COY EUGENE “GENE” YERKEY

Parents

Wife

Katherine N Seger 1915-1982

Gene married Katherine Seger around 1934. They moved into 529 Lagoon, Akron, Ohio. Their daughter, Penny Lou, was born the following year.

In 1937 they were living at 482 Rothrock Avenue, Akron, Ohio.

In 1838, Gene, Katherine and Penny were living at 494 Rothrock Avenue, Akron, Ohio.

During the time that they were married, Gene was working nights at B.F. Goodrich. Katherine left Gene and Penny, and they were divorced by 1939.

Wife

Coy Eugene Yerkey and Alberta Marie Roush Aldstadt married on August 25, 1939. Their first home was a rental at 579 West Thornton Street, Akron. Gene was a foreman at B.F. Goodrich Rubber Company.

Children

Childhood

Coy Eugene’s father was very strict, and believed that “children are to be seen and not heard”. He was not permitted to speak to or bother visitors.

Turning twelve was a critical experience for Gene. For his birthday, one of his uncles gave him a membership in the Klu Klux Klan. In that year, 1926, Summit County, Ohio, had the largest chapter of the Klu Klux Klan in the United States. The Klu Klux Klan controlled the local government, the public schools, the police department, and many businesses. Gene attended one meeting of the KKK and heard the anti-Catholic rhetoric. Realizing that he had kind, loving cousins and other relatives who were Catholic, Gene knew that he could never believe what the Klu Klux Klan professed. He never attended another of those meetings.

That same year, Gene’s parents informed him that he had to assume more financial responsibility for himself. They would provide food, a place to sleep and medical treatment, but any other expenses (including clothing) were Gene’s responsibility.

Music and Art

Gene taught himself to play several musical instruments, including the trumpet, trombone, and drums. He earned money by teaching instrumental lessons at O’Neil’s Department Store.

The following ad was placed in the newspaper when he was 24.

On October 24, 1929, infamously called Black Thursday, the stock market crashed, and the Great Depression began. Gene, only 15 years old at the time and trying to earn his own money, also felt the economic effects. While playing in a band, he and the other band members would go to a restaurant for dinner. All of the members were struggling financially, so, on a rotating basis, one member would order and eat a meal while the others would enjoy bread and water.

Golden Gloves

In his late teens or early twentys, Gene became involved in boxing. He told about winning the Akron Golden Gloves competition, but records of those early competitions no longer exist.

Career at B. F. Goodrich

Gene was working at B. F. Goodrich by the time he was 19 years old. From that time, he experienced steady upward movement in his career. On May 26, 1939, according to the Akron Beacon Journal, he was recognized by the company for his ideas.

By April, 1940, he had been promoted to foreman and was earning $2600 per year. $2,600 in 1940 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $51,777.51 in 2022.

Texas

On July 23, 1941, the Lone Star Defense Corporation, a subsidiary of the B.F. Goodrich Rubber Corporation, won the contract to produce artillery shells, bombs, fuses, boosters, and other auxiliary munitions for World War II in Texarkana, Texas. Gene was sent by Goodrich to Texarkana to work for Lone Star until the war ended.

While in Texas, Gene fished and went frogging. He searched in still, shallow lake shores for American bullfrogs, which are the largest frog in Texas, often growing up to 6″ in length and weighing up to 1.5 pounds. He and Alberta enjoyed many delicious frog leg dinners.

One time Gene took his longbow dove hunting. The longbow is the most difficult of all bows to handle and shoot accurately. That is probably why he was unsuccessful.

Back to Akron

Richard Eugene Yerkey Tragedy

Gene, Alberta and Penny were back in Akron when they lost their little boy, Richard Eugene Yerkey, who was only 4 years old. He was struck by Gene’s car and died of head trauma. (See Alberta’s page for details.) The death was a terrible accident, and Gene had difficulty dealing with it. He did not want to drive, but Alberta told him that he had to drive because she would not do it. He did not want Penny and Bob to have bikes because he was afraid that something bad would happen to one of them.

