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Tad Yeakey

April 8, 2022
Kalamazoo, MI

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Tad Brian Yeakey, age 49, of Kalamazoo, passed after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. Tad was born on October 23rd, 1972, to Douglas, Sr., and Pamela (Orr) Yeakey, and was raised with his brother, Douglas, Jr., in the Grand Rapids area. On the evening of Friday, April 8, 2022, Tad crossed the finish line, surrounded by the family he created and loved so deeply. He worked for many years in the automotive and manufacturing industry. He continued to pursue his passion for drag racing throughout his life, where he met many of his fellow car enthusiasts and created long-lasting friendships. Over the last few years, Tad spent time with one of those friends, Carmaria, in Kalamazoo. They blended their families together to create what they now call the Yea-eek-ell clan that will carry on his legacy of showing and racing vehicles in his memory. Tad loved spending time with everyone he considered family, chatting and visiting with friends, watching his children and grandchildren play and participate in the activities they enjoyed, drinking Mt. Dew, car racing (both as participant and spectator), classic vehicles, and caring for animals, of which he had many over the years, including many reptiles and dogs. His companion for the last four and a half years has been Tank (aka Bubba Tank, Tubba Banks or Cinna Buns), an English Bulldog. He will be deeply missed by his children, Kaitlyn Gonzalez, and Logan and Kenzie Yeakey, and the children that he loved as his own, Garrett Pickrell, and David and Shelby Beeke; his grandchildren, Hayden and Addalyn Gonzalez; brother, Douglas, Jr. (Chris), niece Izabella and nephew Hunter Yeakey; his grandmother, Shirley Yeakey; uncle, Randy (Jody) Yeakey; aunt, Wanda (Dave) Hall; uncle, Roger Perez; aunt, Mary Orr; former spouse, Deborah Yeakey; lifelong friend, Carmaria Beeke, and many friends and extended family members. Waiting at the finish line for Tad were his grandparents, Orson Yeakey and David Donald and Harriet Orr; his parents, Douglas Sr. and Pamela Yeakey; his aunt, Joy Perez; and his uncle, David Orr. The family will greet relatives and friends on Saturday, April 30, 2022, from 1-4 p.m. for a Celebration of Life, held at Madison Avenue Missionary Baptist, located at 5757 Madison Ave SE, Kentwood, MI 49548. In honor of Tad's love for car shows and racing, the family would welcome any classic vehicles or motorcycles that would like to be shown and parked in a reserved section next to his IROC.