Reta Jean Yockey 1948 - 2013

YOCKEY, BANTA, FISHER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/22/2013 at 11:37:46

Sioux City Journal
12 July 2013

ANTHON, Iowa| Reta Jean Yockey, 65, of Anthon passed away Wednesday, July 10, 2013, at a Sioux City hospital.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Church of Christ in Anthon, with the Rev. Edgar Rodriguez officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Armstrong Funeral Home in Anthon. The obituary can be found and condolences may be directed to the family at www.armstrongfuneral.com.

Reta Jean Yockey, the daughter of Robert and Lucille (Banta) Fisher, was born at her grandparents' home in Anthon on April 25, 1948. Anthon is where she grew up and attended school. Growing up, Reta enjoyed singing at church services and attending church camps. She also taught Sunday school and worked as a church secretary. Reta was baptized at the Church of Christ in 1961.

On Dec. 17, 1964, Reta married Bob Gotto in Ida Grove, Iowa. They moved to Long Beach, Calif., where Bob was stationed as a member of the military. They later moved back to Iowa, residing first in Moville and then in Anthon. She received her general education diploma in 1982 from Western Iowa Tech Community College. This was an accomplishment that she was extremely proud of. In the meantime, Reta spent time working with her close friend, Marge Feddersen, at both The Little Siouxloon in Anthon and The Dairy Barn in Holstein, Iowa.

She later married Reginald Yockey on Aug. 3, 2000.

In recent years, her time was spent on Facebook connecting with friends and family, for they were her main priority ... her pride and joy. People who knew Reta couldn't get enough of her unselfish kindness, funny sense of humor, or her infectious smile. Whether you needed some words of advice or just a laugh, you could count on her to be there. She had many scheduled phone calls with people simply because we all needed some Reta in our lives. Talking to her would make you feel better in an instant. Whatever you needed to hear, you could hear in her voice. She radiated love and tenderness. Between phone calls, Reta could be caught watching either FOX News or Lifetime. In the evenings, she enjoyed spending time with Reginald and watching "Jeopardy." They always kept score, and if you were lucky enough to catch her at that time, you were lucky enough to have her outscore you by a lot. You may also be lucky enough to hear about how she wrote "The Jerry Springer Show," trying to get it canceled. There’s no denying how enjoyable she was to be around. Above all else, her main priority was being a good mother and grandmother ... she exceeded. There are not many people like her. Reta is an exceptional mother, grandmother, and friend.

Those family members surviving include Reta’s husband, Reginald; her mother, Lucille Fisher of Anthon; two daughters, Rachelle Polkinghorn and her husband, Eric of Moville, and Robyn Hirst and her husband, Lee of Sioux City; one son, Rob Gotto and his wife, JoAnn of Sioux Center, Iowa; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild on the way; several foster grandchildren; two sisters, Karen Roggatz of Sioux City, and Jodi French and her husband, Chuck of Lawton, Iowa; one brother, Robert Fisher and his wife, Kim of Sioux City; nieces and nephews; and many special caring friends.

Reta was preceded in death by her father, Robert Fisher; and her infant sister, Shirley Jane.