MICHAEL "MIKE" WHITLEY YORKE JR.
Died Feb. 24, 2018
Michael "Mike" Whitley Yorke Jr., 75, passed away the morning of Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, at Duke Hospital in Durham, N.C., following a brave and courageous battle with cancer.
A memorial/remembrance service in his honor will be held Sunday, March 18, 2018, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Ironwood Country Club in Greenville, N.C.
A graveside gathering will be held Sunday, March 25, 2018, at 2 p.m. at Westwood Cemetery in Carrboro, N.C.
Mike was born and raised in Kannapolis, N.C., the first son of Michael "Mike" and Nancy Yorke.
He was a member of Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church, and a graduate of A.L. Brown High School and East Carolina College.
Mike and his wife, Jean, shared a love story spanning nearly 60 years. They met in the spring of 1961 at Nags Head during Pirates' Jamboree weekend; both were freshmen at East Carolina College.
That night, Mike announced to friends that he had met the girl he was going to marry. A year and a half later, Sept. 2, 1962, Mike did exactly that -- he married Jean Rogers.
Two years later, they had a daughter, Kathryn Elizabeth.
Mike enjoyed a lengthy career as an industrial salesman, working for The Stanley Works and later Emhart Corp., traveling the southeast U.S. until his retirement.
Mike served on the Advancement Council of Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences at East Carolina University. He was a member of the East Carolina Alumni Association board of directors and the East Carolina University board of visitors. Mike was a charter member of The Thomas Wolfe Society.
Over the years, he was also a loyal supporter of East Carolina University Athletics.
Mike was also a NAUI-Certified Advanced scuba diver.
Mike is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jean Rogers Yorke; daughter, Kathryn Elizabeth Yorke; grandchildren, John Michael Welborn and Christian Elizabeth Welborn; sister, Jewell Ann Yorke; brother-in-law, William D. "Bill" Rogers and wife, Suzanne; nieces, Anna and Maggie; nephews, Brian and Nicholas; first cousins, Francis McCombs, Bob Phillips and wife, Gail; and many second cousins.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on March 11, 2018 3:05 AM