Curtis French Yarbrough, Jr. passed away on Apr. 17, 2024, due to an adverse reaction to prescribed medication, surrounded by loved ones at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Alabama. He was 81 years old. French was preceded in death by his parents, Curtis French Yarbrough, Sr., and Elizabeth Church Yarbrough. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama on Jan. 20, 1943.
French leaves behind his love of 22 years, Carolyn Ann Kramer Phillips of Fairhope, Alabama. He also leaves behind his son, Curtis French Yarbrough III, his wife Jaejin (JJ) Lee Yarbrough, and his grandchildren, Daniel Lee Yarbrough, and Elizabeth Lee Yarbrough, all of San Jose, California; his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Pearson Yarbrough, of San Francisco, California; and his sister, Elizabeth Yarbrough Bush and her husband, Ronald Frank Bush of Fairhope, Alabama.
French graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama in 1961. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Finance where he was a member of the ATO fraternity. He then joined the U.S. Army where he was a First Lieutenant. After serving in the Army, he returned to the University of Alabama and graduated with a master’s degree in finance in 1969 and was initiated into Beta Gamma Sigma, International Business Honor Society. French and Carolyn loved to attend Alabama football games to cheer on the Crimson Tide.
French spent his professional life in the financial business sector. He began his career at Southeast Bank in Miami, Florida and later worked for the First National Bank of Boca Raton, Florida. Then he was named President of the Coconut Grove Bank in Miami, Florida and retired from BBVA/Compass Bank in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2013.
After retiring, he and Carolyn relocated to Fairhope, Alabama. French was a member of the Red Elephant Club of Alabama, University of Alabama ATO Alumni Association, and the Rock Creek Golf Club. French was loved dearly by his family and friends. Always fun to be with, he will be missed by many. There will be a Celebration of Life in his memory at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Baldwin County Humane Society in Fairhope, Alabama.
