Thomas “Tom” Eugene Yarbrough passed away on April 24, 2025 after a short but courageous battle with esophageal cancer. Thomas was born on Nov. 10, 1959 in Denton, TX to M. Thomas Yarbrough and Eugenia (Smart) Childress. Tom graduated from Shawnee High School with the class of 1978. In 1979, he married Mary Johnson. He graduated OBU in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Tom worked in the finance business, but the last 23 years he was an optician for Robinson Eye Institute in Shawnee until his retirement in 2024.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents John and Fay Smart, Bessie Riney, Harvey Eugene Yarbrough; aunts and uncles, Kenneth and Betty Smart, James and Bonnie Smart, David and Janice Smart, and Betty Harris; stepfather, Raymond Childress; father-in-law, Paul Johnson; brothers-in-law, Johnny Johnson, Louie “Gene” Johnson; and sister-in-law, Cindy Johnson Allen.
He is survived by his father, Tom Yarbrough and wife Trisha of Claremore, OK; his mother, Eugenia Childress of Belvidere, NJ; his wife, Mary of the home in Meeker; three sons, Jason Yarbrough and wife Brandy of Meeker, Christopher Yarbrough and wife Samantha of Shawnee, OK, and Zachary Yarbrough and wife Nicole, of Porter, OK; sisters, Terri McAdoo of Belvidere, NJ, Jeanie Bake and partner Cindy Gormley of Biglerville, PA; brother, John Yarbrough and wife Cindy of Mounds, OK; a mother-in-law, Norma Johnson of Shawnee, OK; grandchildren, Jacob Yarbrough, Jaren Herron, Mia Yarbrough of Shawnee, OK, Ryker Myers and Blayke Yarbrough of Porter, OK; an uncle, Harvey Eugene Yarbrough of Oklahoma City, OK; a He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Lofties and husband Jerry of Yukon, OK; and Kathryn Lovelace and husband Chuck of Tulsa, OK; brothers-in-law, Jamie Johnson of Houston, TX, Mark Johnson and wife Julie of Shawnee, OK, Michael Johnson and wife Karen of Prague, OK, and Tracy Johnson of Shawnee, OK.; and several other extended family and friends.
A memorial service will be held on May 2, 2025 at 2 pm at Taproot Church, 22 East Dunlop Street, Shawnee, OK with Dr. Keith Ward officiating. A funeral mass will be held on May 3 at 10 am at St. Benedict Catholic Church, located at 632 N Kickapoo in Shawnee, OK. Interment of cremated remains will follow the funeral mass immediately at Calvary Cemetery of Shawnee. All services are under the direction of McElyea & Owens Funeral Group of Shawnee.
