John Bates, Sr

John Andrew Bates, Sr.

Blythe, GA  – John Andrew Bates, Sr., 63, entered into rest Thursday, May 15, 2014 at his residence.  A private memorial service attended by family and his closest personal friends was held at 3:00PM Sunday, June 1, 2014 at James Funeral Home with Rev. Albert Halford officiating.

One of four children born to Hazel Luckey Laube and the late Marion Nixon “Nick” Bates, Sr., John was a lifelong resident of Burke County with the exception of his time spent proudly serving our country in the Air Force during Vietnam. He retired as a conductor with Norfolk Southern Railroad. John enjoyed the things any red-blooded good ‘ole Southern boy likes—hunting, fishing and country music. Loving nature, he was an outdoorsman and spent a lot of time with his hunting dogs and goats.  John loved to travel, especially in the mountains with his favorite place being Ruby Falls.  He was also an avid sports fan—NASCAR, Atlanta Braves and “his” Georgia Bulldogs—“GO DAWGS!!”  He was a huge collector of Georgia Bulldog memorabilia as well as eagles—he was fascinated with this majestic symbol of our great nation. John’s greatest love was reserved for his mother and his sons—his reason for living.  John knew a lot about many things and was an interesting conversationalist but having a no-nonsense forthright personality, he was often times blunt in expressing his opinions and views which sometimes caused him to be misunderstood.  He was a very fair-minded individual and had a high moral compass.  Suffering multiple physical health infirmities and then developing mental health problems, John is now pain-free and soaring Heaven like his beloved eagles.

Other survivors include his children, John Andrew Bates, Jr. (Rebecca) of Wrens, Harold Carlton “Bones” Bates, and Charles Nixon “Spud” Bates; three siblings, Marion Nixon Bates, Jr., Randy Gene Bates and Denise Bates Mulkey; and one grandson, Keelan Bates.
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AFTER GLOW

I’d like the memory of me
To be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an after glove
Of smiles when life id done.
I’d like to leave an echo
Whispering softly down the ways—
Of happy times and laughing times
And bright and summer days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
To dry before the sun,
Of happy memories that I leave
When life is done.

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