Painter at J.P. Williams, PU
EWING — Ronald “Spider” Martin Yates died Thursday at home. He was 83.
Born in Trenton, he lived in Princeton for most of his life.
Mr. Yates was a painter at J.P. Williams for 35 years and Princeton University for 22 years. He also worked as a handyman for many of his neighbors.
He attended Witherspoon Elementary School and graduated from the New York Industrial School in the Bronx, N.Y.
An avid Mets fan, Mr. Yates enjoyed watching baseball, football, basketball and golf. He also enjoyed playing pinochle.
He was a longtime member of First Church Princeton, where he served in the transportation ministry.
A Navy veteran of World War II, he was a member of American Legion Post 218.
Son of the late Ruth Jenkins Craig and Martin Luther Yates, brother of the late Daniel Yates and father of the late Michael Yates, he is survived by wife, Marceline Yates of Ewing; sons Ronald Yates Jr. of Trenton and Marc Yates of Princeton; daughters and sons-in-law Lisa and John Johnson of Washington, D.C., Rhonna and Walter Freeman of Upper Marlboro, Md. and India and Richard Singleton of Trenton; cousin Rose Yates of Trenton; nephews Jerome, Martin and Stanley Yates of Trenton; goddaughter Sabrina Williams of Trenton; grandchildren Scott, Setay, Alya, Ashley and Bryan; many great-grandchildren and other relatives.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Hughes Funeral Home, Trenton.
Calling hours will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home.
