Joel Andrew Yates

Joel Andrew Yates, 53, the son of the late Lois and Newell Yates of Lamoni, IA, passed away Monday, April 28 at Savannah Memorial Hospital. He was a long time resident of Bluffton and the scope of people he influenced stretches far beyond the Bluffton area. Joel spent the majority of his career as a franchise owner of Snap-on Tools and developed some deeply rooted connections with the customers and friends he knew from his route. For anyone who knew Joel, they knew that there was never a dull moment with him. He was a sucker for adventure, beginning in his teenage years racing dirt bikes around tracks (and streets) in his little midwest town. On weekends, you could often find Joel approximately 13,500 feet above everyone else in a rickety little plane at the Walterboro airport getting ready to barrel towards the Earth at more than 100 mph. Joel could be easily identified in a crowd of people by his Snap-on wrench belt buckle or recognized as the life of the party as the person telling jokes to keep everybody entertained. He was a light-hearted spirit that enjoyed living life to the max and seeking a new thrill each day. Joel was known by many aliases. Some called him Toolguy, others called him Snappy, some called him a best friend or father. He is loved by many and survived by two children, Halley and Chad, 26 and 24 respectively. The memorial service to celebrate Joel's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 3rd at Sauls Funeral Home, 90 Simmonsville Road, Bluffton, SC 29910. The memorial service to celebrate Joelâ