Barbara Joan Yates, 79, a longtime resident of Stockton, passed away quietly at home on the morning of January 22, 2017. Barbara was born in the city of Stockton. She was the oldest daughter of four children born to Viola and Reinholt "Mike" Nessler. She graduated from Stockton High School and attended Delta College. She worked for several years at the Red Cherry Bakery and Lincoln Village Bakery. She married Eldon Yates on September 21, 1955. The couple lovingly raised two children in the city of Stockton. Barbara also acted as a surrogate mother to several children over the years.
Barbara is preceded in death by her beloved father Mike Nessler, sister Janet Bryan, and brother Michael Nessler. She is survived by her husband of 61 years Eldon Yates, her mother Viola Nessler, sister Eleanor Adamson, daughter Eileen Yates, son Bruce Yates, daughter-in-law Carol Yates, grandson Justin Dillard, grandson Kenneth Yates, granddaughter Jessica Yates, grandson Richard Williams, grandson Aaron Williams and numerous great-grandchildren.
Barbara was at ease in the outdoors and found great enjoyment in gardening, fishing, and hunting. She loved archery and held office on the board of Lodi Bowmen for ten years. She was also a very talented self-taught painter and created scores of beautiful paintings over the course of her lifetime, but she will be most remembered for her kind spirit and dedication to family.
VISITATION
Visitation will be Thursday, January 26, 2017, from 4-8 PM at Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home, 831 Industrial Way in Lodi.
SERVICES
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 27, 2017, at 1 PM at Cherokee Memorial Park in the Evergreen Chapel. A luncheon will follow the services at Casa Flores in Lodi located at 400 East Kettleman Lane Suite #5.
ceremony certificate, Midare, from the School of Omotesenke and was the only person in the U.S. to hold such a distinctive certificate. 1958, she immigrated to the US, marrying Matsuto Jim Mikami of Lodi. During her time in California, she was an ambassador of Japanese culture. In 1969, she became a founder of the Omotesenke Domonkai, Northern California chapter, an organization focused on the study of the art of tea ceremony; it has over 250 members today. In addition to teaching tea ceremony, Mrs. Mikami taught koto and shamisen, two classical Japanese instruments, for over 50 years to more than 100 students. Additionally, over her lifetime she performed countless demonstrations of Japanese culture including music, tea ceremonies, origami crafts, and flower arrangements at venues from San Francisco to Micke Grove to nearly all local elementary schools.
Lastly, Mrs. Mikami was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. She helped grow grapes on the family vineyard and successfully raised two children through college.