On February 21, 1948, B. F. Goodrich announced his promotion to night shift supervisor on the 4th shift.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, in 1956 C.E. Yerkey had been promoted to Manager of Manufacturing and Technical Services

By 1958, while he was working for the International Division of B. F. Goodrich Gene was sent to Tehran, Iran. At that time the country was the Imperial State of Iran, which was an authoritarian and dictatorial government led by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, shah of Iran. Gene was given the assignment of convincing the Iranian government to allow BF Goodrich to build the factory.

Please use the following button to enjoy some of the letters that Gene wrote to Alberta during this trip.

The following document, in Gene’s own handwriting, shows that he was traveling on a Pan Am flight from Rome, Italy to New York. It also shows that he was living at 1759 Kingsley Avenue, Akron, Ohio.

Transcription of Gene’s letter from Lima, Peru to Alberta on Monday, May 6, 1962

Monday, May 6, 1962

Letter No. 2

Hi Darling:

As I expected the work requirements are great, and I have had little time for anything else. As things now stand, I expect to be home in about two more weeks. Roughly May 20 or 21, but I have not yet done anything about making plane reservations.

It was interesting to hear about the eggs hatching. I’ll bet Patricia was quite excited. Incidentally I received your letter today. I’m glad to hear that Mike is feeling better. With the warm weather he should improve quickly.

If time permits I would like to take a trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. These are the ancient cities of the Inca people high in the Andes Mountains. If you remember, Jim Dorsey had an enlargement of a photograph of Machu Picchu on the wall in one of the rooms in his home.

I have lost some more weight and I feel fine except that the spasm in my throat recurs from time to time. I decided not to take any of the medicines until after I see the doctor upon my return home.

The weather here continues to be ideal. The fogs are late this year.

I miss you and am sorry you could not come with me. I think you should go ahead with getting a passport so that when the chance comes you can make a trip with me.

Love, Gene

Bogotá, Colombia

In 1962, Gene was promoted to Manager of Manufacturing for Industrial Colombiana de Llantas, S.A. (Icollantas) in Bogotá, Colombia, South America. The newspaper announcement was published after Gene and his family had moved to Bogotá.

Icollantas, the B. F. Goodrich associate company in Colombia, provided many new benefits to the Yerkey family. Generous allowance for home rentals ensured that they would feel comfortable. The company paid to purchase all of the furniture that the family wanted to furnish the house.

After the owner of the above home decided that he wanted to move into his home, Gene moved the family into the new home shown below. Like the previous home, this home had an indoor garden and maids’ quarters.

Other benefits from the company included a car, live-in maids, a cook, a chauffeur/bodyguard and a gardener.

Tuition at an elite international school, Colegio Nueva Granada, was provided for their daughter, Patricia.

His family’s safety was an ever-present issue for Gene in a country with political unrest, high poverty levels, and high crime rates.

Traveling by car would often include security stops by the Colombian military.

Occasionally, bombs exploded around the city, including in their neighborhood. To help protect his family, Gene would only select a home close to the home of a general in the Colombian army. He would pay the general to have his security protect the Yerkey home also.

The doors of the houses each had five locks. The door was never opened unless the visitor was personally known by someone in the home. Family members did not go out without Gene, the chauffeur, or some other trusted person to protect them.

The family owned a German shephard named Shadow. Gene allowed Bob to pick out a puppy. On the way home with the new puppy, Gene asked Bob why he had picked out that particular puppy. When Bob replied that it was the nicest one of all of the puppies, Gene turned around and exchanged the Nice puppy for a different one. He wanted a puppy that would grow up to be a protector for his family.

Once, after one of the maids forgot to close the drapes, Shadow was in the garden and saw a family friend in the dining room. In order to protect his family, Shadow went right through a glass wall and had to be tackled.

Gene and Alberta were grateful for everything that Alvaro, the chauffeur, had done for their family. Before leaving Colombia, Gene gave him a new, higher-paying job to help ensure that he would have a better life. Gene later invited Alvaro to visit the Yerkey family in Mexico and continued to help him and his family financially. Both Alvaro and his daughter sent thank you letters to Gene for his monetary gifts.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING BUTTON TO READ LETTERS THAT GENE WROTE WHILE HE WAS IN COLOMBIA

Mexico City, Mexico

After 2 years in Colombia, he was transferred to Mexico, working in the same position. Mexico City was one of the most populous cities in the world and much safer than Colombia.

