Who was Cecil Elwood Yates?

April 20,1935 to March 17, 2025
 

Cecil graduated with a BS in Chemistry, 1959 and MS in Forensic Science in 1978. He went into the service as a U.S. Army Officer in July 1959, patrolling the East/West German border and performing tasks as a classified custodian. He spent time keeping senior officers informed as to the content of incoming classified documentation. After 3-1/2 years in Germany, he was recruited as an FBI Agent and served over 24 years in forensic work with criminal cases. He served time in the Baltimore and Milwaukee offices as a field investigator and was brought back to FBI Headquarters where he spent 22 years in criminal case forensic work and providing testimony in local and federal cases.

During his career with the Bureau Cecil moved from Field Investigator to the FBI Laboratory in Washington, D. C. There he worked in the area of general forensic chemical analysis, drugs, toxicology, and arson debris. He was then assigned the responsibility of scientific assistance in the area of clandestine paraphernalia in the area of intelligence with specialties in Agent/Double Agent operations. Additionally, he was assigned as the FBI’s scientific liaison with both domestic and foreign national intelligence agencies. In 1977, Cecil was assigned to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia to plan, develop, construct, man and supervise the Forensic Science Research and Training Center. The very first such facility in the world. The center’s purpose was to scientifically advance the field of Forensic Science and train state and local forensic laboratory and law enforcement personnel in needed skills. He acted as the FBI’s scientific liaison with the University of Virginia in the development of programs and accreditation. While there, he taught as Adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Cecil was eventually reassigned to Headquarters, at the FBI Laboratory, Supervising and managing over 400 scientists and technicians in forensic examinations of evidence received in criminal cases. He was responsible for assembling and following various FBI task forces for forensic examinations of scenes of terrorist acts against American interests abroad, i.e., Beirut bombings, hijackings of Aquille Lauro cruise liner, TWA Flight 847, and others. He retired from the FBI in January 1986.

After retiring from the FBI Cecil was selected as Director of Corporate Security with a large textile manufacturing corporation based in Eden, North Carolina. Cecil developed and maintained security programs for corporate executives and 28,000 employees. He developed and taught numerous programs for industry and public institutions including “Prevention of Violence in the Workplace,” “Corporate and Public Response to Bomb Threats,” and “Prevention of Child Abuse.” His previous job with the FBI prepared him well for this position. Cecil retired from the corporate world in 1997.

 

 

Soon after retiring as Director of Security in the textile industry, Cecil joined the Lee County Wildlife Club and immediately started assisting and working with Lee County Wildlife Club President, Don Buie, developing and improving the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Youth Hunter Skills Program. Don Buie passed away on May 7, 2007, and before he departed from this world, he asked Cecil if he would take over the youth program and Cecil agreed. Cecil studied and took classes to become a Certified North Carolina Hunter Education Instructor, an NRA Certified Rifle and Pistol Instructor and an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer and a North Carolina Certified Concealed Carry Firearms Instructor. His firearms instructor training in the Army and the FBI helped him bring an expertise second to none for the Lee County Wildlife Club.
 

Cecil enjoyed teaching the fundamentals of accurate shooting and, as the youth rifle instructor, the teams won hundreds of individual and team awards and trophies at district and state tournaments.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has stated numerous times that our facilities, instructors and teams are second to none in the State of North Carolina. A direct result of Cecil’s passion and dedication over more than 14 years directing and managing the program. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recognized and honored Cecil as Instructor of The Year estimating Cecil had instructed and certified more than 2000 youth in hunter safety education.

Cecil helped establish and took leadership of the Lee County Wildlife Club ladies league teaching dozens of ladies, monthly, over many years the fundamentals of firearm safety, fundamentals of accurate shooting, personal situational awareness and defensive shooting techniques.

Cecil Yates began teaching youth in Bible studies at age 28. In emergencies, he was frequently requested to fill in for pastors during periods of sickness, vacations, deaths and other absences. He possesses a deep personal interest in studying backgrounds of Bible characters along with their countries and cultures. With Middle and High School students, he taught one-year summaries of The Old Testament, The New Testament, The 400 Silent Years Between the Testaments, and a three-year study on The Life of David. Cecil continued teaching The Bible until his passing.
 

Cecil departed this earth on March 17, 2025, for a special place in Heaven reserved for God’s disciples. I know they were grateful upon his arrival.

 

 

 

 

Cecil leaves behind his wife Jerry, daughter Lisa and son Mark and his grandchildren whom he loved very much.

The Yates family intends to arrange a scholarship dedicated to Cecil’s name for a deserving and rising senior in the youth program.

Cecil leaves behind so many dear friends and students who always appreciated the time he would spend passing on such incredible knowledge.

Going forward from April 13, 2025, the upper range where Cecil happily spent so much time teaching children and adults shall be renamed “Cecil E. Yates Range”.

Written by Bob McCorkle - April 2025