Victor W. Yarrington, Jr.

Victor Wayne Yarrington, Jr., 86, Topeka, died Sunday, June 5, 2005 at his home. He was born Sept. 2, 1918 in Mexico, MO, the son of Victor Wayne and Leva Neal Drown Yarrington. He moved from Centralia, MO to Kansas City, where he graduated from Westport High School in 1936.
Mr. Yarrington joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in WW2. He flew a C-47 and was a radio operator. He served in Europe for two and a half years flying in the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.
He was an automobile dealer beginning his career in Atchison with Yarrington Oldsmobile-Cadillac in 1956. He began Vic Yarrington Oldsmobile in Topeka in 1959, and served as President and Chairman of the Board until his retirement. The dealership, now Saturn of Topeka, Yarrington Oldsmobile is operated by his son, Steve and three grandchildren. This is a three generation business, of which he was very proud. Mr. Yarrington was a member of the Topeka New Car Dealers Association, and had served as its President; Active Lodge #158 AF&AM in Atchison; Arab Shrine, where he was in the Greeters and Jesters units; Scottish Rite Bodies; York Rite Bodies; Capital Post #1 American Legion; formerly a member of Philip Billard Post #1650 VFW. He was a charter member of the Better Business Bureau, serving on the original board of directors. He belonged to Ducks Unlimited, Shawnee Country Club, and Rio Verde Country Club, Rio Verde, AZ. He was one of 38 dealers in the U.S. and Canada chosen as a member of General Motors' President's Dealer Advisory Council two different times.
Mr. Yarrington was preceded in death by his parents, and a daughter, Judith Ann in 1949.
He married Betty Lou Thoes on May 4, 1940 in Richmond, MO. They had recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Other survivors include a daughter, Vicki Groves, Topeka; a son, Steve Yarrington and wife, Kay, Topeka; Julie Clanton, Topeka; six grandchildren, Melissa Yarrington Krug and husband, Jeff, Topeka; Courtney Groves Weathers, Topeka; Matthew Yarrington, Topeka; Adam Groves, Nashville, TN; Carrie Groves, Atlanta, GA; and Michael Yarrington, Topeka. He also has four great-grandchildren all residing in Topeka, Grace Krug, Megan Krug, Kailee Yarrington, and Quentin Weathers. There are also two brothers, Gary Yarrington and wife, Diane, Austin, TX and Charles Milton Yarrington and wife, Jean, Elizabeth City, VA. Two nieces and a nephew, Hilary Green, New York City, Carol Moore, Austin, TX, and David Yarrington, Virginia, also survive.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel with interment in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Yarrington will lie in state after 9 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o Arab Shrine, 1305 S. Kansas Ave., 66612, or to Heart of America Hospice, 3715 S.W. 29th St., Ste. 20, 66614.
To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabel.com