Arlen Gilbert Yokley

Thomasville, GA — Arlen Gilbert Yokley, 88, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

 Arlen was born on September 8, 1937, in High Point, North Carolina, to the late Athel Gilbert Yokley and Myron Snead Yokley. As the eldest of three boys, Arlen proudly and willingly took on the role of guiding and caring for his younger brothers—a spirit of selflessness and devotion that would define his life.

 He graduated from High Point High School, where he served as Student Body President. Arlen remained active with his high school classmates, maintaining lifelong friendships by helping organize and attending reunions and alumni events over the years. 

Following high school, he attended Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he studied business and accounting and continued his involvement in student government. In 1957, while in college, he married his high school sweetheart, Doris Carol Allen of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Arlen felt fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue higher education through a generous academic scholarship and several part-time campus jobs. He and Doris were always grateful for this life-changing opportunity and later repaid this act of kindness by establishing a scholarship fund at Catawba College to help others earn a degree. 

In 1959, Arlen graduated and embarked on a long and successful 39-year career in the telecommunications industry. He began as an accountant for Southern Bell Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina, while simultaneously serving six years in the U.S. Army Reserves. His career later took Arlen and Doris from North Carolina to Louisville, Kentucky; New York City; Birmingham, Alabama; and ultimately Atlanta, Georgia—embracing new experiences and forming lasting friendships at every stop. 

In 1983, Arlen was selected to be part of a small core group of officers who laid the foundation for the creation of BellSouth Corporation following the breakup of AT&T. He helped direct BellSouth’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange and played a leading role in the company’s introduction to the European and Tokyo stock exchanges. He was promoted to Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer in 1989 and ultimately retired as Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer in 1998. 

Despite his demanding career, Arlen’s greatest joy in life was his family. He was a deeply devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He and Doris built a close-knit family rooted in faith, love, and dedication to one another and to the Lord. Arlen also deeply valued his friendships, remaining loyal and connected to those he met throughout life’s many chapters while continuously making new connections. He and Doris loved entertaining and often hosted gatherings for their bridge, dinner club, golf, and Bible study groups. Their retirement years were spent in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where Arlen enjoyed perfecting his golfing skills, and in Thomasville, Georgia, where he was an active member in Rotary Club and The First United Methodist Church. They also cherished traveling the world during these years with many of the friends they had embraced over their lifetime.

 Arlen played an active role in his church and community wherever he lived, using his natural talents as an organizer, problem-solver, and highly effective leader. He served as treasurer for his church and took on leadership positions in numerous community organizations, making a lasting impact in local schools, the arts, and humanitarian efforts. Generous with both his time and resources, Arlen always sought to make a positive difference. He even found time to be an innovative and highly successful Little League football coach—amassing an impressive overall record of 70–1, a feat surely appreciated here in South Georgia! 

Arlen is survived by his adoring wife of 68 years, Doris; three children, Bryan (Shane) of Amelia Island, Craig (Alicia) of Thomasville, and Denise (Sloan) Martin of Atlanta; and seven grandchildren, Tyler Yokley (Brittany), Austin Yokley (Victoria), Pruitt Martin, Anna Kathryn Martin, Vincent Yokley, Nathaniel Yokley, and Samuel Yokley. He is also survived by his brothers, Tony Yokley (Judi) and Clark Yokley (Karen).

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, The Alzheimer’s Association, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.