John Yeager

John Fritz Yeager, Jr., 79, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, died Tuesday, February 25, 2014, at home after a long illness. He was born November 20, 1934, in Marion, Alabama, son of the late John Fritz Yeager, Sr., and Isabelle Nichols Yeager. Besides his parents, his brother, Commander Thomas David Yeager of the United States Navy, preceded him in death. Mr. Yeager is survived by his children, Elizabeth Yeager Washington of Gainesville, Florida, and her husband Ray Washington; and John Fritz Yeager III of Atlanta, Georgia, and his wife Kristen Davis Yeager. He is survived by two grandsons, Benjamin Brown Morris of Gainesville, Florida, and Jackson Fritz Yeager of Atlanta, Georgia; his former sister-in-law, Helen Walker Yeager, and four nieces - Deborah A. Yeager, Denise I. Yeager, Diane Yeager Holt, and Deanne Yeager Lindauer - all of Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is also survived by his step-grandchildren: Kaitlin Elaine Adams and Kendall Reese Baker of Atlanta, and John Clay Washington of New York, New York, and David Clay Washington of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama in 1956 with the highest GPA in the School of Accounting. He received the Alpha Kappa Psi and Beta Alpha Psi Scholarship Awards in Accounting. He was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Delta Sigma Pi academic honor societies. After graduation, he served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force for three years, returning to Tuscaloosa in 1960 to work as a Certified Public Accountant with the firm of Jamison, Money, and Farmer. Since 1974, Mr. Yeager was a partner, with A.D. Christian, Jr., of Yeager and Christian Public Accounting in Tuscaloosa. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy, the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants, the International Association for Financial Planning, and the Senior Executives Club of the Commerce Executives Society. As a CPA, he took great care with his clients to make sure they received sound advice in their financial decision-making. Many of his clients became dear life-long friends. He was a pillar of Trinity United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa, where he served as teacher of the Fellowship Sunday School Class, church treasurer, and friend to all. He was a devoted follower of all things Alabama Crimson Tide. He was a season ticket holder in football, basketball, baseball, and gymnastics and traveled extensively to see his teams play. He served as President of the Tuscaloosa Tip-Off Club and the University of Alabama Scholarship Club. He also served as President of Indian Hills Country Club. Most of all, he was a proud and loving father who delighted in visiting and hearing stories about his grandchildren, who called him "PaPa,"� and his nieces, who called him "Uncle Johnny."� Funeral services will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa at 11am on Friday, February 28. A visitation will follow the service in the Trinity UMC Fellowship Hall at 12pm. Burial will also be on February 28 in Marion, Alabama, after a brief graveside service at 4pm at the Marion City Cemetery. Arrangements will be handled by Magnolia Chapel South of Tuscaloosa. Pallbearers will include A.D. Christian, Jr., Tommy Brooker, Billy Boyd, Jimmy Godfrey, Don Wood, and Philip Westbrook. Members of the Fellowship Sunday School Class will serve as honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Trinity United Methodist Church and Hospice of West Alabama.