Dolly Yates

Dolly Margaret (Glenn) Yates was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 14, 1930; she celebrated her 95th birthday before she died peacefully on June 12, 2025 at her home on Hicks Lake in Lacey, Washington.

While attending Washington State College, Dolly met David Yates (deceased), whom she married in February 1951. With her husband of 66 years, she had two daughters, Kay, and Laura (deceased), and two sons, Glenn and Doug. At the time of her death, Dolly had eight grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

The family moved to Lacey in 1966. Dolly worked for a time at Sunset Life Insurance, and later for the Washington Department of Transportation until her retirement.

Dolly and Dave at first attended Lacey Christian Church and Lacey Community Church. They then found a home with the Olympia Society of Friends, where they appreciated the pacifist message and inclusive community of the Quaker Meeting.

Sometime in the late ’80s when the Yearly Meeting and Olympia Meeting were discerning marriage equality (then referred to as gay marriage), Dolly and Dave were among those in Meeting who were at first unfamiliar with and, initially, uncomfortable with accepting all unions as marriage, but came to accept them without doubts.

Dolly was on the OFM Finance Committee for more than a decade and served as our depositor for many years. She also served on the Nominating Committee.

Dolly and Dave’s summertime ice cream socials at their home on Hicks Lake were open to everyone at the Meeting and were loved as memorable events.

Dolly was known for greeting the Meeting’s children and asking each one how they were with specific questions. The children were fond and appreciative of her attention. In these acts of kindness, she modeled a Friendly respect for children as important individuals in the Meeting. She was appreciated for knitting baby blankets which were gifted to many of the Meeting's children.  

Dolly is remembered by Olympia Friends as very practical, gentle, strong, and independent. 

A celebration of Dolly’s life was held on July 20, 2025 at the Olympia Friends Meetinghouse.