Mr. Tallis "Tee" Yates III

Tallis T. Yates, III, affectionately known as "Tee", departed this earthly life on Wednesday, November 26,2014 at Tuomey Regional Healthcare System in Sumter, SC. Born on November 8, 1966 in Sumter County, he was a son of Corine Nickens Yates Grant and the late Tallis Yates, Jr.. Tallis was a 1986 graduate of Hillcrest High School. Tallis accepted Christ as his Savior and was a member of Willow Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church where he attended faithfully. "Tee's" love for his wife, his "Sweetie", was unconditional. He loved his two wonderful children and his girlie girl, Shay. "Tee" was a happy and fun loving person, who dearly loved his family and friends. Underneath "Tee's" deep baritone voice was the heart of a "teddy bear". He never met a stranger, and if he happened upon a stranger, they did not depart as a stranger. If Noah Webster was assigned the task to define "Tee", the following adjectives would be listed next to his name: generous, dependable, hard worker, and devoted. Tallis was employed at Becton Dickinson for over twenty-eight years. He was preceded in death by his father, Tallis Yates, Jr.; maternal grandparents, Rev. Bowman and Rebecca Davis Nickens; paternal grandparents, Mr. Tallis Yates, Sr. and Julia Bolden Pinckney Yates; godfather, Johnnie Pettyjohn; stepfather, Houston Grant; father-in-law Jessie Williams. In addition to his mother, he leaves to cherish his precious memories and celebrate his life, his loving and devoted wife of 26 years, Terry Williams Yates of the home; a beautiful daughter, Shayla G. Yates of Sumter, SC; a loving son, Tallis (Stephanie) Yates IV of Dallas, TX; one beautiful granddaughter, Michaela Yates of Sumter, SC; four brothers: Harold Dawson, Roosevelt (Tracy) Nelson, Jr., Travis Yates, all of Rembert, SC and Tony (Shante)Yates of Dalzell, SC; one sister, Teresa (Jerry) Washington of Sumter, SC; seven step-siblings; Mattie Montgomery, Clotell Way, Patricia (William) Jefferson of Sumter, SC, Ethel Jones of Orangeburg, SC; Willie (Gladys) Grant of Sumter, SC; Donald Ray Grant of Dalzell, SC; Timothy (Carbia) Grant of Nashville, TN; nine aunts: Josephine Parker of Sumter, SC, Sadie Muldrow and Arthuree Johnson of Sumter, SC, Thelma Coclough of Philadelphia, PA, Julia Pettyjohn, Maggie Sheppard, Edith Nickens, and Bernice King all of Rembert, SC, Sadie Singleton of Columbia, SC, Geneva Nickens of Camden, SC; William Sheppard and Richard Pinkney, Jr. both of Remember, SC, Roosevelt Nelson, Sr. of Washington, DC; two great-aunts: Angeline Loney of Dalzell, SC and Carrie Johnson of Philadelphia, PA; mother-in-law Mary Alice Williams of Rembert, SC; two sisters-in-law Shirley (Robert) Mitchell of Sumter, SC and Carolyn Sanders of Rembert, SC; two brothers-in-law Richard Weathers of Rembert, SC and Jessie (Josephine)Williams, Jr. of Jonesboro, GA; special cousin Tonita Miller and godson Darnell Harris, Jr.; special friends, Calvin (Elizabeth) Oaks; a host of nieces, nephews, and many other loving relatives and caring friends.

Mr. Tallis "Tee" Yates III

November 8, 1966 - November 26, 2014