Ryan Scott Yessman

Ryan Scott Yessman, age 35 of Winston-Salem, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 22, 2022.

Mr. Yessman was born on January 24, 1987 in Panama City, FL to Ronald Thomas Yessman & Ann Sittman Yessman.  

Ryan worked as a truck driver for ABF Freights.  He proudly served his country in the United States Army as a SSG 25U.  He had a passion for photography, which lead him to start his own company, Ryan Yessman Photography.  He enjoyed listening to music & the public lectures of the "philosophical entertainer" Alan Watts.  Ryan spent much of his time playing with his daughters & their two dogs, as well as watching his wife play her video games.  He & his wife spent many date nights together at their favorite BBQ restaurant, Little Richards.

In addition to his parents, those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Randa Rae "Roo" Yessman; his two daughters, Stella & Nora; his sister, Allison; his aunt Mary & her husband; his grandma Phyllis; & countless other aunts & uncles.  He loved all of his family dearly.

He enjoyed acting goofy with his loved ones.  He was an amazing person & a gift to the world.  He wasn't only Roo's husband, but also her best friend & their love is endless.

A memorial service is being planned in his hometown, Panama City, FL. 

Carolina Cremation Center is respectfully serving the Yessman family.  

See below for Ryans obituary posted in the Panama City News Herald:

We announce with deepest sorrow, that Ryan Scott Yessman, age 35, our most beloved son, brother, father, husband, family member and friend passed suddenly in a motorcycle accident on Friday, July 22, 2022, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ryan spent most of his life in Panama City where he attended Holy Nativity School and Bay High. It was under the tutelage of Ron Holman (Imagination Factory) and Bruce Taws (Bay High), that Ryan discovered theatre. With his boundless energy and larger than life personality, he sang and danced his way through many local theatre productions earning a theater scholarship at Gulf Coast Community College.

It was with this same boundless energy that Ryan moved on to his next adventure, the US Army. Ryan’s military career spanned 12 years with deployments to Korea, Germany, Afghanistan, and Poland where he earned the rank of Staff Sargent. After his honorable discharge from the Army, Ryan joined ABF Freight as an over the road driver.

Ryan was an adventurous and talented, yet laid back spirit. With him, what you saw was always what you got, and what you saw, was a truly funny, easy-going, fun-loving human being. One who had a passion for photography, a love of the arts, goofy t-shirts, good music and being silly. But most of all, a love for his two daughters, Stella and Nora. They were his world and he was so proud of them. If you were lucky enough to be present when he played with his girls like the big kid that he was, you wouldn’t forget the pure joy radiating from their faces and the giggles, laughs and silliness that would spill over.

Ryan was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Donald and Mary Evelyn Sittman, paternal grandfather, Thomas Brewer Yessman Sr., and uncle, Kenneth Sittman. He leaves behind his parents, Ronald and Ann Yessman; his beautiful daughters, Stella and Nora; his wife, Randa Rae ‘Roo’ Yessman; sister Allison Geiman (Riley); beloved paternal grandmother, Phyllis Yessman Laughlin; his aunts Mary Sittman (Marvin Clark), Tammy Dieterle (Bill), Kelly Yessman Van Den Heuvel (Ronald), Kimberly Fernandez (Pedro), Traci Jusko (Jason),Stephanie Sittman and uncles, Chico Sittman and Thomas Yessman Jr. (Julie) along with countless cousins, friends and extended family.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 AM at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church Father Tom Weller and Father Steve Bates, officiants. In keeping with Ryan’s colorful and goofy style, dress casually in mismatched clothing or Hawaiian shirts

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to a scholarship fund for his daughters: Stella and Nora Scholarship Fund, c/o Elizabeth Larson, 1680 Babington Way, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 or in the alternative to Holy Nativity Episcopal School Foundation, 205 Hamilton Avenue, Panama City, FL 32401

His shining light was extinguished too soon.