Joseph H. Yerkes Jr., of Hatboro passed away on February 13, 2022 at his daughter’s home. He was 87 years old and the husband for 65 years of Dolores Yerkes, who passed in 2020.
Born in Hatboro, Joseph was the son of the late Joseph H. and Gladys M. Crockett Yerkes.
Joseph grew up in Hatboro, working and living at the Hatboro Cemetery. At eighteen years old he began working at Fischer and Porter Co., where he would meet his future wife, Dolores. They married in 1954 and moved to Doylestown, where they raised a family of five, before moving back to Hatboro Cemetery in 1968.
Joseph maintained the grounds and kept records of Hatboro Cemetery for 26 years. During this time he also worked full time at Fischer and Porter Co. for 42 years, in sales and expediting until retiring at the age of 60. He also had a passion working for the Fischer and Porter Credit Union, which eventually became Freedom Credit Union. He was President of the credit union for several years and was still an honorary member of the board of directors up until his passing. Joseph went back part-time at Delmar Enterprise in Warminster for 23 years.
He is the father of five children, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Joseph loved playing games with the family, especially pinochle and the marble game. For the past 25 years, he took annual vacations to Sanibel Island, Florida with his wife and daughter.
Sports played a big part in Joseph’s life, having played basketball in high school and college, even having played in a game that included Wilt Chamberlin. Joseph coached his children in little league baseball, softball and basketball. He loved sports so much that even after his kids were done playing, he continued to umpire girls’ and men’s softball. Joseph also refereed little league basketball, was a time judge for swim meets and a net judge for volleyball. He continued umpiring until the age of 83!
He is survived by his daughters: Linda Faust and Sandy Yerkes, his two sons: Steven and Jeff Yerkes. Joseph was predeceased by his son, Joseph Yerkes, and his two sisters, Yvonne Clinton and Elaine Mears.
Relatives and friends are invited to his funeral service 10 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2022 at Pleasantville Church, 3424 Limekiln Pike, Chalfont. Interment will follow in Hatboro Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: St. Jude’s Children Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org).