Richard Henry “Hank” Yelland passed away in Ely on February 16, 2008. He was born on the Yelland Ranch in North Spring Valley, Nevada on January 13, 1921 and was the oldest son of Louis A. C. Yelland and Marion Phillips Yelland. He was named for his two uncles, one being Henry Yelland, who died while in service to his country during World War I in 1918. Being the first young man from White Pine County to die during the war, the Ely Airport, Yelland Field is named for him.
Hank was brought up with his two sisters and three brothers on the ranch by his mother after their father was drug by a horse causing his death in 1926. Once the boys were old enough to participate in ranch work they ranched with their mother until her death in 1974. Hank and his brother Bill remained on the ranch until thy retired and sold the ranch in 1991 when Hank moved to Ely and Bill stayed on for a while to help the new owners with the ranch.
Hank married Maxine Knight in 1942; they were married 53 years when she passed away in 1995. They had two sons, Dick and Keith who both died at an early age. Keith was killed in 1965 in an airplane crash on the Heckethorn Ranch in Spring Valley; Dick was killed in action while serving in Vietnam in 1967. Hank and Maxine’s home was the hospitality spot in North Spring Valley. No summer went by that they didn’t have at least one wedding at their home. Several people from all over the country became friends of theirs and spent summer vacations at their home – the more the merrier.
After moving to Ely, Hank and Bill continued to work looking after someone else’s cattle and helping friends and neighbors in need. Hank has been pallbearer for a multitude of people in his lifetime; as he was acquainted with so many families in White Pine County. He had quite a sense of humor and loved to play tricks and tell stories to anyone within earshot. Hank has a small mural of his likeness painted on Ely’s main street. He was the Grand Marshal of Ely’s July 4th Parade in 2001, representing the perishing breed of the family ranchers who preserved through many tough times during their lives; yet enduring as important contributing citizen of their surrounding communities.
Having failing health, Hank was hospitalized for a short period last fall and then went to live on the ranch in Spring Valley with Art & Audrae Andre, who bought the ranch. He remained with them until he contacted pneumonia and his health continued to fail being hospitalized in October after which time it was necessary for him to reside in the White Pine Care Center in Ely.
In addition to his wife and sons, he was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Beth Robison, brothers, Louis, Kent and Bill Yelland. He is survived by his sister, Margaret Degler of Spring Valley, his “adopted family” Art and Audrae Andre and their children of Spring Valley; a few cousins, several nieces and nephews and a multitude of friends throughout the area.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made to the Dick Yelland Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the White Pine High School. As requested, his ashes will be scattered by his wife’s at the ranch in North Spring Valley. A Celebration of his Life will be held at the Yelland Ranch in North Spring Valley at a later date.