Randolph, Ohio

He left Mexico in 1966, and returned to the Akron BF Goodrich headquarters. He purchased a 15-acre property in Randolph, Ohio. The site had, years before, been the location of a grist mill, and several mill stones were found in and around the old, swampy mill pond.

The 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom stone home on the property had 16-inch exterior walls and wormy chestnut woodwork throughout the house. Ivy covered most of the exterior.

Gene and Alberta hired Hughes Excavating to dig out the former pond. After the pond was restored, although the state would have paid for it to be stocked with fish, Gene chose to pay for it himself. He made this decision because, if the state paid for it, the public could fish there without having to secure permission from the home owner.

Cobourg, Ontario, Canada

Gene retired from BF Goodrich and accepted a position as Vice President of United Tire of Canada. As a benefit, United Tire paid for the lease of the home that Gene and Alberta selected at 40 Coronation Crescent, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada and purchased all of the furniture to furnish the home.

Fishing

Gene’s love of fishing endured throughout his life. The following pictures show him after a fishing trip with two friends at Lake Kelley or Keller in 1942.

He often caught the limit that was permitted, as evidenced below.

After Gene’s parents, Coy and Clara Yerkey, built a fishing resort in Keene, Ontario, Canada, he would take Alberta and the children to visit. Gene would use one of his father’s boats to fish on Rice Lake.

Weekends were often spent by Gene renting a boat or going shore fishing until Gene and Alberta decided to build a cottage at Catawba Island, Lake Erie.

The location of the cottage was within short walking distance to the beach, a playground, a penny arcade, and a roller rink. Across the street from the cottage was the Gem Beach Dance Hall, which was busy and loud on Friday and Saturday nights.

Gene and his son Bob built the cottage themselves; decades later, Bob talked about carrying two of the 90+ pound bags of cement at a time. Gene also made the living room furniture and artwork.

After the cottage was built, Gene spent most Saturdays and Sundays fishing on Lake Erie from early morning until dusk. Family members had to take turns going on these fishing trips.

The last week of July, 1957, Gene rescued two Toledo men from Lake Erie after their 25-foot inboard motorboat in which they were riding exploded. The men were Lawrence T Howell, 42, and Embry Covin, 29.

Family members were happy when Gene purchased a cabin cruiser so they could go into the cabin to nap or just get out of the sun or rain.

Gene and Alberta sold their cottage and boat in spring, 1961.

His transfer to Colombia brought new fishing adventures for Gene. He constructed his own pontoon boat, which he transported on his car or on horses. His primary fishing partners were the chauffeur, Alvaro Linares, and his employee and friend, Louis Ramstaller.

Gene and Alberta’s son Michael was introduced to fishing as a tiny boy. Once, Gene took him fishing at a lake outside of Bogotá. When they were ready to leave for home, Gene noticed several men approaching. Realizing that they were in danger of being robbed, kidnapped, or murdered, Gene locked the car doors and began to speed away. The men, in their vehicles, sped after them. He soon came to an area in the road that had been blockaded by large boulders, so he went up a steep enbankment to avoid the obstruction. Gene’s quick thinking and his powerful Buick saved them from harm.

The purchase of the property in Randolph and the building and stocking of the pond allowed Gene to fish right at home. He would often walk around the pond while casting his fishing line in the evenings after work.

Retirement (again) and final years

In 1989, Gene and Alberta sold their home in Randolph, and purchased a home at 555 Anna Mae Drive, Suffield, Ohio. They continued to also live in Canada until Gene retired from United Tire of Canada.

Type 2 Diabetes, deterioration of his hip joints, and Parkinson’s Disease changed his life. He was no longer supposed to eat many of the foods he loved the most, expecially sweets. The deterioration of his hip joints made getting in and out of chairs and bed very difficult and painful. He used an electric lift chair at home, but when he went out someone had to help him.

The Parkinson’s Disease caused tremors in his hands and body stiffness. His movement became very slow, and he was always concerned about falling because of his progressive loss of balance. The Suffield Fire Department had to be called several times to help him up after falls. Because movement was so difficult and painful, his main source of entertainment became television, which he spent hours watching.

Gene had a heart attack at home and was transported to Summa Akron City Hospital. He had a second heart attack and passed away on October 2, 1996. He is buried at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Akron, Ohio.