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 Thomas Julian Knight “TJ” Yates was definitely one of a kind!! To know him was to love him as he always stole your heart with his kind, loving & charming smile along with his fun & witty personality. You were guaranteed a good laugh and a loyal friend for life if you ever met him. TJ had a love for baseball, Auburn football, helping others and dogs (especially his dogs Sadie & Maiko). TJ faced many struggles, but he always had a “good side” that outshined the bad. He would say “Wait let me make sure it’s my “good side” before any snapshots could be taken because ultimately that is how he wanted to be seen by everyone! One of his favorite quotes was “No matter how hard things get, shoot for the moon because, even if you miss, you’re amongst the stars”. Everything TJ did, he always did it BIG and as he said in his senior quote “When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on. You ready? Here we go!” Even though TJ got to the end of his rope on May 6th, the impact he made on others will always be remembered.

     TJ Yates passed away peacefully at the age of 36 surrounded by family and friends on Monday, May 6, 2024. He was born in Valley, Alabama on August 3, 1987. He is survived by his parents; Jackie (Rosemary) Yates and Tina Yates. Loving partner, Crystal Torres. Sister, Leslie Walden (Jonathan Edwards); his children; Brayden Knight Crowe and Kolbin Pierce “KY” Yates. His grandparents; Ray and Jackie Edwards. Nieces and nephews; Gavin Walden, Kaley Walden, Noah Edwards, and Tucker Edwards. Brother-in-love Bleu Walden. He is also survived by uncles Chris (Andrea) Johnson, Chad (Curtis) Clark and aunt Patsy Estes; cousins Jeremy (Nicole) Johnson, Mandy (Scott) Meadows, Ashley (Andy) Jackson and Christen Estes. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Julian and Mary Yates; uncle, Mike Yates; stepfather Steve Clark; stepsister, Sherry Beth Clark; and niece, Ashlee Walden.

     Funeral services for TJ will be held on Saturday, May 11th, 2024, at 3:30 PM (EDT) at the Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home Chapel in Valley. Interment will follow in Johnson Memorial Gardens. Pastors Rick Hagans and Derek Blankenship will officiate. TJ’s family will receive friends Friday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 PM (EDT) at the Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Valley.

     Please visit TJ’s Memorial Tribute page at www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com to leave a kind word for his family, to share a memory of TJ, or to light a Remembrance Candle in his memory.

     Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home of Valley directing.