Donnie Joe Yokley

Donnie Joe Yokley, 74, of Cleveland, TN passed away Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, at The Creekside at Shallowford Retirement Community in Chattanooga, TN.  Many there knew him as the man who always greeted everyone with “Top of the day to you.” He had been struggling with Idiopathic Pulmonary Disease for several months, and asked in death that his body be donated to medical science thru The Genesis Foundation. Don was born in Greene County, TN and worked as a machinist in Greeneville, TN, Morristown, TN, and in Chicago, IL. He served as an EMT with the Baileyton Fire Department for several years and belonged to Baileyton United Methodist Church before joining congregations at Benton UM Church in Benton, TN, and most recently at Tasso UM Church in Cleveland, TN.

Don was preceded in death by his daughter Kimberly Jo Yokley, who died of cancer in 1987. His love for her left him with great sadness for the remainder of his life.

Don is survived by his daughters, whom he adored and who cared for him during his illness, Donjenna Yokley of Atlanta, GA and Neko Shae Mantooth of Chattanooga, TN; and three grandchildren, Macy Hayes Mantooth of Atlanta, GA, Ely Hayes Yokley-Zarka of Brunswick, GA, and Avery Ellison Collins of Chattanooga, TN.

A memorial service will be held in his honor at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Tasso United Methodist Church, 1106 Tasso Ln NE, Cleveland, TN. Officiating will be the Rev. Mike Hubble. Friends and family will be received at the Tasso Church from 1pm to 2pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials (by check) can be made to:

1) The Kim Yokley Scholarship Fund (for college bound youth) at Baileyton United Methodist Church, C/O Jane Ann Pierce, 979 Hawkins Lane, Greeneville, TN 37745.

2) The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago IL. 60611; or an online donation at (copy and paste) https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/PFFTribute/DonnieYokley

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