This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: marcenath158 Surnames: Yarrington, Wilson, Young Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newmexico.counties.donaana/5261/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Eugene "Gene" Newcomb Yarrington, Jr., of Las Cruces died at his home Friday, March 11, 2011. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 7, 1923 to Eugene Newcomb Yarrington, Sr., and Mildred Christiana Wilson Yarrington. Raised in Grafton, Massachusetts, he played high school football on the team his father coached until his death when Gene was 17. He joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, although pneumonia kept him stateside. He married Sara Ann Young on February 6, 1946, and returned to New England where Eugene Newcomb III and Michael Jackson were born in 1946 and 1949. Gene completed his Bachelor's at Boston University in 1949. His daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1957 while he completed a PhD in English at the University of Illinois, graduating in 1958. While there, he and Sara were members of the Poverty Players theater troupe. Gene taught at the University of New Hampshire where he also published poetry in the Isinglass Review, did poetry readings, and directed student performances of Shakespearean plays. In 1964, he started teaching at Boston University's College of Basic Studies where he was unofficial faculty advisor for the Students for a Democratic Society and the Black Panthers (since there were no African American professors at the time). He remained at BU until retiring in 1977. During the 1970s, Gene studied to teach hatha yoga with Swami Vishnudevananda at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Val Morin, Canada. He taught yoga classes in Massachusetts before he retired, and in Las Cruces until 2007. Gene also volunteered at the food co-op now called Mountain View Market, from his arrival in Las Cruces in 1979 until 2007. He is preceded in death by his former wife, his parents, and his sisters, Ruth Avis Yarrington and Sally Rodgers. He is survived by his three children, his grandsons Nathan Marcos Yarrington and Seth Romanos, and their families. A service will be held at La Paz - Grahams Funeral Home, 555 W Amador, Las Cruces, at 10 A.M. on Thursday, March 17. Please send memorial contributions to the Humane Society or Safe Haven Animal Rescue. To sign the guest book log on to www.lapaz-grahams.com. Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on March 15, 2011 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.