Alan Thomas Yeats, 37, of Baraboo, Wis., died of a heart attack Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023 at his home.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Sept. 23, 2023 at Whittier Friends Meetinghouse, Whittier, with a wake to follow at a location to be determined.
Alan was born and raised in Iowa and graduated from Mount Vernon High School and Iowa State University. He was staff for political campaigns after graduating, most notably Bill Richardson for President and Tom Udall for United States Senate, for which he moved to New Mexico. He managed a bar in his hometown of Mount Vernon, spent summers on a lobster boat and doing construction with his uncles in Massachusetts, drove a forklift and managed a loading dock at Kraft/Heinz in Cedar Rapids, and was finally a General Supervisor of the Core Department at the Grede foundry in Reedsburg, Wis. Everywhere Alan worked, he found success starting at the entry level and moving up during his time there.
Alan was a talented musician and loved music — playing upright bass and bass guitar since he was a child. He played Dungeons & Dragons, watched Star Trek, cheered for the Cyclones and the Red Sox (and later the Bucks and the Brewers).
Alan was uproariously funny, able to visit and form friendships with literally anyone, kind and generous to animals and humans of all ages, and loyal to his friends. He believed deeply in fighting for fairness and standing up for underdogs — even when he stood alone. He enjoyed giving friends and family a hard time and getting it right back, but his thoughtfulness and gentleness meant it was never mean-spirited.
He is survived by his parents, Robert Yeats and Deborah Dakin of Mount Vernon; his brothers Karl (Maria Elena) of Parkland, Fla. and Evan (Ashley) of Washington DC; and his sister Laura (Brett) of Waterloo; and extended family including his nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins and dear friends.
He was notably preceded in death by his beloved dog, Layla, and his uncles Rick, Mikol and Bob and his cousin Ricky.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Alan’s memory to the ACLU of Iowa, the Food Bank of Baraboo, or a charity of your choice.