William "Bill" Thomas Yeates

William T. (Bill) Yeates, 57, passed away Tuesday, January 23, 2018. Bill was born July 25, 1960, in Shreveport, LA. He was preceded in death by his father, Edwin C. Yeates, Jr., who died before Bill was born, his mother, Barbara T. Yeates Thames, and his stepfather, Earl G. Thames. He is survived by his loving wife, Laura, son Austin, and twin daughters, Summer and Jessie, all of Raleigh; his brothers, Ed Yeates of Yellville, AR, and Glenn Thames of Tyler, TX, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws. Bill grew up in Natchitoches, LA. A real life Tom Sawyer, Bill spent his childhood exploring the waters and woods surrounding the oldest settlement in the entire Louisiana Purchase territory. From a very early age, Bill loved being in and on the water. As a youngster, Bill was a champion swimmer who set multiple AAU records, and when he wasn’t swimming, he was fishing, water skiing, and hunting for antique bottles along the banks of the Cane River. An excellent student, Bill graduated from Louisiana Tech University with bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Finance as well as an MBA. Thereafter, Bill enjoyed a successful career in business, traveling the globe and holding executive positions with several companies. Most notably, Bill served as President and CEO of Power-One, a publicly traded power electronics company that enjoyed great success under Bill’s leadership, at one point becoming a member of the S&P 500. However, Bill’s true loves were family, friends, and fishing. A devoted husband and father, Bill loved spending time with Laura and his children, of whom he was incredibly proud, and with whom he shared many adventures. Indeed, for Bill, all of life was an adventure. Brilliant, funny, and completely fearless, Bill had a knack for making indelible memories. While he has left this world on yet another adventure, he has left behind a long list of best friends with a boatload of stories to share. In celebration of Bill’s life, his family will greet friends and relatives at Renaissance Funeral Home 7615 Six Forks Rd Raleigh NC 27615, Saturday, January 27, 2018 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Potter Minton, Trustee of the Yeates education fund, 110 N. College, Suite 500, Tyler, TX 75702, or Transitions Lifecare of Raleigh, to whom the family expresses its sincere gratitude.

William "Bill" Thomas Yeates

July 25, 1960 - January 23, 2018