Dow Yates, 79, a McMinnville resident and Putnam County native, was born Sept. 4, 1937 and died May 9 in St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital.He was a veteran of the United States Navy, self-employed in office supplies sales and service, and son of the late James Monroe and Mary Eller Yates. Mr. Yates was a member of McMinnville First Free Will Baptist Church and loved his church family deeply. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sister, Margaret Carter; and brother, Bill Yates.