Nellie "Jane" Pauline Yarbrough

Nellie “Jane” (also called “Janer”) Pauline Yarbrough, of Thornton, passed away at Groesbeck LTC on Friday, June 26, 2026, at age 96.

Visitation will be on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 5:00-8:00 p.m, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2026, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Brother Richard Williams of the Groesbeck Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow in Old Union Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Robert Howard, Travis Armstrong, Hagen Hughes, Caden Hughes, Justin Grimes, and Jody Ward.

Honorary pallbearers will be Joey Robison, Kyle Reeves, Eddie “Frog” Armstrong, James Robison, Kevin Reeves, Juston Prichard, Brayden Robison, Dillon Prichard.

Jane was born June 20, 1930, to Finis Ray Reeves, Sr. and Madeline Elizabeth (Dawley) Reeves in Box Church and grew up in Old Union. She attended school in Oletha and Old Union and then high school years in Groesbeck. The family rented a house in Groesbeck during the school years so the kids could walk to school. In the summers they went to the Dawley home at Honest Ridge to help with the garden, and came back home in time for the start of school.

During her childhood, her Dad was one of the local farmers who were able to supplement the family income when the kids needed new shoes, or other needs with “moonshine”. The family said when Finis “got broker, he got madder” and it was time to “back’n a barrel,” making the mash. It was just life in the country in the 30’s – serious at the time and funny to tell about later in life. Such as the story Jane told of the trip when the law was chasing the car with her parents, and Janer and her sister Cootsie were throwing the jars out through the rusted holes in the floorboards. The parents were arrested, and Jane and Cootsie knew to deny there had been any whiskey in the car, which they had been told so many times they didn’t even believe it was a lie. Jane’s son Doug still has his grandpa’s Still.

Jane married William Reginald “Reg” Yarbrough in Groesbeck of January 11, 1947. He worked at J.M. Wood Manufacturing in Waco (clothes and jeans) and Jane worked there also with Reg as her boss. They were at work during the day of the 1953 Waco Tornado and hid under the cutting tables. They were safe although there was total destruction on nearby streets. Since the job was stopped, they headed back home to Old Union and met her parents at the edge of Waco as they were coming to try to find out if they were alive.

He opened other J. M. Wood sites around the country, and while they were living in Arizona, their son Doug was born in Phoenix. Her family came out to Phoenix to see them when Doug was born and later the company flew them on a company plane to Waco so they could be with their family at Christmas. They later lived in Fresno, California, before moving back to Waco and then home to Old Union.

On family vacation trips, Reg would find a wide place in the road to stop at night (or in a park) and pull out the cots for all the family to sleep, going to a motel every other night.

After moving back to Limestone County, Jane worked at the Courthouse in Groesbeck a short time, for Dresser Minerals at Kosse, at Farmers State Bank and later at First National Bank, where she retired at age 62. When she retired, she took many vacation trips with Cootsie and Gene Cox, going to 45 of the states. She also made a trip to Nashville with her mother and several trips alone to Alaska.

Jane loved to play “42” – in a serious way- anywhere, anytime. Some of the great times enjoyed by all were the Friday night music gatherings at the Cox home. Everyone liked to be her partner as she was a good player. She said “if you made a point in the game with her you earned it because she was not going to give it to you.” To know how serious she was about the game, she bought a square folding table to carry in her truck at all times because she always wanted to play on a square table.

Jane was known for her pies. At the Thornton Homecoming Pie Contest and Auction or any gathering she attended where food was to be served, she always took her 2 famous Chocolate and Coconut pies. These had to cut in smaller pieces because everybody wanted some.

Jane and Cootsie went everywhere together as long as they could. Jane loved to shop, especially for shoes, but she did not spend much money. She said she went to Walmart to “turn the inventory over.” She always wanted to go with Carla on Black Friday though she might not buy anything, and to Cabela’s with Carla and Shorty on opening day. One of her last trips was at age 94, when she attended Kamryn’s graduation party.

Jane was a member of Lake Limestone Baptist Church. She considered Carla Robison as the daughter she never had, and Carla took her to doctor appointments when Doug was not available. There are many wonderful memories of Jane and of the stories told, “42” games played, pies eaten, and a lot of laughter from all the times when the family and friends had been together.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Reg Yarbrough in 1973; brothers, Finis Ray Reeves, Jr. and Chester Carl Reeves; and sisters, Olga Jeannette “Cootsie” Cox and Martha VanDyke.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Bobbi Yarbrough of Thornton; grandson, Jordan Yarbrough of Thornton; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jane may be made to Old Union/Cox cemeteries (% Michael Martin, 2701 Mirkwood Ct., Bryan, TX 77807.)