William "Bill" Ray Bates

Services for William Ray “Bill” Bates, 93, of Tyler, will be held on Monday, February 24, 2014, at 2:00 PM at St. Francis Episcopal Church with The Rev. Mitch Tollett officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Bates passed away Thursday, February 20, 2014 in Tyler. He was born October 9, 1920 in Fort Worth, Texas to Elmer Bates and Minnie Curtis Bates. His father worked on the 1st oil well in the Van field. As a child of an oil field worker, Bill lived in cities all over East Texas, including Tyler, where he attended Hogg Middle School. Bill was a member of St. Francis Episcopal Church and the Masonic Lodge. He was a veteran of WWII, proudly serving in the United States Air Force as a B-17 Crew Chief in England. Mr. Bates began his career in accounting for various oil companies. During his years with Ashland Oil, he moved to the Land Department where he managed Ashland’s extensive lease holdings. When Ashland sold all of their leases, Lear Petroleum recruited him to manage their Ashland acquisition and develop their computerized lease records and division orders system. He loved to play golf and had 4 holes-in-one. Bill loved woodworking and making things with his hands. He enjoyed fishing & hunting in his younger years, spending time with his dachshunds and traveling throughout the U.S. Most of all, Bill loved his family and loved spending time with his great-grandchildren, his “pretty babies”, and taking them for scooter rides down the hall at Meadowlake. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Leroy and Charles Bates. He is survived by his loving family including his spouse of 72 years, Bliss Mangum Bates; daughter, Laurie Bates Barham and her husband Michael of Tyler; grandchild, Melissa Schmoldt and her husband, Cary, and their children, Lucien Cary, Eden Grace and Ava Schmoldt of Frisco; nephews, Brian Bates of Buffalo, Texas and Bill Bates of Conroe, Texas. Visitation is scheduled from 1:00 –2:00 PM on Monday, February 24, 2014 at St. Francis Episcopal Church. If desired, memorials may be made to St. Francis Episcopal Church, 3232 Jan Ave, Tyler, TX 75701.

William "Bill" Ray Bates

October 9, 1920 - February 20, 2014