“The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.” — Frank Lloyd Wright
The man who said those words never knew Levenia Harpole Yeatman, but had he known her he would have loved to sit and talk with her as this is the kind of lady she is.
On Nov. 24, the children, grandchildren and family of Yeatman hosted an 80th birthday celebration for her at the Maben First Baptist fellowship hall a few days before her birthday, which is on Nov. 29.
Levenia was born Nov. 29, 1938, to John and Mary Harpole. She grew up in Pheba in Clay County and was in the last graduating class at Pheba High School, in 1956.
She married Keith Yeatman Sr. in August 1958 and set up housekeeping in the Self Creek community near Maben. Keith worked at B&W in West Point until his retirement, in 1993 and died in 1996 after a short battle with cancer.
Levenia worked for years for the Oktibbeha County school system as a bus driver and librarian, retiring in 1998 after suffering a major heart attack and other heart problems. Levenia and Keith were always loyal supporters of Maben High School athletics and other programs at the school, as were her children.
She has two sisters, Johnny Rast of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Sandra Middleton of Starkville.
Levenia has three children, Tammy Yeatman, who lives with her; Donna Yeatman Nickles and her husband, Vic; and Keith Yeatman Jr. and his wife, Betty.
She has three grandchildren — Drew Nickles and his wife, Anna Marie; Hayden Nickles and his wife, Anna; and Sarah Grace Broom and her husband, David; — and three great-grandchildren — Ava Cole Nickles, Mary Hayden Nickles and Savannah Grace Broom.
A large crowd attended her birthday celebration, and her family from Oklahoma, California and New Mexico surprised her at the celebration. Her family thanks everyone who attended.
