Donald E. "Don" Bates

Donald E. "Don" Bates

Formerly of Chesaning

 

Early the morning of Friday, July 22, 2016, Don passed away at the Union Court Assisted Living in St. Charles with his wife and family at his side. He was 83 years old.

 

Anyone who knew Don will likely remember him for (at least) three notable qualities: His generosity—it began with his family and proved endless. His service—to his country, to his community, to his faith. And his humor—an encounter with him always came with a quip and a chuckle, and maybe an elbow jab if you were lucky; his laughter and that wide grin, suggesting positively handsome features in his days of youth, were undeniably infectious.

 

Don was born in Ogemaw County, Michigan on February 8, 1933, the son of Leonard Orval and Mildred Mae (Brown) Bates. He was the fifth of seven children. His mother passed away when he was quite young, and when his father remarried he was acquainted with six more siblings. By the time Don started high school in 1948, his family had ended up on Fowler Road in Brady Township. Before graduating from Chesaning in 1951, Don rode the bus with Miss Margaret Fuoss, a pretty girl three years behind him in high school. The two started dating during his last year of high school.

 

After graduating, Don joined the Air Force and attended a Watch Repair school. In 1952, he began serving in the Korean War. Although he was stationed in Korea, he spent the majority of the year overseas in Japan. His days were spent working on F86 instruments for airplanes and his nights were spent listening to the constant rainfall and distant shootings of war. Don wrote letters to Margaret every day, and likewise received a letter from her every day. “Each one was the same as the last, but I enjoyed them anyway,” he once noted.

 

When returning to the States, Don was stationed at various bases around the country, including Louisiana, Massachusetts, Bermuda, Holyoke, and Missouri. Finally in 1954 he returned home to marry his high school sweetheart. The couple produced their first child in 1955, whom they named Paul. In two years came Martha, in two more years came Donna, and ten years after Donna came Patricia. Don left the Air Force in 1955 and worked a series of jobs, some lasting longer than others. Notably, he volunteered with the Chesaning Valley Ambulance Service for 30 years. In 1962 he started working for Buick in Master Clock Repair. This lasted until 1988, when he retired.

 

After retirement, Don became even more active in volunteer work and involved with his community. He was the treasurer of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church for many moons, and traveled as an avid Builder for Christ. He built churches in such places as El Paso, Texas, White River, Arizona, and El Durango, Wisconsin, as well as the Michigan cities of Jackson, Gladwin, and the Sault. “Traveling all the way down to Arizona in a motor home is a trip,” was Don’s only comment about being a part of Builders for Christ. He was active in the Men’s Senior Softball League and secretary of the local Kiwanis Club; through this he was involved in helping the less fortunate of the community and raising money for other services.

 

“People helped me in my life when I needed it,” Don said once when asked why he liked to be so actively involved in his community and beyond. “It’s up to me to help them when I can.” Following this, his signature grin and wink: “As long as it’s not hard work.”

 

Don believed his greatest accomplishment was his family. He once relayed: “If you can take care of your personal life, then everything else will take care of itself.”

 

Despite Don’s humble nature, it is evident you can’t keep a low profile if you’re doing so much good for your community, or for the world for that matter. Donald Bates was a very respected man, and it wasn't because he stayed out of everyone’s way. He helped; he gave heart to the people around him; he wore his simple values on his sleeve, but not because he was obligated to do so—because he knew the very simplest things, such as love, kindness, humor, and wisdom, make the very biggest differences.

 

Don was preceded in death by his parents Leonard Orval and Mildred Mae, his stepmother Bessie, his brothers Leonard Jr., Edwin "Pete," and Robert, and his sisters Ila, Edna, Norma and his son-in-law Lawton Williston.

 

Don is survived by his wife, Margaret; his children and their spouses: Paul and Cheryl Bates, Martha Williston, Donna and Bernard Schoch, and Patricia and Rick Longoria; and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Paul Michael, Erin, and Lori Bates; Sarah, Courtney, Bryanna, Noah, and Keagan Schoch; Andrea and Rick Goward; and Donato Longoria; and his brother Bill (Phyllis) and his sisters Thela, Donna, Barbara (Bob Roy), Betty, and Judy (Dave Moiles).

 

Don’s visitation will be 2pm-8pm Friday, July 29, 2016, at Misiuk Funeral Home.  His funeral service will be 10am Saturday, July 30, 2016, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chesaning.  Pastor Joel W. Thomford will officiate.  Don's family will be present at the church to welcome friends from 9am Saturday until time of the service.

 

Don’s family would like to thank his Nurse Practitioner Chris Chesney and all of the staff at Union Court.  The love and care they provided Don was remarkable and they are all part of our family now.

 

Donations in memory of Don can be made to the following: Zion Lutheran Church, Builders for Christ (www.buildersforchrist.org) or to Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 304, Chicago Illinois 60611 (www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org).

 

Please share your online condolences with Don’s family at misiukfuneralhome.com.