How many sons can say thier father was the best person they had ever known? These three sons can.   

How many sons can say that they had the privilege of holding the hands that were both the strongest and the gentlest pair of hands they had ever touched?  These three sons can.

How many sons can count on one hand the times their father had a cross word?  These three sons can.

How many sons can say they never had to prove anything to the world? can say that they knew that they were loved unconditionally? These three sons can say that too.

How many sons have only one expression - a smile - at the memory of their father?  These three sons have that one expression, none other.

Dad,

You were what a man ought to be: Strong as an ox, determined, giving (to a fault, some would say), innocent yet wise, always helping at any hour, a model of cheerfulness and eagerness, tireless.  You were a real man, a patriarch.   You were everything to us.  Even at your last hour, you were active and working - we are not among those who ask, "why was he up on a ladder?" to them we simply reply, where else would he be?

More impressively though, we watched you refrain from replying to slander.  We watched you bear up under unthinkable emotional and physical pain.  We watched you labor to build a business on hard work and honesty.  We watched you unblinking raise three boys - each with tales of daring and folly. We watched it all and are in awe and we are inspired and we are changed.

You lived consistently to what you believed - every day. We are not worthy of your name and legacy, but we will try to be.  We cannot express how much we loved you.  We were not ready for you to leave us, father, but we trust in God's plan as you did.  We trust Him to bring you home safely to your final destination and to guard you for our reunion.

- Your three sons

The Man:

Tim was talented, fearless and adventurous. He owned ski-boats, raced motorcycles, raced cars, built dune buggies, camped all over the country, took care of his mountain cabin, could build/fix anything and the most adventurous thing of all, he took hundreds of trips with thousands of kids on Church youth group outings. He loved getting up early, getting the job done and giving his time to everyone who asked of him. He gave without seeking a return, helped freely and opened his home to anyone who needed a place to live. He defined generosity.

The Myth:

Myth #1 – Tim had endless energy.  Anyone who traveled with Tim on trips of any length will recall it seemed he never tired. However, if you think back you’ll realize you could find him sneaking away for a cat nap. He’d just disappear for an hour or so and you’d think he was working, but no, he was in his air-conditioned motor-home, or by sneaking away to lay in the shade of a tree or sitting in plain sight in a fold-up chair with his hat pulled down over his eyes and when you asked him was he sleeping, he’d reply “I’m just resting my eyes”. He was a mere mortal.

Myth #2 – Tim's words were always pure. Men struggle with foul language and Tim was no different. Ephesians 4:29 says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. He tried to keep his words pure but when he was upset, he could let his tongue get a little loose.  He used "strong" words like “jackabottom” to describe someone who wasn’t thinking things through.  He used crude phrases like “froggies” and "crickets" to describe the act of passing gas.  Finally, he even regularly used the word “asinine," to describe his boys' behavior.  OK, compared to most, he did pretty good there too.

 The Legend:

Tim was a man of God. He let his light shine into this world through the light God provided to him. He read his Bible and prayed daily before work, prayer accompanied his meals and prayer ended his nights. His wife, sons, family and friends were all influenced by his love for God and he taught them through his actions what it means to have a relationship with God. He and God were friends.

He walked the walk and talked the talk. He was the best at bringing smiles into this world and now,  it's certain Tim will be the best at bringing them to heaven.

Many people came to Tim for counsel.  Even from a young young age, he could always be counted on for good advice and was put in positions of leadership.  As he grew older, calls for advice continued to pour in. His sons called him weekly for advice on repairs, finance and life.  There is no doubt of his wisdom.

But he also grew wise in another way.  With age Tim Yaeger became a sage of pranks.  Always the jokester, the game master and fun facilitator, Tim came up with countless ways to have a great time, bringing people together through laughter.

The pranks ranged in style and complexity but most were spur of the moment.

Anyone on a camping trip to Manteca Water Slides might be asked to take a photo by Tim and he’d set you up behind the motor-home to take said photo. He’d get the camera out and say “one, two, three, cheese” then a full ice chest of water was dumped upon your head in perfect timing for a wonderful and memorable picture.

Games were his specialty. He loved to work the AWANA Olympics, seeing kids of all ages, color, creed and background come together to compete in a multi-sporting event filled with God’s message and good sportsmanship.

He also loved youth group games like Sardines, Mystery Food Eating Relay, Chubby Bunny, Scalp, the Water Fountain Ride, Elbow Tag, the “I.Q. Test” (rolling a quarter down your face to leave a black line down the middle), to name a few.

Tim always had a smile on his face, loved to laugh and truly enjoyed each moment to the fullest. He measured his age with a healthy does of youthful fun, always staying forever young.

Tim's father, Clyde, worked in a laboratory making custom teeth and dentures.  Tim was around the dental community as he helped his dad at work which gave him the idea to use his remarkable talent for tinkering to help dentists. In 1959, he began as a service tech working for the L.D. Caulk Company in San Francisco. In 1962 he became a partner and co-owner of Hescot Company.

In 1977, Tim founded Yaeger Dental Supply with Wade Chlopek as his service tech (now partner and beloved friend). Together, with a vision to serve the dental community, they began the slow process of building a business based on moral integrity.

Throughout the years, Yaeger Dental Supply has become an icon in the dental community, serving over 1400 dentists - some new practices and some that have been practicing since Yaeger Dental's inception.  With his eldest son and long-time loyal employee, Timothy Yaeger Jr., as another partner, the company continues the legacy.  To learn more, visit their site: http://www.yaegerdental.com/index.html

Like the biblical Patriarch Abraham, Tim endured long spells of drought and turmoil, but his faith in God and his commitment to doing right has left a legacy in the dental community that will outlast him for generations to come.

