Robert Joseph Yearack, a.k.a. as Bobby Joe or Bob, was born in Marion on July 22, 1928 to Frank Yearack and Rita Watson. Just a couple of years after his birth, in the 1930 federal census, his father Frank 29 and mother Rita 25 were living in a rental home at 707 N. McLaren Street in Marion paying $8 per month in rent. His father was working as a machine man for a coal mine. The parents had two sons in the home, Wayne 6 and Robert J. aged 1.
When the 1940 census was taken, the parents were living somewhere in East Marion township in a home they owned and valued at $900. Frank 39 and Rita 35 still only had two sons in the home, Wayne 16 and Robert 11. Frank was working as a coal mine operator 52 weeks out of the year in 1939 and putting in 50 hour weeks.
On January 12, 1946, 21 year old Robert went off to Piggott, Arkansas and married 19 year old Betty Jane Phillips. Betty was born in Marion on June 27, 1926 to George L. Phillips and Rena Cox. In that year records were found to confirm that the young couple were living at 905 N. Market Street and that Robert was employed by Lawrence Odum at Odum’s Jewelry Store which was then located on E. Main Street on the sub-level of the old Goodall Hotel building on the public square. In his draft record from that year, Bob was physically described as 5’ 10”, 168 lbs., with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.
A street directory from 1947 indicated that the couple were still living at 905 N. Market St. and his parents were living at 1503 N. Logan.
In February 1949, Bob had a serious injury when he fell under a railroad car on a siding in Marion causing the loss of both legs at the knees. An article appearing in the Southern Illinoisan in 1950 reported that he was suing the C&EI railroad for $375,000 for loss of pay base at $114 per week for 46 years and an additional $61,000 for the services of an attendant.
The 1950 federal census located Bob & Betty living at 709 W. Boulevard St. with 21 year old Bob working as a jewelry salesman. The couple had one son living in the home, Terry Lee aged 3. By 1955, a Marion street directory found the couple living at 509 S. 2nd Street with Bob working at Marion Motors as a car salesman.
Bob ran for Marion city commissioner in the 1959 city elections and won, serving as Public Safety Commissioner under Mayor Robert Cooksey. With this position, Bob would also be Police and Fire Commissioner. A directory for this year showed Bob living at 507 S. 2nd Street and working as Manager of Wohlwend Motor & Equipment Company
In 1962, Bob become President of the Marion Lion’s Club. However in 1963, when Bob’s term was up as commissioner, he tried unsuccessfully to run for Marion Mayor in the primary elections but lost. A 1965 directory listed Bob as still living on 2nd Street and has by now started selling used cars on his own under the name Bob Yearack’s Used Car Lot.
An article in the Southern Illinoisan, indicated that Bob tried unsuccessfully to run as Williamson County Commissioner in the 1969 primary elections as a Democrat. A listing in a Marion street directory from 1970 indicated that Bob & Betty still lived on 2nd Street and that Bob was operating Bob Yearack’s Auto Sales.
By 1975 Bob and Betty had moved to live at 821 Morgan Drive and had gone into the portable building business operating a business called Sturdi-House Portable Buildings located on New Rt 13 West. Also in that year, Bob ran as the Democratic candidate for precinct committeeman of West Marion and lost.
Somewhere in this period of time between 1975 and 1980, Bob and Betty separated and went their own ways. Bob remarried on July 4, 1980 to Audrey Loving Larash, daughter of Louise Loving and Wanda Rogers. She was born July 27, 1935 in Peoria, Illinois. Betty went on to marry Perry Hilliard and would share 32 years together until his death in 2009.
A 1980 Marion street directory then listed Bob as living at 861 Morgan Drive and operating Sturdi-House Portable Buildings while Audrey was listed as living on Rt. 4, Marion and operating a business called Marion Portable Buildings.
Bob Yearack passed away at the age of 55 in his home on December 4, 1983. After high school, he graduated from Bradley University horology school and became a watchmaker in Peoria. He worked for Odum’s Jewelry Store in Marion and later stared his own jewelry business. He had also owned a car dealership, Yearack Auto Sales for several years and sold cars for other dealers as well. He also was co-owner of A&B Portable Buildings in Marion for more than 13 years.
He was a member of the First Presbytarian Church in Marion, Knights of Pythias Lodge 236 in Marion and past president of the Marion Lion’s Club.
He was survived by his second wife Audrey, two sons, Terry of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Timothy of Marion, one daughter, Beverly of Atlanta, Georgia, one stepson, Rick Larash of Bloomington, two step daughters, Peggy Alcaraz of Davenport, Iowa, and Marilyn Doty of Peoria, one brother, Wayne of Marion, and a sister Linda Russell of Goreville. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Bob’s first wife, Betty Jane, passed away in Parkway Manor on September 20, 2010 and his second wife, Audrey died in Marion Memorial Hospital on March 13, 1985. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery for both of them.
(Sources: Federal census records, WWII Draft records, W.C. Marriage records, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader, Southern Illinoisan, Marion Daily Republican, Marion Street Directories, Marion City Cemetery records. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 8/14/2024)