1937 – 1983

Married: Johnnie Mae Wright Yelton

2 Children

Noel Gray Yelton was born on June 12, 1937 with his twin sister, Neva Elton White, at St. Thomas Hospital in downtown Nashville. Mr. Clarence Gray Yelton and his wife, Mrs. Irene Hayes Yelton, brought their newborn twins home to Mt. Juliet; where they joined Noel’s older siblings (brother, Guy Yelton, and sister, Peggy Yelton) which completed their family. After living in Mt. Juliet for several years, they moved to what would become their family farm in Laguardo. During Noel’s high school years, he was introduced to more of what agriculture had to offer through the Future Farmers of America. Mr. Bill Coley was his teacher and FFA Advisor. Mr. Coley made a huge impression and inspired a life-long love for farming that Noel would happily embrace. The familiar blue FFA jacket that Noel wore during his Mt. Juliet days show where he served as FFA Vice-President and President of his chapter. He graduated from Mt. Juliet High School in 1956. Noel was to receive the FFA American Farmer Degree at the upcoming FFA Convention after graduation. However, having enlisted in the United States Army in order to serve his country, he had to leave a few days before the awards were given to the honorees. After serving in the Army, Noel returned home to Laguardo to resumed his love of farming. He worked hard raising cows and hogs, as well as, hay and tobacco. In 1961, Noel was named Wilson County’s Outstanding Young Farmer. Farming had not only found its way as something Noel enjoyed, but as a means to support himself and his new wife, Johnnie Mae Wright, who he met and married in 1969. They were blessed with two children, Allen and Angela. In 1978, Noel was named Wilson County Soil Conservation District’s Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year. Noel was a member of Cloyd’s Cumberland Presbyterian Church where he served as Deacon. Noel Yelton passed away on April 23, 1983 from lung cancer. He was 46 years old.