On Monday, Houston area Democrats gathered at Faith Lutheran Church in Bellaire to pay their respects to Carol “CJ” Yeoman, a long-time local Democratic Party leader who passed away two weeks ago.
“Many of us would not be in office today if not for her being out there knocking on those doors and championing our cause,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said at the memorial.
Yeoman, 66, served as Vice President of the Meyerland Area Democrats Club, a position those close to her say she held with unmatched commitment.
“Even after she was diagnosed with cancer, she was out there block walking for me, and I want to say thank you,” Turner said. “Even in her physical absence, her presence is still strong.”
First elected to her position with Meylerland Democrats in 2011, Yeoman went on to serve eight more terms as the club’s vice president. Her time with the local club is credited with helping elect a number of Houston area leaders, including Turner, District Attorney Kim Ogg, and most recently, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher.
“For me at least, she was a very seasoned adviser because she had been involved in politics since the 1970s,” President of Meyerland Democrats Art Pronin told the Signal.
Yeoman’s organizing work on campaigns included former Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire, former Gov. Mark White, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, as well as countless others in down ballot races. “She didn’t just endorse a candidate, she would go out and knock on doors and make the calls to make it happen,” Pronin said.
Sherrie Matula, a friend of Yeoman and president of the Bay Area Association of Democratic Women, said Yeoman was an “unsung hero” and that her presence in Harris County was everywhere, from rallies to protests and voter registration efforts.
Photo: Facebook/Harris County Democratic Party
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignal.com
