Kathryn “Katie” Bradley Yarbrough

Kathryn “Katie” Bradley Yarbrough, 96, of Marietta, died Thursday, March 31, 2011. Funeral services were held April 1 in the chapel of Carmichael Funeral Home in Marietta with Rev. Marty Smith and Dr. William Camp officiating. Burial will be at Westview Cemetery.

Mrs. Yarbrough was born in Greenville, Ala. on November 24, 1914 to Mary Warner Bradley and Jesse Bradley, the next to youngest of eight children. Living as a child in Alabama, she moved with her widowed mother and sisters to Atlanta as a teen where she graduated from Hoke Smith Junior High. She worked at Kress 5 & 10 cent store in Atlanta where she quickly rose to manager of the lunch counter.

While working there she met her future husband, James Warren Yarbrough, who worked for the Southern Railroad. They fell in love and married and raised four children–three girls and a boy. In 1950 she and her husband opened Yarbrough’s Restaurant at 929 Peachtree in Atlanta, serving southern, homestyle food to the office workers and residents in the area. Mr. Yarbrough continued working at the railroad and Mrs. Yarbrough managed the restaurant doing most of the cooking herself. They later sold the restaurant and when Mr. Yarbrough retired they bought a home in Eustis, Fla. on beautiful Lake Yale and moved there in 1965.

Their retirement home was a haven for visiting family and friends and they especially enjoyed their children and grandchildren’s visits. Mrs. Yarbrough enjoyed traveling in both the United States and many countries abroad and continued to travel when widowed in 1983. Her favorite pastime was playing bridge and with a fantastic memory could recall bridge hands even months and years later. She became a mentor and taught many to play bridge and did so up until the time God called her home. She taught Sunday School to children for many years and then when moving to Marietta in 2000 joined a Sunday School class of special ladies at Roswell Street Baptist Church.

Everyone she came in contact with was amazed at her wonderful spirit and optimism, love of life and joy in the Lord. She was a true inspiration to so many and will be greatly missed by a host of family and friends who will never forget the impact she made on their lives. For the last 11 years she has lived independently among many friends at Winnwood Retirement Community where she said she “experienced the most carefree,and some of the best days of her life.” Last year she co-authored a book recounting her life entitled “She Came From Alabama.”

Mrs. Yarbrough was preceded in death by her husband, James Warren Yarbrough; sons, Charles R. Yarbrough, James Yarbrough; daughter, Virginia Payne; grandchildren, Jeffery Lewis, Vicki Lewis, Bobby Payne; and great-grandchild, Alyssa Lewis.

Survivors include her daughters & sons-in-law, Carol Zywica of Lake Mary, Fla., Patty & Howard Conley of Smyrna, Janis & Benny Lewis of Monticello; 16 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers make donations to the Salvation Army. Carmichael Funeral Home in Marietta is handling the arrangements, 770-424-4924.