Obituary of Colleen Holland Yates

Colleen Holland Yates, 93, widow of Ansley Lee Yates, passed away Sunday, March 5, 2023, at her daughter’s home in Mt. Pleasant. She was a long-time resident of Sumter and admired civic activist. She prided herself on being a loyal Democrat and a “bossy” woman. Colleen was born in Morganton, North Carolina in 1929 but considered McBee, South Carolina as her real hometown since she grew up on the Sandhills Wildlife Refuge where her father was the refuge manager. She was a proud graduate of Winthrop College and was a 70-year resident of Sumter. She often said that she loved the people of McBee, Sumter, Winthrop and South Carolina. Her family and grandchildren knew her as Maudie, and she was a gracious host and great storyteller. In her lifetime, she was involved in many activities and received numerous recognitions: Sumter Election Commission, Sumter City Council (Mayor’s Outstanding Citizen Award), South Carolina Municipal Association, Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Government, Sumter Junior Welfare League (League Award), Sumter League of Women Voters, Family Welfare Services, The Forum, Trian Club, Sumter Museum Board, Saint Ann’s Catholic School Association, Candidate for South Carolina House of Representatives and for Congress, Winthrop University Sumter Club (Mary Mildred Sullivan Award), and led effort to get Sumter listed on the National Register of Historic Places and to save the Sumter Opera House. She was a passionate advocate for the causes close to her heart – domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, Emmanuel Soup Kitchen and women in politics. Colleen was proceeded in death by her parents, Ernest and Eileen Holland, husband Ansley Lee “Bubba” Yates, son Charles Ansley Yates and daughter Caroline Cecelia Yates, sister Patricia Holland Rinehart and brother Dennis Franklin Holland. She is survived by her son Ernest Franklin Yates, daughter Christine Yates “Cricket” Stewart (Craig), and grandchildren Ansley Stewart Condon (Nick), Craig “Cee” Stewart, Lee Holland Stewart, Patrick Stephen Yates, Charles Andrew Yates, great grandchildren Riley Marie Condon, Cooper Whiting Condon and Archer Holland Condon and many cousins and adoring nieces. Memorial Services will be held at 11 A.M. Monday, March 13, 2023, in the Chapel of the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. Monday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home. Private burial will be in the St. Lawrence Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Winthrop University Foundation, 302 Tillman Hall, Rock Hill, SC 29733 or to Sumter United Ministries, P. O. Box 1017, Sumter, SC 29151. Online condolences may be made at www.sumterfunerals.com Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386