Dan M. Yingst

Dan M. Yingst, of Show Low, Arizona passed away on October 1, 2019 in Mesa, Arizona following a brief illness. He was 77. Dan was born on May 10, 1942 in Redlands, California to the late, Charles Austin and Olive (Graham) Yingst.  

At a young age the family moved to Marysvale, Utah where they had a small sheep ranch. Prior to his senior year of high school the family moved back to Redlands where he graduated from Redlands High School. Shortly out of high school Dan married Carole Curtis in Cedar City, Utah and from that union they had a daughter, Suzanne, and a son, David. Dan and Carole lived in Calimesa, California and Page, Arizona before they divorced. It was then he started his millwright career which required him to travel all over the country.

Dan met Phyllis Azer, in Bay City, Michigan and on January 18, 1978 they were married in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dan and Phyllis enjoyed traveling on their motorcycle together and seeing the countryside. In 1978 they moved to Show Low, Arizona where they enjoyed the beautiful White Mountains. They shared 39 wonderful years of marriage before Phyllis’ passing on March 8, 2017.

Dan worked as a plumber and a sheet metal fabricator before his long career as a millwright and professional welder having run Dan’s Portable Welding service for over 35 years.

Dan was a member of the White Mountain Sporting Clay Gun Club, Life Member of the National Rifle Association, Life Member of the Show Low Elks Lodge #2090 where he was a member for over 44 years, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Millwright Local UBCO 1608.

Dan loved to hunt elk, deer, quail and he looked forward to his annual pheasant hunt in Kansas every year. In March of 2018 Dan met Susan Jones in Stanford, Arizona and on August 4, 2018 they were married in the pines at the Show Low Elks Lodge. He and Susan enjoyed taking their daily walks in the forest surrounding their home in Show Low. He also enjoyed growing tomatoes, peaches and yellow roses.

Dan was a believer in the gift of life and was a registered donor with the Donor Network of Arizona. True to his nature Dan gave the “gift of life” as his organs and tissue were made available to those in need at his time of passing. A storyteller at heart, Dan will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved his most.

He is survived by his wife, Susan of Show Low; daughter, Suzanne Yingst of Nashville, Tennessee; son, David Yingst of San Diego, California; granddaughter, Desiree Dodd of Mesa, Arizona; step-son, Scott Azer of Arizona; niece, Donnell Copaus of Texas; his beloved black lab, Shadow, who truly was Dan’s shadow, and many extended family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bill and Austin Yingst; wife, Phyllis; and mother and father-in-law, Leslie and Maynard Doerge.  

A celebration of life for Dan will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday, October 12, 2019 at the Owens Livingston Mortuary~White Mountain Chapel, 320 N. 9^th Street, Show Low with a reception to follow the services at the Elks Lodge, 805 E. Whipple, Show Low.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Show Low Elks Lodge #2090 new chair fund or the American Heart Association Aortic Aneurysm Fund, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, CA 94010-1795 in Dan’s name.