Long-ago BJ sports statistician John Yee passes away

Former 1990s BJ sports department statistician John Yee passed away Monday, January 13.

I’ll let former BJ sports whiz Larry Pantages, who did such a magnificent and eloquent job of capturing Yee’s essence, tell the story:



John Yee

Today’s obituary notices include John Yee, who became a sports department statistician in 1993 in his 60s and happily learned about daily newspaper journalism after a fulfilling business career in the tire industry with B.F. Goodrich and its successor companies.

John did everything from answering the phone to compiling records to chasing missing head shot high school athlete photos to searching the library archives for much-needed clippings to “punching in” radio and TV listings to working evenings taking box scores on deadline. And more.

John was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge of Akron, including remembering names of coaches and star athletes at the local schools long before Internet searches were available.

He had been a fan of all the teams at all levels since childhood. He was often the face and voice of the Beacon Journal sports department and newsroom when the phone rang and a reader called with a complaint or a request for help.

A favorite story about John took place in the middle of his first football season in 1993 when he answered the phone around the lunch hour and said, “Larry, this caller says Bernie Kosar has been released by the Browns.”

Sports editor Bill Eichenberger and I laughed and told John to tell the caller it wasn’t true. And we checked the AP wire and there was nothing ... until a very short time later, it WAS true.

We always said John was the first person at the BJ to break that news. That made him smile.

He often said how much he liked the work at the BJ compared to his first post-retirement job, bagging groceries. Of course, the groceries never complained like some callers who wanted to yell about a columnist’s opinion or demand more coverage of their neighborhood high school team.

Away from the newsroom, John enjoyed very much sharing stories about his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also worked diligently with his wife Karen in her business of conducting estate sales at homes all over the Akron area.

Deepest sympathy to Karen and all of John’s family.

Thanks, Larry.

Here is John Yee’s obituary:

John "Gong Gong" Yee, 87, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2020. He was the son of Yee Fook and Ong Shee, born July 9, 1932 in Akron. John was a US Army Korean War Veteran, graduate of East High and University of Akron, and retired from Michelin Tire and Akron Beacon Journal. Preceded in death by brothers, Henry (Lily), Don (Peggy) and Bill; sisters, Tushing (Tom) Fong, Tusmee (Edgar) Wong and Tuskee (Ben) Dong. He is survived by wife of 36 years, Karen (nee Wible); children: Laura (Ron) Baughman, Susan Yee (Pam Mitchell), Sharon Yee (Ken Torisky) Gerry (Kim Blair) Wuchter, Julie (Brett) Reynolds; grandchildren: Nick (Ashley), Alex, Tyler, Connor Baughman; Jamie and Adam Benjamin; Jon, Max, and Grady Wuchter; Ben and Josh Reynolds; great-grandchildren, Adam, Addison, Ethan, and Evelyn Baughman; brother, Dupon (Mary) Yee; sister-in-law, Helena Yee and mother-in-law, Winifred Wible. Private services have taken place.