labor. She learned how to drive despite hating to drive, enjoyed drinking pearl beer, driving tractors, and hosting numerous family food gatherings with cousins and friends. Little did Tricia know her strength would come in handy for all the children she would not only raise but would care for and educate through academia later in her life.

Tricia met and married Keith Yates. She gave birth to Alyssa Stewart, Dustin Yates and Logan Yates. While Tricia bore and raised three of her own children, she became nothing short of a second mom to Heather Beels, Nathan Beels and Andrew Beels; born of her best friend Sally and her husband Rick Beels.

Tricia naturally went on to teach at Elgin Elementary where she advocated for children needing speech therapy and continued working in the Special Education Department where her love for children continued to grow. She enjoyed working with all children, particularly working alongside children with autism and who were in need of a special kind of teacher. The kids would call her Ms. Tish which she would proudly and laughably answer to. The children made an imprint on Tricia's heart and she left an even bigger one on theirs. She even chose to work at a daycare after school and often worked at the neighborhood pool in the summer; not even the Texas heat and the many tans she got could keep her away from caring after those kids. She was a second mother to all who came under her wing.

Tricia also enjoyed spending time with the teachers at Elgin Elementary, many of which became some of her most cherished friendships. They often spent time at their local Jalisco's where they discussed life, the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Longhorns, and simply supported one another.

Tricia also loved to garden. You could always catch her in her backyard planting something new whether it was flowers that she picked alongside her grandchildren in the summer. She created a vegetable garden and one time created a flower bed out of a bedframe. Her garden, her home and friends and family were her pride and joy.

Tricia is preceded in death by her parents Tolola and Juan L. Garcia, her grandparents Ailleen and Ernst Buenz, and her brother John Garcia. She is survived by her former husband Keith Yates, daughters Alyssa Stewart and Heather Beels, sons Dustin Yates, Logan Yates, Nathan Beels and Andrew Beels. She is also survived by her son-in-law Michael Stewart and her three grandchildren Jacob Stewart, Madisyn Stewart and Austyn Stewart that she adored more than life itself. Additionally, she is survived by her sister, Dianna Duderstadt; her brother, Johnny; her sister-in-law, Peggy Garcia; and her nieces and nephews, Madilyn Sirera, Jordan Garcia, as well as Larissa Yates and Wesley Yates. Tricia's love for animals began early in her life with her beloved Benji whom she loved for more than a decade, countless dogs and cats, and her undying devotion to care for stray animals. Tricia also leaves behind her beloved guard dog, Rocket, whom she rescued, and a host of family and friends whom she loved dearly.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00AM on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Providence-Jones Family Funeral Home, 604 HWY 95 N, Elgin, Texas 78621.