Joseph Douglas Yeager, 76, a resident of Forty Fort, passed peacefully into eternal life, surrounded by his loving family, on Wednesday morning, October 11, 2017, at the Mercy Center, Dallas, following a courageous battle with brain cancer.

Doug and his loving wife, Anne Marie (Marfisi) Yeager, recently celebrated their 52^nd wedding anniversary on June 12^th.

Born on August 24, 1941, in Wilkes-Barre, Doug was the son of the late William Brooke Yeager Jr. and Jane (Delahunty) Yeager. Raised in Wilkes-Barre, Doug was a graduate of E.L. Meyers High School, Wilkes-Barre, Class of 1959, in which he was a member of the football and wrestling teams.

Following high school, Doug went on to attend Wilkes College, where, as a member of the football and tennis teams, he earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education. Later, Doug went on to attend the University of Scranton, where he earned his Masters of Science Degree in Elementary Education.

Prior to his retirement, Doug was employed for 37 years by Wyoming Valley West School District. During his early years, he was a junior varsity football and wrestling coach. In addition to his career as an educator, Doug also operated a seasonal painting business during his summers off from school. He also was a coach for the Forty Fort Little League for some years.

Doug enjoyed the simple things in life such as riding his bike, sitting on his back porch, and walking his faithful companion of 18 years, his late dog, Bailey Yeager. An avid sports enthusiast, Doug was a great fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Yankees, Penn State Nittany Lions, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Kansas Jayhawks.

A man of great faith, Doug was a longtime member of the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church, Forty Fort, where he served as a Deacon and Elder of the Church.

A charismatic, caring and generous man, Doug will be best remembered for his contagious smile and his outgoing personality. His family regarded him as the proverbial “Mayor of Forty Fort” because he genuinely enjoyed getting to know people, and as many have expressed over the years, Doug had a way of making complete strangers feel like they were a valuable part of his life.

The greatest legacy Doug leaves behind is his adoring family. He was not only a devoted family man, but he was a true man of God who had the ability to touch so many lives during his short time on Earth! At the foremost, he was a humble and good man who left this world a better place.

The Yeager Family wishes to extend their most heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Mercy Center Nursing Unit and the Hershey Medical Center for the outstanding and compassionate care they bestowed upon Doug during his time of need.

In addition to his wife, Anne Marie, Doug is survived by his four children, Wendy Ferrara, Swoyersville; Stacey Yeager, Forty Fort; Doug Yeager and his wife, Jeanne, Columbus, Ohio; and David Yeager and his husband, Auric Kosdon, Los Angeles, California; his three grandchildren, Amanda Gorel and her husband, Cody, Swoyersville; Johnathan Ferrara and his wife, Julia, Burlington, New Jersey; and Noah Mark Yeager, Columbus, Ohio; his three great-grandsons, Micah Gorel, Avery Gorel, and Joel Ferrara; his three brothers, William Brooke Yeager III and his wife, Libby, Wilkes-Barre; Drew Yeager and his wife, Gail, Newark, Delaware; and Dale Yeager and his wife, Cookie, Forty Fort; as well as his many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Relatives and Friends are invited to attend Doug’s viewing which will be held on Friday, October 13, 2017, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM, at the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort. There will also be a closed casket visitation on Saturday, October 14, 2017, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church, 1224 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort.

The funeral service will be celebrated on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at 11:00 AM at the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church, 1224 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, with the Reverend William Lukesh, his Pastor, officiating.

Interment will follow in the Forty Fort Cemetery, Forty Fort.

For additional information or to send the Yeager Family an online message of condolence, you may visit the funeral home web-site www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com.

The family will be providing flowers, so they kindly ask that floral tributes be omitted. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Doug’s memory to the Mercy Center Nursing Unit, P.O. Box 370, Lake Street, Dallas, Pennsylvania 18612.