The content of this section was compiled mostly from Sandra’s own recollection. 

Tim first laid eyes on Sandra on an outing church youth group at a roller skating rink.  She had been invited by the pastor’s wife.  He ended up giving her a ride home with some of the other young people and he was smitten.  She began attending the youth group at Calvary Baptist Church on Whittier Street in San Francisco.  When she asked about Tim, someone said, “he’s the Casanova of the church, you may want to look elsewhere.”  Sandy assumed that was a good thing, so she hung around to see where things would lead.

Tim continued to see her at church and asked her on a date, and then a second. His best buddy and son of the pastor, Bobby Don Matthews, advised Tim that it was hopeless, Sandy was just too shy.  But on the third date he told Sandy he loved her and they “went together” for 5 years before he asked her to marry him.

Tim was lacking a bit in the area of romance.  He proposed to Sandy in the car with this parents and dog, Shep.  Sandy recalls that Tim would not let her look at the ring because he didn’t want to spoil the surprise.  Tim made up for his lack of romance though with an every-ready sense of humor and enormous, contagious smile. 

It seems Tim and Sandy did all they could to show their true selves prior to marrying, just to make sure they were a good match.  Sandy recalls falling down the stairs in a prom dress and ending up at the bottom of the stairs laying there with dress completely over her body and head.  Tim was not deterred.  Another time, Sandy recalls discovering some lost hamburger meat under the seat of Tim’s Studebaker – it was the stench that gave it away.  Sandy was not deterred.

On November 16th of 1963, Tim and Sandy were married in San Mateo, California at Calvary Baptist Church, which was later renamed Crystal Springs Bible Church.  Pastor Bob Matthews, whom they had followed him over from CBC in San Francisco, performed the ceremony.   

They settled into their house in Daly City, just a few blocks from Tim’s parents and a couple of miles from Sandy’s.   Tim Junior arrived just a couple of years later.  Sandy recalls that she left Tim Sr. with the baby for the first time and when she returned home and lifted the baby up, his diaper just fell off.   Knowing how adept Tim was with his hands, one can speculate that this was his plan to escape diaper changing.

Three years later Andrew was born and soon after that, well, they bought Tim Junior his first dirt bike.  It was clear that the apple wasn’t going to fall far from the tree.  It was on a family camping/off road riding trip that one of the most-cherished Yaeger family stories happened.   Tim junior was zipping around on his 50cc bike and he grabbed the throttle instead of the brake and crashed into a large pile of brush that was home to a yellow jacket hive.  Tim Sr. ran to the scene and Tim Jr. extended his hand for help.  Senior looked and Junior and promptly grabbed the bike and said, “get up and run!”  Somehow, Senior ended up with 13 stings and Junior with 11.

Finally, ten years after junior was born, the third and last child arrived, Kurt.  Tim wasn’t going to slow down for child number three so he brought him along on off-road adventures at a very young age.  The four boys went on epic, memory filled rides in every imaginable terrain.  These memories are cherished deeply by the boys. Tim Senior made it a point to bring the boys along where so many men leave their families behind to have their fun.  Sandy usually had the great privilege of waiting for their return which often involved a stop at the emergency room.  Sometimes, dad would choose a location and ride just so he could bring Sandy along too. 

Though Tim was an adventure-lover, we look back at his fun and realize that he was a very balanced man.  He squeezed the trips in as work and church would allow and he never had his fun at the expense of his family – quite the opposite, in fact.  The trips and adventures were a way he could share his life with his family.  He did put some time and energy into his fun, but it never became an obsession for him, just pure fun.

Tim was born to Clyde and Wilma Yaeger in San Francisco. They were fun and wonderful parents to Tim and his sister Jackie. They had a quaint house with a large backyard and - more importantly to Tim - a large garage.

From a young age, Tim began making the choices that were to form him into the man he would became. He proved that life is what you make of it. His faith in God was reinforced, not shaken, when things were difficult.

Few people know that Tim was stricken with polio as a child and bore the bent legs to prove it his whole life. This never slowed him down. The polio undoubtedly contributed greatly to his back and neck problems over time - he grimaced often in pain, but rarely complained. Nevertheless, he played any kind of sport he could and his adventures on go carts and motorcycles are legendary (as an adult, when his knees could no longer bear motorcycling, he turned to dune buggies for fun.) There are stories of an amazingly fast go-cart he built that he used to drag race against cars in Golden Gate Park.

As a young boy his only sibling, Jackie, was hit by a car and paralyzed. She recounts that it was "Timmy" who he helped her to learn to walk and write again. Sound like the man he grew up to be?

Jackie also shared that Tim's faith began to develop at a young age as well. While the siblings walked to Colma Middle School, he would stop at a friend’s house for prayer meetings and Tim continued these meetings all the way through high school. Tim came to lead the church choir, whom he lovingly named "the Velvet Toads."

It was through the church youth group that he first saw a gorgeous young lady named Sandra Torre. He eventually made a joke about himself, "how did that chicken catch-a-torre?" Don't groan, that was actually a pretty good one for Tim.

Finally, if you know Tim, you know he loved games. It's important to note that at a young age, Tim also learned the card game from his father that has come to define Yaeger gatherings – Cribbage.