Evelyn receiving her Diamond in the Rough award from Erica Valdez at The Women in Agriculture Conference, which is held every other year and the award is given during the conference after the committee receives nominations from various groups and individuals for consideration.Sometime late in the summer of 2022 the Grant County Copper CowBelles lost a friend and longtime member. Evelyn Yates was an incredible lady with a history that can almost not be believed. But at this time, we have little documentation of her life as there has been no notification of death and no obituary. She had two husbands and several children and lost them all except one daughter.
She accomplished many remarkable things. She admired Amelia Earhart and so obtained a pilot's license in Hobbs, NM in 1955 and shared her love of flying with second husband Thurman Yates. During World War II she welded on tankers in Oregon. She was appointed by Governor Bruce King to serve out an unexpired term as Justice of the Peace and was re-elected in that position. The Governor also appointed her to complete the term of her first husband Vic Carlisle's position as Catron County Treasurer and she was re-elected. She served for 16 years on the Southwest Water Association and other water boards, served on the Resource Development Council for three years and served as the secretary of the Economic Development Committee for 7.
But her biggest passion and commitment for over 40 years was to Agriculture. She owned and operated the Flying C Ranch in Catron County. She also became a moving force in the New Mexico and National CowBelles organizations serving as an officer many times at the county and state levels. She was on the NM Beef Council and NM Cattle Growers Association boards. She served on the American CowBelles' Board of Directors. She worked at 4 National Beef Cook-offs and at the NM State Fair CowBelles Booth. She served 3 terms as President of the Grant County CowBelles and 2 for the Sacaton CowBelles. She was voted CowBelle of the Year by NM CowBelles and recognized as a Diamond in the Rough at the Women in Agriculture Leadership conference.
The Grant County Copper CowBelles will miss Evelyn but will remember her with all the love she deserved, the knowledge that she loved us all and never hesitated to tell us so every time she saw us.