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Mrs. Brigadier Olive Yardley was promoted to Glory June 23, 2002 from the SunBridge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Elk Grove, Calif. She and her husband, Brigadier Robert Yardley, were the last active brigadiers in the Western Territory.
Olive D. Smith was born on May 23, 1922 in Aberdeen Wash. to pioneer Salvation Army officer parents. After her high school graduation, Olive met future husband Robert Yardley. The couple married in June 1942.
They entered training college from the Pocatello, Idaho Corps, and were commissioned in June 1943 with the Valiants Session. They served in many appointments: as corps officers in Medford and Coos Bay, Oregon; Eureka, Bakersfield and Riverside, Calif.; then as Divisional Youth Secretary with Olive being the Divisional Guard and Sunbeam Director and Nurses Fellowship Secretary in the Hawaiian Islands Division.
In 1960 they returned to corps work in San Bernardino, Calif. A year later they joined Southern California DHQ as DYS (Robert) and DGSD and Assistant Home League Secretary (Olive). In 1965 they assumed the same positions in Northern California.
In 1967 Brigadier Yardley was appointed City Commander of San Diego where they ministered for seven years. The Yardleys moved to Oakland, Calif. in 1974, as corps officers and city coordinator. Later, they became administrator and special services director of the San Jose Men’s Social Service Center.
The Yardleys last appointment before entering retirement was as territorial evangelists, a position they felt blessed to have. Since retiring in 1988, they have been faithful soldiers of the Sacramento Citadel Corps.
Olive is survived by her husband of 60 years, Bob; three children, Raunie Aasland, Gary and Robert; two granddaughters and a grandson; nieces Commissioner Carol Saunders and Lt. Colonel Sherryl Van Cleef, and nephews Captain Robert Rudd and Captain Phil Smith; and two sisters, Dora Torgerson and Lois Anderson. One son, Steven, predeceased her.
A Celebration of Life and Service was held at the Sacramento Citadel with Major Kenneth Osbourn officiating.
Condolences may be sent to Brig. Bob Yardley and family at 129 Davis Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95823.
