Dan Yeatts Lokey, Jr.

Dan Yeatts Lokey, Jr.

Today we mourn the loss of a truly gentle soul, Yeatts Lokey who was tragically taken from this earth on September 23, 2023.

Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Polk Street Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Dan Yeatts Lokey, Jr. or “Yeatts” as he was known, was born on January 12, 1988 to Susie and Dan Lokey.

His father, Dan, introduced him to his love of the outdoors at a very young age. From the moment he could hold a fishing pole or maneuver a shot gun, it was clear that the outdoors would become a passion he would nurture throughout his life. His love of fly fishing took hold through countless trips to Colorado with his father. The idea of being fully immersed in the beauty of nature and all that it has to offer became Yeatts’ first love. Throughout Yeatts’ life, he and his father spent many weekends at the Morrison Ranch where his family owned a hunting lease. The lease became fondly known as the “Huntin’ Camp”, where many memories were made with family, friends and fellow hunters alike.

He graduated from Tascosa in 2006 and attended Texas A&M majoring in Range Land Management. He always knew he wanted to find his career in the outdoors. After college, Yeatts worked in the oil industry before moving to Montana to work as a fly fishing guide for the Spotted Bear Lodge. It was during these horse-backed wilderness trips that he mastered the art of fly fishing. Yeatts and a team would lead a group of fishermen and pack animals into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. They would camp and float the river over a one week period. Yeatts would guide clients during the day and help cook meals in the evening. During the winter months, he would work on guided elk hunts and endure the harsh weather. These winters would eventually be the reason he moved back to the more familiar (and warmer) state of Texas. Yeatts was known to bounce from one extreme to the other, and moved from the Canadian border  to McAllen, Texas on the border of Mexico to sell real estate. A few twists and turns lead him to being hired by a fellow Aggie to work for Mortensen Construction in the solar and wind energy industry. One of the perks of the new job was that he was able to live on the Morrison Ranch at the “Huntin’ Camp”. Yeatts lived there for the last 14 months and enjoyed the opportunity to go outside every evening to either hunt or tend to his garden. Yeatts loved dogs and was training his six month old labrador puppy, “Spring”.

Yeatts was an old soul with a deep love for cooking, history, and music. He had an affinity for Mexican cuisine and culture. Many of his recipes will live on through his loved ones. Yeatts’ outlook on life could be described as: “I do not want to tell anyone how to live their life, and I don’t want anyone telling me how to live mine.” Yeatts had many friends and if you were lucky enough to be one of them you were gifted with his everlasting loyalty and kindness.

Yeatts and his mother had a special relationship. Susie was able to spark the passion for music that Yeatts held. She also taught him to be a gentleman and the renaissance man that he became. They shared an eye for art and beauty and would talk for hours on end about music, politics, and the nuances of the world. Many of his traits came from the Cox side of the family, which was evident in his sense of humor. Like his loyalty to his friends, the love he had for his family was always evident. Yeatts and his little sister Bonnie were thick as thieves from the time they were children. Being only 15 months apart, they shared a unique closeness as siblings throughout their lives. There were very few times when one was in trouble that the other was not. Yeatts and Bonnie fostered this close relationship into their whole lives. When Bonnie married Shane, Yeatts always felt he gained a brother, not just a brother in law. When his nieces were born, Yeatts made it a point to share his abundant love with them. He was the best uncle and showered them with love every chance he had. Even at their young age, Uncle Yeatts was able to share and teach the girls about the beauty of nature.

Yeatts is preceded in death by his grandparents Julia and Robert Cox, Colleen and Ted Lokey, his Aunt Kathy Lou Cox, Uncle Bobby Cox, and Cousin Sam Ritter. Yeatts leaves behind parents Susie and Dan Lokey, sister Bonnie Oltean and husband Shane Oltean, nieces Julia and Amelia Oltean, Aunt Gay Cox, Aunt Julia Fletcher and husband David,Uncle Bridge Cox and wife Janice, Uncle John Lokey and wife Sharon, and many cousins.

To these loved ones he leaves behind, we look forward to one day being reunited with him. Let us find comfort that the Lord Jesus has welcomed Yeatts home, and His eternal light is shining upon him.