Kim Oscar Yarbrough

Kim Yarbrough, 78, formerly of New York City and Florida, passed away peacefully at Ten Broeck Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on Saturday, April 25, 2026. He is survived by his daughter, Caitlin Lemmo, his brother, Ben Yarbrough, cousins and countless friends mourning his passing all across the country.

Kim Yarbrough was a very special man who lived a very special life. He grew up all over as a military brat, spending much of his youth at Fort Bliss in El Paso and Fort Sill in Oklahoma Most of his teens were in Baker County, Florida where he eventually served as a deputy sheriff before making his way to New York, where he would live for over three decades and leave an indelible mark on so many people and organizations.

He settled in the East Village,NYC and became something of a legend on St. Mark's Place, where many considered him the unofficial "Mayor" of the block. As a superintendent of several buildings, he made friends with everyone who walked down that street — neighbors, strangers, homeless people, anybody who passed by his stoop was fair game to hear a story and be invited to one of his famous backyard pig roasts. That was the kind of man he was.

He was a true pioneer, joining the historic Fillmore East security crew in 1969 and bearing witness to so much musical history and so many remarkable events. Those who worked alongside Kim universally respected and admired him. His reputation grew, and over the years he provided security for Ralph Lauren, the Lonestar Café, and a long list of other venues and celebrities. On the other side of that security barrier, there were an awful lot of people who would take one look at the man and stop their nonsense — or find themselves unceremoniously removed. You did not want to be on this man's bad side. But to his friends and colleagues, he was nothing but love and kindness. If Kim was there and things were going sideways, everyone knew he had their back, front, and sides.

The great Bill Graham, who had tremendous respect and love for Kim, posted him to guard Max Yasgur's residence on the grounds of Woodstock '69. Kim loved to tell the story of Max bringing him a ham sandwich during the event because the crew wasn't being properly fed. That was Kim — the kind of man who would have stayed at his post for days without sleep or food to get the job done.

At the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, and dozens of other shows and festivals over the years, Kim was an important mentor, leader, and integral part of a great, well-known, and widely respected concert security crew, hired by promoters all over the Northeastern United States for their professionalism and reputation — with Kim at the spearhead.

When George Railes was murdered outside Forest Hills Stadium, where The Who were scheduled to perform, Kim was the man who bravely and unhesitatingly tackled the killer and was stabbed several times in the process. Most people run away from danger and violence. Kim ran toward it — to stop it and protect others, at his own expense.

Kim was strong-minded — some might say pig-headed and stubborn at times. But if he believed he was right about something, it was hard to best him in a discussion. Kim was also a diehard patriot thru & thru who loved his country and would always defend it. He also was a devout, practicing christian leaving behind six bibles in his collection.

Some people mistakenly assumed Kim wasn't a particularly sharp or bright man but they were very wrong. He didn't have a college degree, but he had superhero street smarts, great curiosity, and genuine intelligence. He would always finish the NYTimes crossword puzzle in under an hour & was very proud of that fact! He could hold forth on certain subjects with the authority of a college professor. He was a voracious reader and could quote from the classics but few could match his historical acumen, a side of Kim that many people never saw. But those who knew him well were always aware that this man had a special spark.

Kim spent his final years dealing with serious health issues, and those close to him could hear his frustration at being confined in an aging body, far from the life he loved. He was, at heart, a free spirit who loved people and embraced life fully. Not to mention a hopeless romantic.

The world is a much darker place without the amazing and beautiful light that was Kim Yarbrough's spirit. He was a real man, a protector, a fixer, a dying breed. Rest in peace Kim.