AUGUST 26TH, 1953 – SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2026
In the Care of Laird Funeral Home
David Wayne Yates, affectionately known by many friends and family members as “Uncle Dave,” was born in Houston, Texas on August 26,1953 and went home to be with the Lord peacefully in his sleep on September 15, 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Laird Funeral Home, officiated by Jeff Yates. Inurnment will follow at Gravel Ridge Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Worder and Esther Yates, and his Aunt Mary and Uncle Buddy Schultz, with whom he spent a great deal of time.
He is survived by his brother, Murvel Yates, sister-in-law, Christeen Yates, sister, Linda Knepper Yates and a host of adoring cousins, nieces and nephews.
Dave was a loving son, brother, cousin and uncle who possessed a genius-level IQ. He used that God-given intelligence to pursue many interests, including earning degrees in music and history and, ultimately, a master’s degree in musicology.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dave burst onto the Houston hard-rock scene as a founding member of the band Stone Ax, where he went by the stage name “Wolfe.” The band achieved a measure of prominence, eventually securing residency gigs in cities such as Las Vegas and Reno.
Dave was known as a guitar virtuoso and was even invited to audition for Ozzy Osbourne after Ozzy’s guitarist died in a plane crash. The replacement had already been chosen before Dave could try out, and he would often laugh and say, “Well, I got a trip to New York out of it.” He would also add, “It’s good that I didn’t get that job or I would have died a premature death for sure.”
Dave worked for 40 years as a night watchman at the Bayou Bend Museum of Fine Arts. This job allowed him to pursue two of his greatest loves: practicing his guitar and reading.
Regarding reading, to say Dave was voracious would be an understatement. Once, he went to the doctor because he was experiencing headaches. The doctor asked him about his habits, and Dave told him that he read quite a bit. The doctor asked how much? Dave replied, “You know, maybe 15–20 books.”
The doctor responded, “A year? Wow, that’s something.”
Dave said, “No, a month.”
When questioned, Dave simply said, “I have a very rich inner life.”
If Dave liked an author, he would not simply read one book, he would consume everything that author had ever written. He called this “running the table.” It was just one of his famous “Davisms,” along with “Torching,” “Big Rig,” “Don’t Be That Guy,” and “Steam Their Beans,” just to name a handful.
Dave also loved history and was an absolute authority on the Civil War. A born teacher, he could captivate you for hours with the micro-history of battles, literally transporting you to the conflict in your mind’s eye.
Dave even corresponded personally with several famous Civil War authors through handwritten letters. In one exchange, Dave respectfully corrected an author for a historical mistake he had made. The author accepted Dave’s correction and the two went on to exchange several pieces of correspondence. One of those letters began, “Mr. Yates, I really respect and appreciate your knowledge and passion.”
Dave was a free spirit who loved to travel, crisscrossing the country on various motorcycles and visiting every major Civil War battlefield in the United States. At the end of his life, he was still riding around on a scooter.
Late in his life, Dave made a complete commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and became a member of @ccess Ministries, Faith Assembly of God and 242 Church. He could not get enough of the fellowship, singing and preaching. When the doors were open, Dave would be there.
He would often say, “It took me a while to get it right, but I finally made it.”
Dave loved his family and was known as the greatest uncle ever. He would spend hours with his nephews and nieces reading comic books, playing superheroes, taking them places, “jamming” on his guitar, or simply talking. He was also so compassionate and loving towards his wonderful parents; living with them and serving as their caregiver the last several years of their lives.
He was larger than life: big hair, big muscles, big platform shoes, and, most importantly, a big, loving heart that was always willing to spend time with those he loved most. He was a hero!
When giving instructions for his memorial service, Dave wrote, “Tell my family that they’re all I ever had and that Uncle Dave wants them to join me in heaven but…don’t get there too fast.”
Dave’s love, passion, humor, intelligence, laugh, energy, and yes, zaniness will be deeply missed. But his life, his legacy, and his memory will live on through all of us who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.
We love you, Uncle Dave.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David Wayne Yates, please visit Laird Funeral Home’s floral store.