Michael Paul Yanik
Michael Paul Yanik, 44, died Saturday, September 17, 2022, at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga Tennessee.
He was born in East Ridge, Tn. on May 12,1978. He grew up in Chattanooga and was a 1996 graduate of Tyner High School, where he played the bass as a member of the Orchestra and represented the school by going to All State his senior year. He also grew up learning how to play the piano and later taught himself how to play the bass guitar. Because of Michael’s lifelong love of music, he played the electric bass guitar as a member of DeArranged, an alternative rock band.
Following high school, Michael attended Chattanooga State where he earned a Certificate in Industrial Electronics in 1999. He worked at many industrial companies throughout his life including Volkswagen, Gestamp, Triumph Sheets and Plastic Omnium.
Michael was a very kind-hearted person and was often described by his older sister as her "goofy" brother who was always cracking jokes. His older brother considered him his best friend growing up. He always had a smile on his face and loved to laugh and have fun. His laugh was infectious.
Michael married Tonya West on June 17, 2006, and they had three children together before divorcing in 2018.
Michael was preceded in death by his father, John Joseph Yanik when he was only 10 years old; his maternal grandparents, Alexander and Maria Erskine; his paternal grandparents, Joseph and Alice Yanik; and an uncle, John Erskine.
He is survived by his three children, daughter, Ashlyn Yanik of Cleveland, Tn. who is currently in the Marine Corps at boot camp, and sons, Andrew Yanik and Caden Yanik, both of Cleveland, Tn.; the mother of his children, Tonya West of Cleveland, Tn.; his fiancé, Elisa Abbott of Ooltewah, Tn.; his mother, Betty Erskine Yanik of Chattanooga; sister, Karen Moore (Darren) of Ooltewah; brother, David Yanik (Katie Miller) of Harrison, Tn.; two nieces, Madison Yanik and Abigail Yanik of Ooltewah; two nephews, Nathan Yanik of Ooltewah and Ethan Yanik of Rossville, Ga.; an uncle, Sandy Erskine of Macon, Ga.; and a number of cousins in Connecticut, Georgia, and throughout the United States.
Michael was a registered organ donor and as his last kind act on this Earth, his organs were donated so that others had a chance to live.
Michael will be dearly missed by his friends and family alike.
A graveside service will be held at Lakewood Memory Gardens East in Chattanooga on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Michael's name to the National Alliance of Mental Illness at NAMI.org or the Council for Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services at CADAS.org.