St. Yates

Life long Artesia resident, St. Clair Peyton Yates passed away on August 1, 2008 at his home at the age of 93. Following a private burial, under the direction of Terpening and Son Mortuary, a public memorial service and reception will be held at First United Methodist Church beginning at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 8, 2008.

St. Clair Peyton Yates, known by many as S. P. or Saint by family and close friends, was born in the family home in Artesia on September 19, 1914, the third son of Martin and Mary Emmons Yates. S. P. was reared in Artesia and graduated from Artesia High School in 1932. He received a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and attended graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1937 to 1938, where he met his bride-to-be, Estelle.

Mr. Yates married Estelle Hefler on March 3, 1940 in Boston, MA. The couple returned to Artesia where S.P. joined his father and brothers in the oil business. Before World War II, S. P. purchased a drilling rig and spent his time drilling for other companies and for himself. He founded Yates Drilling Company in 1959 and served as its president until 1976, at which time he assumed the position as Vice President and Director. In March 1960, S.P. and his brothers formed Yates Petroleum Corporation and he served as its president from its inception until January 1988, when he assumed the position of Chairman of the Board and most recently Chairman Emeritus. He led the company from a handful of employees in 1960 to a firm, today, that employs hundreds and operates offices in Artesia, Roswell, Lovington, Denver, Rock Springs and Gillette, WY. He and his brothers, Martin Bitsy and John led the company to be the largest independent oil and gas producing company based in the state of New Mexico.

S.P. was a proud member if the Independent Petroleum Association of America, Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, all organizations of which he served in various capacities. He served on the Board of Directors of Team Bank of Dallas until its sale to Banc One in the 1980's. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Artesia most of his life, and served his church as its finance chairman and on the Board of Stewards. He also served as a member of the Board of Regents of McMurry College in Abilene, Texas.

The Boy Scouts was one of S. P.'s greatest passions, an interest inherited from his father, Martin, and he served the organization as its District Chairman in 1951, the Council Vice President and later President from 1951 to 1956, the Council Finance Chairman from 1953 to 1956, in addition to serving on the Steering Committee from the New Mexico State Coordinated Finance Campaign. S. P. also helped found the Conquistador Council Trust Committee in 1958 and served as its Chairman for many years. For his lifetime commitment to the Boy Scouts, S. P. was awarded the prestigious Silver Beaver Award from the local Council and the Silver Antelope Award on the national level. The Roswell Boy Scout Office recently named their new building the S. P. Yates Scout Service Center, honoring S. P. for his life-long dedication to and support of Scouting.

S. P. will forever be remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit, his strong character, his sharp mind, his quick wit and his contagious laugh and captivating smile. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Mary Yates, and his brothers, Harvey Emmons Yates and Martin Yates, III. He is survived by his wife, Estelle, of the family home; two sons, Peyton and his wife Linda and Richard and his wife Brenda; one daughter, Mary and her husband Edward, one brother John A. and his wife Charlotte; and one daughter-in-law, Judy Yates. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Jennifer Peterson and her husband Dale, Mary Beth Yates, Hanson Yates and his wife Christine, Claire Lhoyd-Owen and her husband Rupert, Peyton Davis and his wife Helen, Kelsy Yates Humphrey and her husband Kiri, Porter Yates and Courtney Yates; three great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1492, Artesia, NM 88210; the Conquistador Council 413, Boy Scouts of America, 2603 N. Aspen Ave., Roswell, NM 88201; or the charity of one's choice.